There’s been a vacancy since Jacob Trouba was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in December. Recent history shows that the Rangers are willing to without one for a while, as they did after Ryan McDonagh was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018 and before Trouba was next to wear the “C” beginning in the 2022-23 season.

But it feels like this time the Rangers will move more quickly and name a captain before next season begins. J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck and Adam Fox appear to be the top candidates. Valis arguments can be made for each, ranging from leadership and personality traits, to who might be with the Rangers a longer period of time.

Though their are many varying opinions on this topic, one former Rangers player believes there’s no question that Trocheck should be named captain.

“There’s something about ‘Troch.’ He’s got that kind of magnetism that guys are drawn to,” Nick Bonino told co-hosts Jonny Lazarus and Colby Cohen on the latest Morning Cuppa Hockey podcast.

Related: Making the case for Vincent Trocheck to be next Rangers captain

Why Rangers ‘couldn’t go wrong’ naming Vincent Trocheck captain

There’ve been 29 captains in Rangers history, a tally that includes Mark Messier’s two separate stints (1991-1997; 2000-2004) wearing the ‘C.” Rangers legends Brian Leetch, Jaromir Jagr, Brad Park, Andy Bathgate and Harry Howell are among those who’ve also been captain.

So, why does Bonino believe Trocheck should be No. 30, in the 100th anniversary season with the Rangers?

“He’s vocal, but he’s not too vocal, and he plays hard — which is really what you want,” Bonino explained. “He’s going to go out every night and give it.”

Since signing with New York in 2022, Trocheck has been one of the Rangers’ most consistent performers, logging heavy minutes in all situations and delivering in key situations. For Bonino, it’s the exact habits a captain should embody.

Bonino and Trocheck were teammates for part of the 2023-24 season before Bonino’s tenure in New York ended abruptly. The veteran forward cleared waivers in late January, was given the All-Star break to choose his next move, and ultimately asked the Rangers to terminate his contract rather than report to Hartford of the American Hockey League AHL — which the organization honored.

But those four months and 45 games with the Rangers was enough for Trocheck to win Bonino over.

And the two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins — who’s now an assistant with the Penguins under new coach Dan Muse — knows a thing or two about great leaders. He did, after all, play with Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh, and was a respected leader himself over 15 seasons in the NHL.

So, even though Bonino has plenty of respect for Fox, who he played with, and Miller, who he knows from the Pittsburgh area and has played against, he also knows who his pick is for next Rangers captain.

“I can’t say enough good things about all those guys,” Bonino said. “But about Troch, he’s just a class guy and [has] a great family, and couldn’t go wrong with that pick for sure.”

The Blueshirts placed the 35-year-old on waivers before the NHL All-Star break, allowing him to stay with his family instead of immediately reporting to the Hartford Wolf Pack. Per the NY Post’s Larry Brooks, the club put the decision in Bonino’s hands.

TSN’s Darren Dreger is reporting that team’s are already beginning to line up for his services.

Rangers gave Bonino the all-star break to weigh options, decided not to report to Hartford, asked for contract termination that will be granted once he clears waivers.

— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) February 6, 2024

Related: Rangers place Bonino on waivers

Nick Bonino asks for contract termination

New York signed Bonino this past offseason to a one-year deal with an AAV of $800,000. The expectation was for him to play a shutdown role as a fourth-line center, which he was doing well with to start the year.

Unfortunately, aside from being very good on draws, the veteran looked slow on the ice, and provided little to no offense.

This season, Bonino averaged 12:15 of ice time and won 51 percent of his face-offs. He finished his time with the Rangers registering one goal and four assists in 45 games.

The Rangers are currently using Jonny Brodzinski and Barclay Goodrow as their bottom-six centers.

“It’s day one and so he’s starting up the process of working up to speed,” coach Peter Laviolette said after practice. “It was good to have him out there, but there’s no timeframe.”

Chytil has not played since sustaining an upper-body injury Nov. 2 against the Carolina Hurricanes after a collision with former Blueshirts forward Jesper Fast. 

Related: What Carter Hart’s indefinite leave from Flyers means for Rangers

Filip Chytil practices with Rangers after ‘reset’ in Czechia

The 24-year-old headed home to Czechia for a “reset” about a month ago. He’d been skating and working out there, including at least one session shared on social media with former Rangers great Jaromir Jagr.

Laviolette was asked about Chytil’s return to New York on Tuesday prior to the Rangers’ 3-2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks that ended a 1-2-1 trip to the west coast.

“He’s back and he’s progressing and our doctors will let us know when he’s cleared,” Laviolette said. “But no timeline. No timeline.”

So, the message remains consistent from the coach with the Rangers taking a cautious approach. Chytil, who has six assists in 10 games this season, skated with a no-contact jersey on Thursday. 

In a move possibly related to Chytil’s return to practice, the Rangers placed veteran center Nick Bonino on waivers Thursday. If he isn’t claimed by another team, Bonino could be assigned to Hartford in the American hockey League. There’s also the chance Bonino could be released if the 35-year-old balks at being sent to the minors.

Jake Leschyshyn was recalled from Hartford. The forward has played one game with the Rangers this season.

In the short term, Bonino will wait to see if he’s claimed by another team. That’s unlikely, even given his prorated $800,000 salary cap hit and being an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. The Rangers recalled forward Jake Leschyshyn from the Hartford Wolf Pack to replace Bonino on the roster for the time being.

Update: Nick Bonino cleared waivers and has been assisgned to Hartford of the American Hockey League

Bonino clears

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 26, 2024

Signed by the Rangers this past offseason, Bonino averaged 12:15 in ice time and won 51 percent of his face-offs. His metrics were not great and he had only five points (one goal, four assists) and was a team-worst minus-12 in 45 games, playing a bottom-six role.

Per Vince Mercogliano, Peter Laviolette spoke highly of Bonino, saying, “He met with Chris Drury this morning. It’s the decision that was made. I’ve worked with Nick for quite a few years going back to Nashville. I can’t speak enough about him as a person. He’s just a good guy, a good teammate. It’s a tough day.”

The biggest issue was likely his offensive production after Bonino scored at least 10 goals each of the past seven seasons. The same can be said for the majority of the bottom-six group. The Rangers have had a hard time getting scoring from this part of the lineup all season and it has hurt them when the top two lines are not producing. It is possible that placing Bonino on waivers means general manager Chris Drury is getting ready to make a move, potentially bringing in a bottom-six forward with more offensive upside, ahead of the NHL trade deadline March 8.

Favorite season in New York?
Spring? Summer? Fall? Winter?

For Nick Bonino, there’s only one right answer: Hockey season. 🏒 pic.twitter.com/czABDBtGwv

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) August 10, 2023

Related: Blockbuster trade deadline deal with Senators could be what Rangers need

Rangers could make trade or be preparing for Filip Chytil return with Nick Bonino on waivers

Another potential reason for the move is that the Rangers are gearing up for the long-awaited return of Filip Chytil. After returning to New York earlier this week, Chytil took part in his first practice with the Rangers on Thursday, wearing a red no-contact jersey and slotting in the third-line center position.

Update: Filip Chytil suffers injury setback at Rangers morning skate Friday

Though most of the bottom-six forwards have struggled to produce, Bonino appears to be the first and easiest casualty, especially since Barclay Goodrow’s contract makes him nearly impossible to move. Should Bonino clear waivers, he may be assigned to Hartford. However, it appears the Rangers could release Bonino if that’s what the respected 35-year-old prefers.

The Rangers coaching staff may also be in favor of Jonny Brodzinski playing center in the bottom-six as he has more speed and potential for more production. In 28 games this season, Brodzinski has registered one goal and eight assists.

With Chytil gearing up to return, here is a possible look at the forward lines once he is back:

Kreider – Zibanejad – Wheeler
Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere
Cuylle – Chytil – Kakko
Vesey – Brodzinski – Goodrow

This version of New York’s forward lines comes with much more depth as well as an added scoring touch on the third and fourth lines. The third line of Cuylle-Chytil-Kakko has the potential to be a perfect blend of physicality, defensive ability, play making, and scoring.

It is also important to note that Kaapo Kakko and Blake Wheeler are seemingly interchangeable at this point. They could swap first- and third-line roles. If and when the Rangers acquire a true first-line right wing, one of these two forwards may be the odd man out, unless they can find a team willing to take on Goodrow and his $3.64 million contract for the next three seasons. That’ll be no small feat.

The move could be the start of a snowball effect for Drury and the Rangers, who have been underwhelming lately compared to the standard they set over to begin the season. The NHL trade deadline is quickly approaching, and the Rangers have limited salary cap space to work with. Drury will have to start putting things into motion soon if he wants to bring in a piece or two to strengthen the Rangers for a Stanley Cup Playoff run.

At the halfway mark of the 2023-24 season, it is safe to say that not all these free-agent signings have worked out in favor of the Rangers, but since every contract is valued at less than $1 million, the deals are not hurting the team financially. Now that New York has surpassed the halfway point of their season let’s check in on how each signee has performed on Broadway.

Related: Rangers must immediately fix this issue

Rangers offseason signings updates

Tyler Pitlick

2023-24 Statistics: 28 GP, one goal, two assists, three points, minus-one

Tyler Pitlick came to New York on July 1, agreeing to a one-year deal worth $787k after spending last season with the St. Louis Blues, where he registered 16 points in 61 games. Thus far, he’s only skated in 28 games, accounting for 63% of the Rangers first-half schedule, collecting three points with one goal.

As a bottom-six forward, Pitlick averages 10:10 a night when he does play, with a season-high 14:49 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Dec. 19. He wouldn’t fetch a good return in a trade and most likely won’t be back next season because the Rangers could promote a prospect to fill his spot.

Nick Bonino

2023-24 Statistics: 43 GP, one goal, four assists, five points, minus-10

Nick Bonino also came to the Rangers on July 1 on a one-year deal worth $800k. General manager Chris Drury brought in the 35-year-old because he’s a veteran of 865 games with two Stanley Cup rings.

After 42 games, Bonino has one goal and five points and is tied with Alexis Lafreniere for the team’s worst plus/minus rating at minus-10 while averaging 12:17 a night. He’s on pace to skate in more than 62 games as he did last year but could finish with his lowest point in over a decade.

Blake Wheeler

2023-24 Statistics: 44 GP, seven goals, 10 assists, 17 points, minus-three

Blake Wheeler signed in New York on July 1, trying to continue his NHL career at 37 after being bought out by the Winnipeg Jets. Many Rangers’ fans felt his best days were behind him and that he wouldn’t be a significant contributor despite making $800k.

Frequently, Wheeler is nonexistent on the ice, even though he’s had chances to skate in the top six, only playing over 14 minutes in nine contests this year. After 44 games, he’s netted 17 points, the eighth-best total on the team, but he also has the sixth-worst plus/minus rating at minus-three.

Erik Gustafsson

2023-24 Statistics: 44 GP, four goals, 17 assists, 21 points, even

The Rangers got lucky on July 1 when they signed Erik Gustafsson to a one-year deal valued at $825k. Although he’d never win a Norris Trophy, he is a highly skilled offensive defenseman who is New York’s seventh-leading scorer with 21 points, eight of them coming on the powerplay.

Gustafsson may be a bottom-pairing defender, but he does skate over 17 minutes a night and is on pace to surpass his points and games played total from last season. Considering that Zac Jones hasn’t earned a regular spot in the rotation yet, keeping Gustafsson for another year wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

Jonathan Quick

2023-24 Statistics: 15 GP, 9-3-2, 2.49 GAA .912 SV%

Jonathan Quick won the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights in June and signed with the Rangers on the first day of free agency to back up Igor Shesterkin for $825k. At 37, many wondered if he had anything left in the tank, especially playing for his favorite childhood team.

There’s no doubt that Shesterkin is the number one goalie in New York, but he has struggled at points, with Quick bailing out the team with an impressive 9-3-2 record with a 2.49 goals-against average and .912 save percentage in 15 starts. Although he’s not a long-term option in the backup role, no one can argue that he’s become one of the free-agent goalie signings in years.

Stats via Hockey-Reference

Filip Chytil leaving the country to fly back home to Czechia in order to recover from a suspected concussion, means Nick Bonino is playing way out of position as the team’s third-line center. Even when Kaapo Kakko returns, that doesn’t change the Rangers’ desperate need to get more offense from that unit.

While it’s unfair to criticize Bonino, since the veteran was brought in to anchor the fourth-line and play a key checking role, the Rangers need more production from that position. He’s simply been unable to generate any offense or set up plays for two capable wingers in Will Cuylle and Jonny Brodzinski.

Related: Chytil returns to Czechia to recover

New York Rangers need to address third line

Starting with the team’s 6-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators back on December 5th, the Rangers have gone 7-6-0. During that span, the players on that line have produced a grand total of 4 goals and 5 assists.

Here’s a breakdown for each player:

• Nick Bonino: 0 goals, 2 assists in 12 games with a -1 rating
• Will Cuylle: 3 goals, 0 assists in 13 games with a -1 rating
• Jonny Brodzinski: 1 goal, 3 assists in 13 games with a -5 rating

In hindsight, a few of those losses could have been flipped to wins had they gotten any kind of production from their third line. The Rangers at the very least could’ve gotten a point versus the Edmonton Oilers (12/22) or the Florida Panthers (12/29), both games a 4-3 loss.

It should be noted that Cuylle tallied versus Edmonton, but that goal came with a second left in the game to make the score look better than what it was. Meanwhile, Brodzinski’s goal came on the power play in a win over the L.A. Kings, subbing in for Mika Zibanejad, who was in the penalty box.

So what can the Rangers do?

Eventually, Kakko will return, and it would be wise to try Jonny Brodzinski in the middle, a position he’s familiar with playing in Hartford. Of course, that should not be the long term fix. That goes double if Chytil isn’t expected to return anytime soon.

Head coach Peter Laviolette, who has been very hesitant to shuffle lines, needs to do something. It wouldn’t be a terrible idea to move Brodzinski to center against the Chicago Blackhawks when they face-off on Thursday night.

Getting Bonino back to his spot centering the fourth-line needs to happen. For now, Barclay Goodrow can move up to play right wing on the third line until a better fix can be conjured up. There’s also the possibility of placing Adam Edstrom on the third-line and keeping Goodrow right where he is, thus scratching Tyler Pitlick.

At the end of the day, the Rangers can’t keep hoping that their top-six and power play will produce at a high rate for the remainder of the season. President and GM Chris Drury has to address this significant problem, but that depends entirely on the health of Chytil, which is a big unknown at the moment.

While the word is that Chytil’s working hard to play again this season, when that will be is up in the air. Although his $4.437M cap hit is on LTIR, the Rangers can’t just go out and trade for a center to replace him right now unless he’s out for the rest of the regular-season.

“Fil is progressing slowly,” Laviolette said regarding Chytil returning to Czechia. “It’s an opportunity for him to head home, reset, and continue to move forward. When he comes back, we’ll welcome him with open arms.”

Ultimately, the best scenario for everyone, is for Chytil to recover quickly and return soon. However, until there’s more clarity on his situation, there’s not much Drury can do due to the salary cap. That puts the onus on Laviolette to start finding a more productive combination for the third-line as soon as tomorrow.

If it’s determined that Chytil will miss the rest of the regular-season, then Drury can start planning on trading for a center. Two names that stand out are high-profile UFA’s Elias Lindholm and Steven Stamkos.

Of the two, Lindholm has a cap hit of $4.8M and easier to fit than Stamkos’ $8.5M. Regardless, either player will cost at least a first-round pick and more to acquire, with a good likelihood that they won’t be signing on Broadway in the summer.

Some other riskier UFA options are Montreal’s Sean Monahan, or Seattle’s Alexander Wennberg. Neither is guaranteed to produce or stay healthy once they get to New York, but both are better options than keeping Bonino centering the third-line.

If you want to win a Stanley Cup, sometimes these are exactly the type of risks you need to take.

NHL Stats used for this article.

Impressively, the Rangers earned their superb place in the standings while missing their Norris Trophy winning defenseman, Adam Fox for ten games. The team can also boast that they played 20+ games without 20-goal scorer Filip Chytil, and 10+ without second-overall-pick Kappo Kakko.

Climbing atop the league standings without key parts of the team’s core is a tall task, yet the team did not slow down at all in the absence of key players. The team can thank a newly established next-man-up mentality for continuing their strong play despite some tough adversity.

Related: Peter Laviolette helping Alexis Lafreniere grow

New York Rangers next man up mentality paying off

Jonny Brodzinski

With the long-term injuries to a few Rangers’ forwards, Jonny Brodzinski has made the most of his spot in the lineup after his recall from Hartford. Brodzinski has played a utility-knife role with the team, slotting in on lines three and four, and he’s even seen some time on the first line too.

Wherever he has been placed since his return to the team, he has succeeded, matching Kappo Kakko’s point from 20 games in merely three games after his call up. Head coach Peter Laviolette even gave Brodzinski top power play time on December 10th vs the Los Angeles Kings after Mika Zibanejad was assessed a misconduct penalty. Brodzinski would make the most of this opportunity by blasting in his first power play goal of the season against his former club.

It is crucial to have players that can slot in any role when a piece of the core is missing, and Jonny Brodzinski can fill any void on the team with decent speed, a hard shot, and hard work.

Erik Gustafsson

When talking about players stepping up, Erik Gustafsson’s contribution to the team cannot be overlooked. In Adam Fox’s absence, Gustafsson slotted in on the Rangers’ top power play unit, and the red-hot special teams group did not miss a beat with him on the ice. Gustafsson’s role has grown throughout the season, and his surge to prominence on this Rangers’ team has their blue line looking like one of the best in the league to this point.

The 31 year-old defenseman was signed to an $800k, one-year deal and has produced 19 points in 30 games to this point, way more than anyone expected prior to this season. Gustafsson’s point totals are good enough for sixth-best in team scoring.

Nick Bonino

Nick Bonino has also seen his role increase a bit in the absence of Filip Chytil, as he often racks up minutes on the team’s third line with a combination of Will Cuylle and Blake Wheeler or Jonny Brodzinski. While Bonino’s contributions to the goal and point departments have been slim, the 35-year-old vet leads all forwards in blocked shots in the league, by a long shot. Blocking shots at this frequency adds to the selfless, next-man-up attitude that has spread to the rest of the team, even noted by Bonino himself when speaking to reporters.

“I think there’s a culture here of selflessness,” he said. “Everybody will sacrifice whatever it takes.”

Adam Edstrom

The aforementioned Bonino also fell victim to the injury bug, missing the Rangers’ game against the Anaheim Ducks on December 15th due to illness. Taking his place after being called up from Hartford was the colossal, six-foot-seven (listed as six-foot-eight in some cases) Adam Edstrom. Edstrom was unaware that he would be playing that night until Bonino told the 23-year-old that he was the next-man-up that night.

Edstrom described the scene to reporters, “Bones (Bonino) came up to me, at the end of warm up, and he was like I’m not going to play today, so… I was a bit shocked.” The 234-pound Swede made the most of his moment with a great game, topped off with his first NHL goal in the dying seconds of the Rangers’ 5-1 win over Anaheim.

Zac Jones

Zac Jones has also played his part in keeping this Rangers’ machine rolling, playing in 13 games with absences to Adam Fox and K’Andre Miller, touting three assists in those contests.

These combined efforts can only leave a good taste in the mouths of the coaching staff, and Rangers’ fans. A team with more than just playoff hopes needs depth that can handle adversity, and the Rangers have plenty of it, even before the trade deadline.

However, in 2023-24, that luck seems to have run out with several significant injuries hitting the Blueshirts — all longer than a week or a simple day-to-day stint. Despite those hits, the Rangers have managed to deal with the injuries but thrive thanks to incredible depth.

How well did they manage? In the month of November, when these injuries began, the team went 9-2-1for 19 points and a league-leading .792 points percentage.

Related: Impact of Kaapo Kakko Injury

New York Rangers dealing with injuries

Norris Trophy winning defenseman Adam Fox and second line center Filip Chytil were injured in the same game against the Carolina Hurricanes on November 2nd; Fox with a lower-body injury and Chytil with an upper-body injury (believed to be a concussion).

Fox was immediately placed on Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) by the Rangers the next day, while Chytil was placed on IR. LTIR entails missing at least 24 days and ten games, and thus Fox couldn’t return until the Wednesday, a home win against the Detroit Red Wings. Thankfully, Erik Gustafsson was signed to a one-year deal in the offseason and stepped up to contribute 11 points in those 10 games missed.

Chytil’s status, meanwhile, was changed to LTIR by the Rangers and though he has been skating on his own, he’s not yet considered ready for contact. New York travels to Nashville to face the Predators on Saturday, and Chytil isn’t expected to play.

Given that Chytil was centering the second forward line, the most productive offensive line for the Blueshirts at the time of his injury, the loss of the 24 year-old is rather consequential for the team. Of course, having Vincent Trocheck not only step up but excel speaks to that depth.

Not to be lost in that game was an injury for goalie Igor Shesterkin, that went from day-to-day for 16 straight days. That was easily offset by the hot goaltending of Jonathan Quick, who has been near the top of the league for GAA and save percentage all year.

To round out the injury summary, in the November 27th loss to the Buffalo Sabres, right wing Kaapo Kakko went down with an ugly looking lower body injury. He was placed on LTIR the next day, and is not expected to return until at least December 22nd. Currently, AHL leading scorer Jonny Brodzinski was called up from the Hartford Wolf Pack to help out.

Blueshirts bottom-six depth is stepping up

As already alluded to regarding Trocheck, who has been centering the second offensive line (Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere) since the Chytil injury, the Rangers have barely missed a beat since losing three integral component players. Zac Jones was the sixth defenseman during Fox’s absence and Erik Gustafsson very ably took Fox’s place — both alongside Ryan Lindgren at even strength, and on the first power play unit.

But what’s been most intriguing to see is how the third and fourth lines have evolved and made an impression since the loss of the two forwards.

The bottom six are now the third line of Will Cuylle, Nick Bonino, and Jonny Brodzinski. They are followed by the fourth line of Jimmy Vesey, Barclay Goodrow, and Tyler Pitlick.

Nick Bonino has been the Rangers’ best forward at shot blocking all season, but he’s now scored his first goal as a Ranger and ranks among the best on the team in face-off percentage, at 54.8%. He has a total of 50 blocked shots to date on the season. His line, including Will Cuylle, has been a dominant defensive line for the Rangers — most especially since Trocheck moved up to the second line and Bonino replaced him. Will Cuylle has 55 hits on the season and three goals as well as two assists. His game has been a blend of using his size for defensive purposes as well as skating hard to the net, with a shoot first mentality. Cuylle has 29 shots on goal for the season.

Though Kaapo Kakko had been switched with Blake Wheeler from first line right wing to the third line some games ago, in his absence Brodzinski hopes to turn the third line into an even more intense trio.

“I’m playing with a familiar face with (Will) Cuylle, I played with him the whole year last year — so I’m pretty excited,” Said the Hartford captain on Wednesday. “I play with a lot of speed, intensity; I’ve got a good shot, am good defensively — so when you bring that kind of work ethic, good things seem to happen.”

Meanwhile, the fourth line of Vesey, Goodrow, and Pitlick has been creating some good chances while also being a shutdown unit for head coach Peter Laviolette. Lately, the veteran coach has been matching the fourth line with the top line of some Blueshirts opponents because that line has been so good at defending their own zone.

But in the past week Tyler Pitlick scored his first goal as a Ranger, and has become a crucial puzzle piece in keeping the fourth line relevant in games for New York. He’s got 23 hits on the season, and has not even played in every game. Prior to the Chytil injury, Pitlick and Vesey took turns as healthy scratches for the Blueshirts. Now their line has become a mainstay, at least for the time being. Pitlick plays a smart, hard-nosed game — without taking too many penalties. That’s very valuable to a team that finds itself on the penalty kill as often as does New York.

Former Stanley Cup winner Barclay Goodrow is, as always, dependable; and he has no ego about whether he finds himself digging out the puck along the boards, making defensive plays, landing critical hits on the opponent, or providing an assist to his line mates. As versatile as Goodrow is, that’s also how much leadership he brings to the the Rangers.

Rounding out the fourth line, Jimmy Vesey has evolved his game; and as he said himself on Wednesday night, he’s adapted to being a role player and to not receiving top line minutes anymore. “Yeah, I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable with it the last probably two years… I’m comfortable in my role and I think after the last two years I have a lot more confidence; and I think this year, I’m starting to make a lot more plays out there.”

Vesey scored the game-winning goal on Wednesday night, and considering he started the season as a healthy scratch — he’s in the process of making himself invaluable to a team that relies on its fourth line for two-way play as much as it can.

The lines will be reshuffled once again after the returns of Chytil and Kakko — but until then, the Blueshirts look to be in good hands with the team they’re featuring on the ice.

With only two points on the year to date, it can be hard for the average viewer to understand why Bonino is having a great campaign thus far with the Blueshirts. What has made Bonino so valuable is the work he does that will not get recorded in the form of points. His value has come in the form of blocked shots, faceoffs and excellent penalty killing. He manages to do all of this from a bottom-six role with a limited amount of ice time, having played on the third and fourth lines this season.

Related: Jimmy Vesey a clutch performer

Nick Bonino integral member of the Rangers

Through 21 games this season, Bonino has registered 50 blocked shots, which ranks him 21st in the NHL. The 20 players above him, are all defensemen. Amongst forwards, Bonino ranks 1st in the league, and it’s not even close. The 2nd place forward in blocked shots has only 31, which is held by Boone Jenner.

Meanwhile, Jenner averages 19:29 minutes of time on ice per game. In contrast, Bonino has 19 more blocks, while averaging only 11:59 minutes of time on ice per game. New York ranks 7th in the league in blocks this season, largely due to the efforts of Bonino.

Bonino has also been an incredible help in the face-off circle this season. This is an area the Rangers desperately needed to improve on from last year. He currently holds a 54.8% win percentage, just past his career best of 54.3% which came in the 2017-2018 season. As a team, the Rangers are currently leading the league in face-off win percentage with a 55.9% win rate. Last season, New York finished 20th in this category.

It is very helpful to have someone like Bonino winning faceoffs in a bottom six role. They are typically deployed in defensive zone or shorthanded situations. Gaining puck control in these situations is crucial and will allow teams to spend more time in the offensive zone.

Bonino has also been a key component to the Rangers’ penalty kill. He has been a mainstay within the penalty kill units this season. His face-off percentage and blocked shots have played a significant role in this aspect. His efforts have once again contributed to the larger success of the team in this light. Currently, the Rangers sit 7th in the league in penalty kill percentage at 85.7%. Last season, they ranked 13th with a 81.2% rating.

“They were fantastic,” said Peter Laviolette on the Rangers penalty kill. “They blocked so many shots and sacrificed themselves like that, it gets frustrating when you can’t get your shot through on the power play and so we have to give the penalty killers a lot of credit.”

So, while he may not find the scoresheet very often, Nick Bonino has proven to be one of the depth players that does just about everything else. These players are needed when pushing for a Stanley Cup, especially come playoff time. Bonino knows a lot about this as he was a large part of the Pittsburgh Penguins back-to-back championships.

Credit Chris Drury for signing Nick Bonino this offseason. Amongst his other great offseason acquisitions, Bonino has done an outstanding job so far. He solidifies the Rangers depth at the center position and has stepped up in a large way in Filip Chytil’s absence. His efforts will certainly be required as the season moves along and the points become more valuable.

Here are the grades for each of the offseason acquisitions through 12 games

Related: How the 2023-24 Rangers were built

Blake Wheeler: C+

It has been a slow start, to say the least, for Blake Wheeler. The 37-year-old forward has just one assist in 12 appearances and has a plus/minus rating of -4. For the first 11 games, he was receiving third line minutes. In New York’s recent game against Detroit, he was given the opportunity to play on the first line alongside Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider in an attempt to generate 5-on-5 scoring. Even still, he was not very noticeable and could not find the score sheet.

However, Wheeler believes his game is coming on. “The first six games I was not myself,” the veteran forward explained. “I think in the last week I’ve started to feel good again. I feel like myself again. Despite his slow start, Wheeler has remained optimistic. He brings a great presence to the Rangers’ locker room with extensive experience. What bumps his grade is the fact that Drury was able to sign him at an incredibly low AAV of only $800k. It is only a matter of time before he finally gets on the board.

Tyler Pitlick: C

While he has not had much opportunity this season, Tyler Pitlick was brought in to bolster the depth of the lineup and contribute in a bottom six role. Through four games he has one assist with a plus/minus of 0. He has registered three blocked shots and six hits.

While Filip Chytil remains out with injury, expect Pitlick to get some more games on the Rangers fourth line. While he has not been necessarily bad to start the year, the 32-year-old forward would certainly like to contribute more in his role.

Erik Gustafsson: A+

This may be one of Drury’s best moves of the offseason. Gustafsson comes in with a very friendly contract with an AAV of $825k. Through 12 games, he has been rock solid on defense, and has put up surprising numbers offensively. Gustafsson put up 3 goals and 5 assists along with a plus/minus of +5. He also has 13 blocked shots on the season.

Being familiar with head coach Peter Laviolette and his systems has certainly helped the 31-year-old defenseman. With Adam Fox being out of the lineup for at least a month, Gustafsson has stepped up big time. “(Gustafsson) is an experienced defenseman,” Laviolette mentioned. “He can skate, he can defend, he can make good plays coming out of our end.” Gustafsson has also stepped up on the power play with the absence of Fox. A very good move by Chris Drury.

Nick Bonino: B

Nick Bonino has been a great acquisition for the Rangers. Although he has not registered a point through 12 games, he was not brought in to score. The value that he brings in all other aspects of the game has been very noticeable. He is 5th in the NHL in blocked shots with 36, and 12th in face-off percentage (minimum 100 face-offs) at 57.9%. These are both aspects that needed drastic improvement from last season.

With a contract of $800k, Bonino has certainly been worth it for the Rangers. He has also been a huge factor on the Blueshirts penalty kill, which ranks 9th in the NHL at 86.1%. Great teams are often defined by their depth players and special teams. Bonino has come in and provided just that for the Rangers.

Jonathan Quick: A

After a concerning preseason, Jonathan Quick has come in and played very well for the Rangers. With Igor Shesterkin missing time due to injury, Quick has stepped up and been solid in the cage. In four starts and one relief appearance, he is 3-0-1, holds a save percentage of .936, and a GAA of 1.77 along with one shutout. Sparkling numbers for the 37-year-old netminder.

“I think he’s been terrific,” Laviolette explained. “He’s had a long career of being terrific. It was nice to get him the start that we did. He came on and played a couple of really good games. I thought he was instrumental in taking a point out of Minnesota. That’s the most action he’s seen in a game and I thought last night (against Detroit) he was really good as well.”

At $825k, this is yet another great signing from Drury, who has done an incredible job over the course of the offseason.

Bonus – Peter Laviolette: A+

Despite a great regular season record, it was clear after the last two playoff series exits that the Rangers needed to move on from Gerard Gallant. A change of culture was needed inside the locker room, and Peter Laviolette has instilled that exact change. With a focus on team defense, structured systems, and work ethic, Laviolette has been the perfect fit for the Rangers to start the season and has been a great hire by Chris Drury. With a 9-2-1 record, Laviolette has gotten this Rangers team to perform at the highest level, even in lieu of injuries to key players.

Overall, it was a very productive offseason for the Rangers. From coaches to players, the moves have paid off big time, as they head further into the month of November.