The New York Rangers entered the 2022-23 season with lofty expectations, coming off a visit to the Eastern Conference closing, however they’ve but to ship on them. Through 28 video games, they’re fifth within the Metropolitan Division and don’t occupy a playoff spot.
On the floor, issues look quite regarding for the Rangers. In the previous few weeks, they’ve suffered dangerous losses to groups taking over residence within the NHL’s basement just like the Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators, and Anaheim Ducks.
After ending second in targets towards within the 2021-22 season, the Rangers are presently seventeenth in that very same class this yr. Combine that with the truth that some key gamers aren’t scoring on the similar price as final season, and it provides as much as a middling report.
All of that results in the query, “What is fallacious with the Rangers?”
As it seems, not a lot. In truth, the Rangers are literally higher than final season in some areas, and their underlying numbers recommend they’re an excellent staff that has been the sufferer of dangerous luck to date.
Let’s begin with one large change from final season. Throughout the 2021-22 marketing campaign, I doubted the Rangers as a result of their five-on-five possession numbers have been terrible. Their five-on-five anticipated targets share was simply 47.04%, based on Natural Stat Trick. That ranked twenty fourth within the NHL, and so they have been trying up on the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, and Seattle Kraken in that class.
This season, the Rangers have managed 52.69% of the anticipated targets at five-on-five, which is eleventh within the league and places them in the identical neighborhood because the Vegas Golden Knights and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Basically, the Rangers’ course of this season is significantly better than it was in 2021-22, however it has led to worse outcomes. The three greatest elements resulting in that disconnect are poor taking pictures luck, the truth that Igor Shesterkin is not taking part in like the most effective goalie ever to strap on a pair of pads, and the Rangers’ poor report in additional time.
According to Natural Stat Trick, the Rangers have generated 96.52 anticipated targets in all conditions, however they’ve solely discovered the again of the web 87 occasions. That -9.52 differential is the fifth greatest underperformance within the NHL, however can that be attributed to the Rangers taking a excessive quantity of low-danger pictures? It can’t.
The Rangers rank second within the NHL with 397 high-danger scoring possibilities. The puck simply is not going into the web. As a staff, the Rangers are taking pictures 9.27% on the yr, which is twenty fourth within the league. They have an excessive amount of expertise for that to not enhance over the course of 82 video games.
As far as particular person performances go, Artemi Panarin, Alexis Lafrenière, and Chris Kreider are all pacing beneath their aim totals from 2021-22. Kreider scored 52 targets final season, which was 24 greater than his earlier profession excessive, so it isn’t notably shocking to see him pacing nearer to 38 targets this yr. However, the opposite two gamers ought to be due for some optimistic regression.
Panarin is monitoring for 17 or 18 targets this season after notching 22 final yr, however he hasn’t been taking part in any worse. His 8.6% taking pictures share is simply properly beneath his profession common of 14.0%, and he has only one aim in his final 18 video games. Throughout that drought, Panarin has taken three or extra pictures on aim 10 occasions. I doubt he stays this chilly.
Lafrenière is one other participant who seems to be extremely snake-bitten. He is pacing for 4 fewer targets than the 19 he scored final season, and that’s regardless of his shot rely going up. In 2021-22, Lafrenière averaged 1.39 pictures per recreation. This season, he’s proper at 2.0 pictures per recreation. Just like Panarin, Lafrenière’s taking pictures share of 8.9% is far decrease than you’ll anticipate. In every of his two earlier seasons, Lafrenière has shot over 17.0%.
It also needs to be famous that defensemen Jacob Trouba and K’Andre Miller have mixed for zero targets on 126 pictures. Those two aren’t precisely recognized for filling the again of the web, however they did whole 18 targets between them a yr in the past. The regulation of averages ought to right their woes as properly.
On the defensive finish of the ice, the Rangers have been round common this season, and so they have taken a slight step again from 2021-22. They have been eleventh in whole anticipated targets towards final yr, and they’re twentieth in that very same class this yr, per Natural Stat Trick. However, the offense has greater than made up for any deficiencies on the again finish.
The greatest drawback the Rangers have in their very own zone is that Shesterkin has virtually appeared mortal at occasions. Last season, Shesterkin posted a GAA of two.07, a save share of 93.5%, and 44.83 targets saved above common. He was completely dominant and a simple alternative for the Vezina Trophy.
In 2022-23, Shesterkin hasn’t been dangerous by any stretch, however he simply hasn’t been in one other stratosphere from the remainder of the league. In 20 video games performed, Shesterkin has a GAA of two.58, a .913 save share, and 5.10 targets saved above common. Those numbers are all clearly worse than final season, however they’re greater than ok to make a deep playoff run.
Finally, the Rangers have gone to time beyond regulation or a shootout six occasions this season. They are 1-5 in these video games, which got here all the way down to a glorified abilities competitors. If the Rangers had received simply two extra of these video games, they’d be in second place within the Metro Division. That’s how slim the margins are within the fashionable NHL.
There has been lots of hand-wringing in New York this season, and that is comprehensible. When a staff enters the yr with Stanley Cup expectations, a mediocre begin results in frustration in any respect ranges.
That stated, there are many indications that the Rangers are one of many NHL’s higher groups and they need to be greater within the standings. If they’ll keep the course and proceed doing what they’re doing on a nightly foundation, the Rangers ought to finally appear like the contender all of us anticipated.
