Following a deep run within the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the New York Rangers bought off to a rock begin to start the 2022-23 season. This was a gaggle that possessed only a 11-10-5 file following a 5-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 3. Their lofty preseason aspirations had been trying bleak.
But New York rallied and has gained 18 of its final 25 video games since that fateful night time
Entering Thursday, nonetheless, they had been clinging to 3rd place within the Metropolitan Division within the Eastern Conference. Even with the offseason addition of heart Vincent Trocheck, the Rangers nonetheless wanted extra offensive firepower. That’s a testomony to how stacked the East is.
Enter Vladimir Tarasenko.
On Thursday, the Rangers acquired the star winger from the St. Louis Blues, in addition to defenseman Niko Mikkola, in change for winger Sammy Blais, defenseman Hunter Skinner, a conditional 2023 first-round choose and a conditional 2024 fourth-round choose.
In including Tarasenko, the Rangers have reworked themselves into the higher echelon of Stanley Cup contenders. Just from a pure expertise standpoint, Tarasenko’s offensive acumen makes him one of many extra harmful forwards round. This is a participant that has scored at the least 30 targets in six of his final eight seasons.
As you possibly can see above, Tarasenko does have simply 29 factors (10 targets and 19 assists) all through the 2022-23 season to this point, however it’s necessary to notice that accidents have restricted him to only 38 video games. The star winger missed 10 consecutive contests resulting from a hand harm, however lately returned to motion full-time simply earlier than the All-Star break.
Tarasenko is slated to make his Rangers debut on Friday towards the Seattle Kraken. It’s unclear precisely the place Tarasenko will play, however it’s pretty possible that the 31-year-old stud will slide onto the Rangers’ prime line alongside heart Mika Zibanejad and fellow winger Artemi Panarin.
Regardless of what line Tarasenko performs on, his offensive manufacturing ought to see a pleasant enhance. He’s becoming a member of a way more harmful offense in New York. Adam Fox, Zibanejad, and Panarain all rating within the prime 12 within the NHL in assists. With that in thoughts, the goal-scoring alternatives must be a tad extra plentiful after enjoying on a Blues workforce that ranked twenty second within the league with simply 3.00 goals-per-game.
While the plan is for Tarasenko to assist the Rangers create extra respiration room within the Wild Card standings, the postseason is the place he can actually show his price.
New York had missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in three of the earlier 4 seasons previous to final yr. They ended up outlasting each the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes in seven-game sequence within the opening two rounds of the postseason, and the Eastern Conference Final even bought off to an important begin. They outscored the Lightning, 9-4 , within the first two video games and took a shocking 2-0 sequence lead.
Then every little thing went south. New York misplaced the following 4 video games of the sequence, solely scoring 5 targets in these 4 contests.
By including Tarasenko, who gained the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019, the Rangers might be able to keep away from a collapse like that. His playoff observe file speaks for itself. In 90 profession postseason video games, the star ahead has:
60 factors (41 targets & 19 assists)He scored 11 targets and had six assists throughout the Blues’ Stanley Cup successful marketing campaign in 2019. During the 2015-16 postseason, Tarasenko additionally rose to the event as he compiled 9 targets and 6 assists in 20 video games.
Yes, even earlier than the commerce the Rangers had a roster compiled of among the most proficient playmakers that the league has to supply. But Panarin, Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, Trocheck, Filip Chytil, and now Tarasenko spotlight arguably one of many deepest top-six ahead teams in the whole NHL, which is able to make the Rangers extremely harmful come playoff time.
Even with out the transfer for Tarasenko, the Rangers had been most likely going to make the playoffs as one of many three Wild Card groups within the Eastern Conference. But it is price questioning if they’d’ve had the firepower to make a deep run on the Stanley Cup.
Now with Tarasenko, the Rangers have a real shot to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup for the primary time since 1994.
