Setting aside the craziness of a shortened season thanks to Covid-19, the 2020-2021 season didn’t go as planned for the New York Rangers. The Rangers weren’t firing on all cylinders, thanks to several issues. Among those issues were Mika Zibanejad not being at full health for the first half of the season, accusations against Artemi Panarin leading to a short leave of absence, and injuries.
Everyone felt the disappointment of missing the playoffs. This led to the front office changes with the dismissal of team president John Davidson and general manager Jeff Gorton. Chris Drury was promoted to president and general manager with only three games left in the season, and not too long after, coach David Quinn and assistant coaches David Oliver, Jacques Martin, and Greg Brown were let go.
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By the Numbers
Record: 27-23-6
Power Play: 20.7 percent (14th in the league)
Penalty Kill: 82.2 percent (10th in the league)
Goals For: 177
Goals Against: 157
Best Player
Several players stood out throughout the season, but assessing who is the best isn’t an exact science. However, the nod would have to go to Adam Fox. In his second season with the Rangers, he’s become a valuable asset with five goals and 42 assists. There was no sophomore slump for Fox, who, despite being on a non-playoff team, is performing similar to defensemen on teams currently vying for the Stanley Cup. The future is bright for Fox, and with more time, he will become a formidable defenseman for the Rangers. It’s not too soon to say that his future will include the Norris Trophy.
Biggest Disappointment
The Rangers have only themselves to blame for not making the playoffs. It’s easily the most disappointing and heartbreaking part of the season. They got off to a slow start and never seemed to pick up speed, thanks to inconsistent play and lack of urgency at times. Everything slowly added up as the season progressed, and in the end, the Rangers just weren’t good enough.
Behind the Bench Analysis
Much could be said about Quinn, but he was successful in helping the young players develop and grow. At times he appeared to be outcoached and never gave any indications his decision-making skills were improving to the level needed to be an NHL coach. He was always tinkering with the lines, which is not a bad thing. However, some believed it never allowed players to gel together.
The team’s improvement was impressive for a rebuild but not fast enough for some in the Rangers’ front office. It’s no secret he wasn’t the long-term coach for the team, but he was the coach they needed these past few years. If it wasn’t for the hoopla in the Ranger’s front office, he might have still been the coach for the upcoming 2021-2022 season.
Front Office Analysis
Gorton didn’t do much for this past season to sign any new players to the team. It seemed more like the front office was in a holding pattern while waiting to see how this season would turn out. He was able to trade Lias Andersson to the Los Angeles Kings for a draft pick. Gorton also re-signed Anthony DeAngelo and Alexandar Georgiev before the season, and we all know how that turned out. He also re-signed Ryan Strome and Brendan Lemieux, and later in the season, Lemieux was eventually traded to the Kings for a draft pick. If there were any major issue with the moves Gorton made for this past season, it would be that he didn’t secure what many call “grittier” players.
2021 NHL Entry Draft Picks/Prognosis
Drury is set to helm the future of the franchise, starting with the upcoming draft. The Rangers have nine draft picks and are set to draft no lower than 16th in the first round. Once the draft lottery gives them an idea of where they’re at in the first, we might have a better idea of where they are overall with their plans for the draft. Drury will need to use the picks wisely, especially if he plans to use any of them in trades.
Offseason Wish/Checklist & Prognosis for 2021-2022
The Rangers youngsters were pushed around by players on certain teams, and there needs to be a stop put to it. Drury will need to obtain at least one player who is less of a finesse player and more edgy and gritty. Hopefully, it will make a difference in the new season.
The big goal right now is to find a head coach. They need one with experience in the NHL who will also not undo all of the young players’ progress. The new coach will need to break the team of their slow starts and show them they need to strike first. Whoever the new coach is, he will need to instill a shoot-first mentality rather than looking for the perfect pass or shot. For the upcoming season to be successful, all players will have to contribute and be more consistent.
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