The New York Rangers simply cannot stop winning hockey games.
Tops in the league in points percentage (.734).
Jonathan Quick has been outstanding.
Erik Gustafsson slid in seamlessly to hold it down while Fox was sidelined.
Jimmy Vesey & Will Cuylle have contributed depth scoring from the bottom six.
Even Blake Wheeler is finally chipping in offensively like we all had hoped.
So I took to Twitter to see what was on the fans minds.
Here’s what we got:
How can anyone watch this team and feel negative?
Right now they’re literally the top team in the league yet the complaints keep coming.
Listen, I know this isn’t the perfect squad but every team has question marks.
Playoffs will tell the true story for the Blueshirts.
But we’re not there yet.
It’s December and the Rangers are winning at a near 75% clip.
Have some fucking fun.
In your opinion, what has Michael Peca brought to the Rangers as an assistant coach this season?
Well the most notable improvement is obvious.
For years the Blueshirts got pounded at the dot.
In comes Michael Peca and now they’re #1.
There’s some caveats though.
For starters their worst faceoff guy in Filip Chytil has been sidelined for 22 games.
The easiest way to get hemmed in your zone is to lose d-zone draws.
Last year, NY finished 21st.
This year they sit 5th.
That’s a crucial difference.
3C targets if Chytil isn’t ready before the deadline?
Could the Rangers use an offensive boost up the middle if Chytil continues to miss time?
If Seattle doesn’t make a run soon, Alexander Wennberg would likely be a sought-after commodity.
Solid skater, playmaker and reliable everywhere on the ice.
He’s not gonna “wow” anyone but is certainly an offensive upgrade over Nick Bonino.
Sean Monahan could be another pivot on the rental market soon.
Chase Stamkos if available for RW1 and Cup experience and chip on shoulder?
Or chase a gritty top-6 W in the mold of Barbashev to play with 20 and 93?
I don’t think the financial part is what’d keep Stamkos out of New York.
They need all their stars.
Moving Stammer is waving the white flag and this organization is flat out not going to do that.
Plus, Stamkos has a no-move clause so the return would be underwhelming anyway.
They’re gonna ride their core to the very end.
Feels like top-line RW will be a priority again at the deadline.
Thoughts?#NYR
Now we’re back to reality.
I assume all we will add at the deadline is one RW…. Who would be the best fit?
What player(s) do u think Drury looks to bring in at the deadline?
One name I haven’t seen connected to the Rangers much is Seattle’s Jordan Eberle.
Not physical but not afraid to chase pucks into high-danger areas.
I think he’d be awesome next to Zibanejad & Kreider assuming he’d be available.
Thoughts on lindgrens future/ next contract?
Ryan Lindgren is the undoubted heart & soul warrior of this Rangers D corps.
They mesh into a near perfect pair and when he’s out of the lineup this team struggles.
Problem is, he’s banged up or out.
I don’t think he’s going anywhere, nor should he want to.
This Rangers squad provides Lindgren the perfect fit to maximize his skillset.
There’s no left-shot defender in the system close to making him or Key expendable.
That’s basically Ryan Graves money & I think that’s a fair comparable.
