*This is a guest post by Blueshirts Breakaway Patreon subscriber Jacob Berkowitz, who provides his player and team point predictions for the Ranger’s 2021-2022 NHL season*
The New York Rangers certainly had an offseason. We will leave the analysis of our thoughts on the strategy and direction behind the moves to the side for now, and instead focus on our predictions for key players and the team as a whole over the 2021-2022 NHL season. The goal is to keep this short and sweet and keep the focus on the production prediction and one or two key reasons for the prediction.
Forwards
With the loss of one of the team’s best two-way players throughout the 2020-2021 season in Pavel Buchnevich, the Rangers’ young players will have to show real growth and take the next step in order for the rangers to succeed in this rebuild within the timeframe where the vets can continue to produce at their current levels.
Artemi Panarin – 103 Points: 35 Goals and 68 Assists
AKA the breadman, Artemi Panarin has been the greatest UFA signing in the history of the New York Rangers. Panarin is one of a very select few wingers in the NHL that completely controls the game from the wing. I believe he will continue to dominate this coming season and will be back in the Hart conversation after a crazy off ice problem that caused him to leave for two and a half weeks last season.
Mika Zibanejad – 87 Points: 42 Goals and 45 Assists
Mika had a tumultuous season last year, even relative to the craziness all players endured last year. He clearly suffered from post-COVID symptoms that significantly impacted his play early on, but was able to find his form as the season progressed. He’s now coming into his final year of his contract and my prediction is that he will prove to everyone that he is indeed a true, elite goal-scoring center.
Alexis Lafrenière – 65 Points: 25 Goals and 40 Assists
Laf has something to prove after what many consider to be an unremarkable rookie season. In his defense, he came into the NHL without a true training camp and thrown into the cage with little time to truly prepare. This coming season I believe that with the right preparation and more of an understanding of what he’s going up against at the NHL level, he will show everyone that he is that player everyone expected when he was taken first overall.
Ryan Strome – 63 Points: 18 Goals and 45 Assists
He has great chemistry with Panarin and they just seem to know what each other is thinking. By himself, I do not believe he’s an ideal second line center; however, with that undeniable chemistry he has with one of the best wingers in the game, it is totally justifiable to keep him ahead of Chytil in the pecking order, which should lead to another highly productive season. And hey, if he actually hits a few open nets this year, perhaps he can even crack the 20-goal mark, which I have him falling just short of currently.
Kaapo Kakko – 55 Points: 20 Goals and 35 Assists 20G, 35A- 55 points
After a very rough rookie year, he immensely improved his game in his Sophomore season, especially on the defensive side. The attitude and drive has always been there for Kakko, and I believe the points will come, and I am predicting they come this year. He should have a bigger role under Gallant with the departure of Buchnevich, and this is the year he will show why he was drafted second overall in 2019.
Chris Kreider – 45 Points: 25 Goals and 20 Assists
Kreider is one of the most inconsistent players I’ve seen, but when he is on, he is ON. I predict the power forward will continue to help lead the young squad mature and develop as well as help with the “tougher to play against” attitude that Gallant and the front office want out of this team. Who knows, maybe a coach like Gallant will be the exact thing he needs to become a more consistent threat. He will never be a big points producer because he just doesn’t have the playmaking ability, but I predict he cracks the 20-goal barrier for the seventh time in his career.
Vitali Kravtsov – 38 Points: 13 Goals and 25 Assists
The young Russian winger who was drafted ninth overall back in 2018 has a large gap to fill now that Buchnevich is no longer a Ranger. While I’m not necessarily predicting a massive breakout from him in what is still a Calder-eligible season, I believe he will show that he is a reliable top-9 winger with the upside to play in the top six when the opportunity presents itself.
Filip Chytil – 35 Points: 15 Goals and 20 Assists
Chytil is a 21-year-old center who still has a lot of promise. Last year it seemed like he figured something out but then he went down with a wrist injury and didn’t come back as strong. He needs to prove that he is more than just a depth player and can make an impact consistently, regardless of where he is playing in the lineup.
Barlcay Goodrow – 23 Points: 8 Goals and 15 Assists
As Goodrow said himself, he’s not going to be the guy that puts up a lot of points and he’s not going to be the guy who makes highlight real plays. He’s going to be that in-your-face player and a tough player to play against. Both things can be true: his contract represents an overpayment but he also is the perfect complimentary winger the Rangers needed, and absolutely makes this team better.
Defensemen
With the Addition of Nemeth and blue chip prospect Nils Lundkvist coming over from the SHL, the Rangers have solidified the bottom pair and will (hopefully) have a much more efficient and structured defense.
Adam Fox – 60 points: 12 Goals and 48 Assists
The defenseman who is in a category with Bobby Orr as the only defenseman in NHL history to win the Norris Trophy in his 2nd season or sooner. Fox will continue to lead the defense and again show next year that he may again be worthy of consideration in the Norris conversation.
Nils Lundkvist – 35 Points: 5 Goals and 30 Assists
The rookie from Sweden finally comes from overseas after posting historic stats in the SHL for a U21 defenseman. He will help solidify that 3rd pairing and serve as a true playmaking threat whenever he is on the ice. If there wasn’t such a long jam at RHD I’d have him as a dark horse for the Calder, but it just seems like he won’t get enough ice time . Although if he gets that spot on the second power play unit, look out!
Jacob Trouba – 30 Points: 5 Goals and 25 Assists
The RHD came into New York with all of us thinking he will be the top pair defenseman and contribute offensively. His first year didn’t exactly go as planned, but in his second year on Broadway he showed more of what Ranger fans were hoping for when he was acquired and given that contract. Hopefully, this season he takes another step forward and contributes more offensively while continuing to play a sound defensive role that also provides much-needed leadership and guidance to this young team.
K’Andre Miller – 25 Points: 10 Goals and 15 Assists
I believe K’Andre’s presence is a reason to be optimistic that Trouba will continue to improve. Having a big, athletic guy like Miller who is strong with his stick (the praying mantis) is a great potential compliment to a player of Trouba’s caliber and style. Last year, K’Andre blew past all reasonable expectations in the first half of the year, but came back down to Earth in the second half. I look for him to grow on his overall successful rookie season and become a great top-four defenseman.
Ryan Lindgren– 23 Points: 2 Goals and 23 Assists
A great complement for an offensive dynamo like Adam Fox, his reliable defensive style allows Fox to take more risks and thrive across all zones. I believe he will continue to do an excellent job alongside his Norris trophy partner and will be the top defensive pair this year for the rangers. And hey, he will likely also lead the league in minutes bled per-60.
Patrick Nemeth – 11 Points: 1 Goal and 10 Assists
Acquired in free agency, the Rangers signed Nemeth hoping he can solve the issues they’ve had on the third pairing and be a reliable shut down defensive partner for the rookie phenom Nils Lundkvist.
Goalie
Igor Shesterkin
He is the key to success for the rangers this season. He had a bit of an up and down season last year, with a rocky start—like much of the team. I believe he is a true number one goaltender and will be up to the task of proving it to the league this year. Shesterkin has the talent to be the next great goaltender on Broadway, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he is garnering some Vezina votes come year’s end.
Team Prediction
On paper they may not have added a lot to the top-end of the roster like so many expected coming into the offseason. However, this team will be far better under new coach Gerard Gallant and with the pieces to help provide a tougher mentality and more consistent grinding effort. The team also has numerous young players still in the ascending portion of their developmental arc, and if they can take another step forward, this team can be dangerous. My prediction is that the Rangers will make the playoffs by taking the second of the available Wild Card spots in the East, and they will be that team that pundits claim is the lower seed that the top seeds very much would prefer to not have to play against in a seven game series.
Bold Predictions
We end this piece with three fun bold predictions of mine:
- Igor Shesterkin will be a Vezina Trophy finalist
- Artemi Panarin wins the Hart trophy
- The Man Rocket himself Brett Howden will register at least two points against the Rangers in their first meeting
