The New York Rangers are coming off a breakout season, and now the pressure is on to build on it. In their first true playoff appearance since 2017, the Rangers made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals in their first run with this new core. Let’s dive into some bold predictions for the Rangers in this 2022-23 NHL season.
New York has an abundance of young talent on its roster, ranging from 2020 first overall pick Alexis Lafreniere to 2021 Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox. The centerpiece of the team is superstar goalie Igor Shesterkin, who had an insane season to win his first Vezina Trophy in a landslide. With arguably the league’s best goalie in net, the Rangers look to be a force once again.
In the offseason, New York made some sizable changes to its roster. Key players such as Ryan Strome, Andrew Copp and Alexandar Georgiev all left through free agency or trades. In terms of additions, the Rangers made a big splash by signing Vincent Trocheck and found a new backup goalie in Jaroslav Halak.
With all that out of the way, let’s make some bold predictions for the Rangers in the 2022-23 NHL season.
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
3. Artemi Panarın has a 100-point season
Since joining the Rangers in the summer of 2019, Panarin has been an offensive dynamo in the Big Apple. He finished each of the last three seasons with over a point per game and has helped the Rangers’ power play become one of the best in the league. Panarin has a hefty cap hit of $11.64 million per season, but he has more than earned it so far.
One thing Panarin hasn’t done yet is post a 100-point season. He has come close, with 95 points in 2019-20 and 96 last season, but has yet to reach triple digits. Other star wingers such as Nikita Kucherov and Johnny Gaudreau have hit this plateau, and Panarin wants to join them soon.
However, Panarin has also yet to play in all 82 games with New York. He played 69 in the COVID-shortened 2019-20 season and 75 last season. If he played the full 82 games in either of those seasons, he would have easily surpassed 100 points.
If Panarin can stay healthy this season, he has a great chance to hit triple digits for the first time. With blossoming talent and a lethal power play around him, Panarin could be in for a career season this year.
2. Igor Shesterkin wins his second straight Vezina
It really can’t be overstated how remarkable Shesterkin’s 2021-22 season was. In just his third season, the Russian goalie posted a .935 save percentage, one of the best in league history. That save percentage is even better than Carey Price’s .933 in 2014-15, when he won the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP.
Shesterkin got off to a rough start in the playoffs, being benched twice in as many games in the first round against the Pittsburgh Penguins. After that, though, he picked up right where he left off to lead the Rangers on their deep run. He finished the postseason with a .929 percentage, only slightly below his regular-season mark.
Shesterkin is the second-best goalie in the league at worst and will be a Vezina contender for years to come. His numbers this season may not be as absurd as last season, but he’s the Vezina favorite for a reason. The Rangers will go as far as Shesterkin can take them, and that could be very far.
1. The Rangers hoist the Stanley Cup
Even as far back as the Original Six Era, the Rangers have struggled to find consistent success. They last won the Stanley Cup in 1994, with stars such as Mark Messier and Brian Leetch leading the way. Before that, their last Stanley Cup was in 1940, and that 54-year drought stood as the longest in league history until recently.
However, the Rangers are entering one of their most promising eras in franchise history. The young guns on the roster already look impressive, and they haven’t even begun to hit their peak. Add in the strong veteran presence, and this group will be a contender for years to come.
This core made the conference finals in its first real playoff experience. If the Rangers can do that on their first try, imagine what they can do with some experience under their belts.
With a strong forward core, solid defense, elite goalie and just the right amount of grit, New York has all the makings of a Stanley Cup champion. If everything goes according to plan, the Rangers have a great chance at ending their championship drought this year.
