NHL 20 GM Mode Logs & Conversation

[JLFGoNicsGo11]

Same here. With 3 minute periods. Not the AHL games though.

I do 7 mins , no AHL either

 

[East Coast Icestyle]

I do 7 mins , no AHL either

I do 5 and after stoppages, penalties (full time) it takes me weeks and weeks to knock out a season. So I play one or two here and there and mess around with full sim franchises.

 

[Tak7]

I tend to do one with about a 40-50% of what I generally edit, until the update. Mainly figure out how things tend to work (especially this year), so when the October release drops, I can do my full edit of the rosters, and then start my main one.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it doesn't look like much has changed.

People testing the coaching system are saying it doesn't make any difference at all.

 

[kinger8998]

New York Rangers Franchise Mode

2021 NHL Offseason

Offseason News

BREAKING NEWS: Despite media frenzy, King offers Purinton vote of confidence
NHL Offseason News
Anytime a Presidents' Trophy winning team is dispatched in the first round, the coaches name inevitably comes up in rumors. Even more so when the loss is of the fashion that the Lightning shredded the Rangers.
But, contrary to reports, GM Brant King had this to say:
"A 5-game mishap should not outweight an 82-game masterpiece. In the last 2-years, out team has made significant strides, and we're only going to get better from here. We faced a very good team in the first round, and we were also a very good team. I think we might've had a bit too much success in the Regular Season, and we weren't well enough prepared for a very good tea. Tampa went through this with Columbus just 2 seasons ago, and now that we've gotten the experience, we will be prepared for this situation should it arise again."

BREAKING NEWS: Maple Leafs break drought, win Stanley Cup
End of Stanley Cup Playoffs
The Maple Leafs slayed the Big Bad Bruins in the first round, and never looked back from there. The defeated the Capitals in 5 games, the Pens in 7 games and the Stars in 6 games en route to their first Stanley Cup since 1967.
Taking home the Conn Smythe was Auston Matthews, who led the entire playoffs with 30 points (11 goals) in 25 games. The next players on his team had just 18 points (Hyman, Marner), showing just how valuable he was to his team.
Goaltender Freddy Andersen posted a .925 SV%, best among all netminders. He finished 2nd in Conn Smythe voting.

BREAKING NEWS: Star heavy crop of retirees this offseason
NHL Offseason News
Jason Spezza has called it a career. He fell just 20 points short of 1000 (356-624--980). Joining him in reitrement is 3 time Stanley Cup Champion Duncan Keith, who played 1239 games and finished with 709 points (117-592--709).
Current Ranger Jonathan Ericsson, who enjoyed parts of 2 successful seasons with the Rangers, takes his retreat from hockey. The shutdown defenseman had two of his best offensive seasons with NYR, and he finishes his career with 815 games played, totaling 163 points.

Also calling it quits are former Rangers Marian Gaborik (1035 GP, 407-408--815), Lee Stempniak (911 GP, 203-266--469), Ryan Callahan (888 GP, 196-215--411).

A number of other notable players announced their retirements, including Trevor Daley, David Backes, Dan Hamhuis and goaltender Curtis McElhinney.

BREAKING NEWS: Jacob Trouba takes home Norris Trophy
NHL Awards Ceremony, Las Vegas
The last time a Rangers defenseman won the Norris was 1997, 24 years ago. Jacob Trouba, in just his second season with the club, shattered his career high in points en route to a 78-point season, (leading all defensemen. His +39 rating was also 2nd, just behind partner Brady Skjei (+45).
The other nominees were Erik Karlsson and John Carlson, two perennial contenders.

Re-sign Phase

New York GM Brant King had $24.000M in Cap Space to work with entering the Re-sign Phase, with a few key players to fit under the Cap. RFA's Pavel Buchnevich and Lias Andersson both needed new deals, as did RFA Denis Gurianov. Goaltender Igor Shesterkin needed a new contract.
The Rangers allowed UFA's Phil Di Giuseppe and Marcus Sorensen to walk to Free Agency. The Rangers feel they have enough depth on the way to replace the veterans. RFA Ville Meskanen was not brought back.
Boo Nieves and Brendan Smith both elected to go to Free Agency, looking for a better fit.
​

Player	OVR	Age	Potential	Position	Player Type	Stats	Years/AAV	Thoughts
Pavel Buchnevich	84	26	Med Top 6F	LW/RW	Sniper	81 GP 15G-42A-57P +22 .. 15 PIM	5/$6.000M	Well earned long- term contract for what is now a veteran Ranger.
Lias Andersson	83	22	Med Top 6F	C	2 way Forward	82 GP 13G-33A-46P +20 ... 34 PIM	3/$3.500M	2017 7th OVR finally broke out and established himself as full-time NHL'er. Will get payday on next deal.
Igor Shesterkin	80	25	Med Elite	G	Hybrid	23 GP 17-6-0, 2 SO .923 SV% 2.34 GAA	2/$1.100M	Doesn't have much time left to develop, but showed considerable potential last season. Term reflects make or break time period for Igor.
Denis Gurianov	79	24	Low Elite	LW	Sniper	82 GP 15G-8A-23P -3 ... 26 PIM	1/$1.000M	Does not have much time left to reach ceiling, but 15-goals are great contributions from depth players. NYR like this guy, whether he reaches ceiling or not.
Marc Staal	79	34	N/A	D	Defensive Defenseman	70 GP 3G-16A-19P +3 ... 28 PIM	1/$1.250M	Vet comes back with understanding that he could be forced out of lineup. That being said, he has been strong last 2 seasons and will get every chance to retain his spot.
Libor Hajek	78	24	Low Top 4D	D	Defnesive Defenseman	74 GP 7G-24A-31P +9 ... 28 PIM (AHL)	2/$0.700M	Staal's main competition for D spot. Finally showed some offensive flair last season, the only part missing from his game.
Ryan Gropp	74	24	Med Top 9F	LW	Power Forward	76 GP 16G-24A-40P +8 ... 55 PIM (AHL)	2/$0.800M	Gropp earned this deal with Rangers after finally showing some progression. Put himself back on NHL map.
Sean Day	72	23	Med Top 6D	D	2 way Defender	55 GP 2G-21A-23P +5 ... 10 PIM (AHL)	2/$0.700M	Day will never be the NHL player he was once expected to be, but he took another step forward last season, and can be a solid piece in the Rangers lineup eventually.
Matthew Robertson	72	20	Med Top 4D	D	2 way Defender	68 GP 11G_47A-58P +20 ... 21 PIM (WHL)	3/$0.925M (ELC)	2019 2nd round pick is a guy NYR are super high on. Will join HFD and play big minutes right away.
Ty Ronning	72	23	Med Top 9F	RW/C	Sniper	68 GP 23G-27A-50P +11 ... 20 PIM (AHL)	3/$0.800M	Coming off breakout season in AHL. Will likely play another 2 seasons in the minors, but had the grit and skill to make an impact in depth of NHL roster soon.
Antonio Stranges	71	19	Med Top 6F	LW	Sniper	65 GP 24G-34A-68P +29 ... 12 PIM (OHL)	3/$0.925M (ELC)	ELC for 2020 1st round pick. Should be a top 6 forward for NYR one day. Will be back in OHL for one more season.
Tim Gettinger	69	23	Med Top 9F	LW	Power Forward	76 GP 2G-5A-7P -9 ... 19 PIM (AHL)	1/$0.700M	In same situation as Gropp was last season. Gettinger is running out of time to place himself in legitimate group of prospects with chance.
Adam Edstrom	68	20	Med Top 9F	C	2 way Forward	48 GP 4G-7A-11P +3 ... 13 PIM (SHL)	3/$0.850M (ELC)	2019 6th rounder is a guy many are starting to identify as a steal. Coming over for first season in NA can be rough, so patience is key.
Leevi Altonen	66	20	Med Top 9F	LW	Plamaker	57 GP 5G-13A-18P E ... 18 PIM (Liiga)	3/$0.850M	Altonen is in same situation as Edstrom. First NA season can be a challenge. Patience.

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

​

Free Agency​

BREAKING NEWS: Rangers sign Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Reaves to 1-year deals.
Free Agency
The Rangers took to Free Agency looking to fill depth holes left by departed players. They also wanted to diversify their team, looking to bring a little grit to match the abundance of skill they have.

Former Ranger Brandon Dubinsky returns to New York after spending the last 9 seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 35-year old centerman will center the team's 4th line this upcoming season, a role previously held by Phil Di Giuseppe, who left the team seeking better options.

Ryan Reaves will presumably battle with Brendan Lemieux and Denis Gurianov for the wing roles on the 4th unit. Reaves, 34, is one of the last remaining grinders in the NHL. Last season in the AHL, the winger scored 20-goals. Previously, in his last season with the Golden Knights, Reaves scored 11 goals and 23 points. the highest totals of his career.

Player	OVR	Age	Potential	Position	Player Type	Stats	Years/AAV
Brandon Dubinsky	78	35	N/A	C	2 way Forward	77 GP 7G-14A-21P -14 ... 47 PIM	1/$1.500M
Ryan Reaves	77	34	N/A	RW	Grinder	82 GP 11G-12A-23P -2 ... 111 PIM (19-20 NHL)	1/$1.500M

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

BREAKING NEWS: Rangers sign Kakko to 6-year, $60.75M deal
Free Agency
On just the 1st day of eligibility, the New York Rangers inked their prized possession, Kaapo Kakko, to a 6-year deal carrying an AAV of $10.125M.

Kakko continued his progression in just his 2nd NHL season, posting career highs with 21 goals, 47 assists and 68 points.

The deal walks the Finnish forward to Unrestricted Free Agency.

BREAKING NEWS: Hjalmarsson joins Rangers on 1-year deal.
Free Agency
The Rangers have always had quite the Swedish contingency, with many players hailing from Sweden having a close relationship with goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. Now, Hank has helped the Rangers court yet another Swede, in unheralded defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson.

The defensively oriented d-man, who rarely earns recognition for his hard work and stellar play, signs with the Rangers in hopes of helping guide them to the Playoff success they failed to get last season.

Hjalmarsson was injured for nearly half of last season, so he looks to re-establish himself over a full season, while also looking for substantial team success in New York.

Player	OVR	Age	Potnetial	Position	Player Type	Stats	Years/AAV
Niklas Hjalmarsson	83	34	N/A	D	Defensive Defenseman	46 GP 2G-6A-8P +6 ... 22 PIM	1/$5.500M

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Next Post: 2021-2022 NHL Season​

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it doesn't look like much has changed.

People testing the coaching system are saying it doesn't make any difference at all.

Kind of this too. Not a lot, but I see hints of it in some videos.

it’s clear some players fit and some don’t with certain systems, which is realistic, but it also just seems to be another layer on top of morale which I would turn off in my days when I would play back a few years ago. That’s a shame imo.

It also seems a bit too difficult to re-sign some coaches and getting proper goalie coaches because they don’t want that role, despite that being their strength.

It’s a good foundation to work with imo but it needs work.

 

[Cor]

FWIW, I'm in year 4 of my Leaf one, and I haven't noticed any of the above. Haven't had a coach refuse to re-sign, or refuse to be a goalie coach (the ones willing to be goalie coaches are under the NHL/AHL assistant tabs, if they are under NHL/AHL Head or Associate Coach, they won't sign as a goalie coach because they want to be in a larger role, which again is normal - Kinda like Sean Burke leaving his ARI goalie job position to pursue an exec job elsewhere)

Can be a bit annoying to sign a coach, because their wants market size and fanbase need to match your team exactly or else they won't sign (Which, I can understand head coaches being picky, but no Assistant Coach is turning down a job because it's in a big city lol).

Line Chemistry and Scheme fits make sense. My team wasn't doing well for 3 years, and then I fired my coach, brought in a new one and the team suddenly took that next step.

It's something that will improve as time goes on, but as of now, I haven't had any issues with it, and it's added a layer to the mode for me and I've really enjoyed it.

I am tough on EA, but this is something I've liked so far.

 

[ThatNavyGuy]

It's something that will improve as time goes on, but as of now, I haven't had any issues with it, and it's added a layer to the mode for me and I've really enjoyed it.

I am tough on EA, but this is something I've liked so far.

That's reassuring. Was a bit worried with how much of an impact the coaching system would have(i.e morale system in '17 that wasn't fleshed out..had players demand trades if they weren't 100% healthy and I scratched them). From the gameplay improvements to the franchise improvements I am going to be picking this up soon.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

wow, watched someone's GM video on youtube - I forget who but it's the guy doing Toronto - and high sim scoring is broken. Goalies get absolutely destroyed with that sim setting on high.

2.70 GAA was the lowest GAA of a starter, P. Kane had 58 goals in 62 games.

Yikes.

 

[Serac]

wow, watched someone's GM video on youtube - I forget who but it's the guy doing Toronto - and high sim scoring is broken. Goalies get absolutely destroyed with that sim setting on high.

2.70 GAA was the lowest GAA of a starter, P. Kane had 58 goals in 62 games.

Yikes.

I've had some bad goalie stats, but the scoring is generally okay for me. The only thing that's stuck out so far is St. louis Blues forward Sammy Blais had 100 points as an 84 overall player. However when I checked, he played the entire season on the 1st line, next to Tarasenko, so the scoring actually made sense (he had something crazy like, 77 assists).
The goaltending thing does also slightly keep contract asks down to a more realistic level. Imagine paying something like 10.5M a season for a goalie lol

 

[Cor]

wow, watched someone's GM video on youtube - I forget who but it's the guy doing Toronto - and high sim scoring is broken. Goalies get absolutely destroyed with that sim setting on high.

2.70 GAA was the lowest GAA of a starter, P. Kane had 58 goals in 62 games.

Yikes.

It’s not broken, that’s how it’s meant to be. Medium is the realistic tier. While high was meant to be that crazy production level.

They should eventually make it a 0-100 slider, where 50 is normal and you can adjust as you please

 

[M.C.G. 31]

It’s not broken, that’s how it’s meant to be. Medium is the realistic tier. While high was meant to be that crazy production level.

They should eventually make it a 0-100 slider, where 50 is normal and you can adjust as you please

It is broken because it just makes goalies absolutely garbage rather than upping the amount of shots and style of game in sim to at least give them more respectable SV% ratios.

Numbers like that also can’t be good for developing young goalies.

 

[Tak7]

It’s not broken, that’s how it’s meant to be. Medium is the realistic tier. While high was meant to be that crazy production level.

They should eventually make it a 0-100 slider, where 50 is normal and you can adjust as you please

It's broken.

 

[Cor]

It is broken because it just makes goalies absolutely garbage rather than upping the amount of shots and style of game in sim to at least give them more respectable SV% ratios.

Numbers like that also can’t be good for developing young goalies.

It's a scoring slider, for high amount of scoring, not shots and style of play.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

It's a scoring slider, for high amount of scoring, not shots and style of play.

It should include shots and style of play for the exact reasons I said. Goalies are broken and young goalies can’t and won’t develop with higher sim scoring.

 

[Cor]

It should include shots and style of play for the exact reasons I said. Goalies are broken and young goalies can’t and won’t develop with higher sim scoring.

Perhaps it should, but it’s not, and they never said it was. It’s for higher production, which means more goals. Which means Sv%’s and GAA’s go down. Look at 80’s or early 90’s hockey. SV%’s and GAA’s were crazy compared to today. It’s a similar concept.

As for goalie development, to my knowledge they still can. Though I haven’t tested it, and haven’t seen anyone test that in depth on YT. But again, that comes with more scoring. Goalies let in more goals and thus aren’t as good.

 

[BigRig4]

Best goalies for franchise mode?

 

[kinger8998]

New York Rangers Franchise Mode

2021-2022 NHL Season

First Half of Season
​

LW	C	RW
Panarin 90	Zibanejad 89	Kakko 86
Buchnevich 84	Chytil 84	Kravtsov 86
Forsberg 86	Andersson 84	Puljujarvi 83
Gurianov 79	Dubinsky 78	Reaves 77
Lemieux 77

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

LD	RD
Skjei 86	Trouba 89
Hjalmarsson 83	Fox 83
Hajek 80	DeAngelo 82
Staal 79

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Starter	Backup
Lundqvist 86	Shesterkin 82

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

BREAKING NEWS: Lundqvist leads Rangers to Opening Night win
Oct. 3rd, 2021
The New York Rangers won their season opener 3-1 over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday Night.

The win sets the Rangers on the right path to continuing last Regular Season's success.
Henrik Lundqvist turned aside 23/24 shots, while Brady Skjei had 2 assists and Jacob Trouba scored the GWG.

[QUOTE

BREAKING NEWS: Andersson explodes for 5 points in 7-1 win over Ducks
Oct. 11th, 2021
Lias Andersson had the best game of his young career in tonights win over the Anaheim Ducks, scoring a hattrick and adding 2 assists for 5 poitns (3-2--5). Linemates Filip Forsberg (2-1--3) and Jesse Puljujarvi (0-2--2) also had wonderful nights.

Brady Skjei had 4 assists, bring his point total to 8 on the season in just 3 games (0-8--8).
Kaapo Kakko was injured and is day-to-day with a neck strain. Brendan Lemieux enters the lineup in his place.[/QUOTE]

BREAKING NEWS: Panarin's 5 assists lead Rangers over Stars
Oct. 24th, 2021
The New York Rangers continued their hot start to the season, winning yet another game, this time 6-3 over the Dallas Stars.

Vitali Kravtsov had 2 goals and 4 points, while Adam Fox had 3 points (1-2--3). The real star of the night though was Artemi Panarin, who had 5 points, all assists, and played 22:53.

Henrik Lundqvist had 36 saves (.923 SV%).

The Rangers are now 7-0-1, good for first in the NHL.

BREAKING NEWS: Defending Champ Leafs hand Rangers first Regulation loss of season
Nov. 6th, 2021
In New York's 13th game of the year, they were handed their 1st Regulation loss of the season.

On the tail end of a back-to-back, the Rangers just didn't have enough steam to hold off the Maple Leafs, who sit 1st in the Atlantic, just 2 points behind the Rangers and Capitals for first in the Eastern Conference.

BREAKING NEWS: Rangers shock media, trade Jesse Puljujarvi and Filip Forsberg
Nov. 14th, 2021
In the midst of an incredible season, the New York Rangers have now parted with 2 key players from their forward depth.
New York sent Filip Forsberg to the Arizona Coyotes and Jesse Puljujarvi to the Anaheim Ducks. Coming back in the package for Forsberg was 24-year old Nick Merkley (currently injured), prospect Liam Kirk and a 2022 1st (ARZ).
The Puljujarvi deal was a 1-for-1 swap of forwards with Anaheim, with Daniel Sprong coming back.

GM Brant King held a press conference after Rangers twitter announced the trade:

"Let me begin by thanking both Fil and Jesse for their contributions to the organization during their time here. We could not have had the Regular Season success we had last season without them.
Both guys are guys who are real team players. But, with our depth we have up front, these guys were vocal in expressing their interest to play more. We only have so much ice time to go around, and there just wasn't enough in their opinions to satisfy their requests, so they requested trades. It's truly as simple as that.
I think both teams benefit from the deals. We are very happy with the players we got back. Daniel Sprong will be playing with Lias (Andersson) and Denis (Gurianov). An underlying advantage to the Forsberg deal is that guys like Gurianov and new addition Merkley can maybe get an audition for a bigger role here."

Player	OVR	Age	Potential	Position	Player Type	Stats	Years/AAV
Daniel Sprong	84	24	Med Top 6F	RW	Sniper	18 GP 2G-5A-7P -10 ... 0 PIM	2/$3.875M
Nick Merkley	79	24	Med Top 6F	C/RW	2-way Forward	11 GP 2G-0A-2P +2 ... 8 PIM	2/$1.210M
Liam Kirk	67	21	Med Top 9F	LW	2-way Forward	13 GP 0G-1A-1P -3 ... 2 PIM (AHL)	3/$0.825M

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

​

​

LW	C	RW
Panarin 90	Zibanejad 89	Kakko 86
Buchnevich 84	Chytil 84	Kravtsov 86
Gurianov 80	Andersson 84	Sprong 84
Lemieux 77	Dubinsky 78	Reaves 77
Merkley 79*

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

LD	RD
Skjei 86	Trouba 89
Hjalmarsson 83	Fox 83
Hajek 80	DeAngelo 82
Staal 79

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Starter	Backup
Lundqvist 86	Shesterkin 83

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

BREAKING NEWS: Rangers remain strong after Trades
Nov. 30th, 2021
After the Rangers defeated the Boston Bruins 3-1 earlier tonight, they pulled within 2 points of the Pittsburgh Penguins for 1st in the Metropolitan Division. That is quite the feat after losing 2 integral players so early in the season.

Their offense proves resilient, highlighted by their league leading 3.73 GFPG. That number is attainable because of the outstanding play of Vitali Kravtsov, who is proving himself worthy of a Kakko-level contract in the final year of his ELC. The 21-year old has 33 points thus far this season (18-15--33) in just 26 games.

Igor Shesterkin has begun to see more starts after seeing just 2 in the first 18 games. Henrik Lundqvist, who opened the season on fire, has begun to show signs of being overworked, something coach Kayden Purinton will have to keep an eye on as the King nears the end of his career.

BREAKING NEWS: Kaapo Kakko sustains concussion
Dec. 11th, 2021
The Rangers 2nd overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft has been enjoying a successful career to date, and this season was going well for him. The Finnish forward has 10 goals and 20 points in 27 games to start the season.
He will be out week-to-week, with a target date set for a game against the Red Wings on the 24th.
Jason Robertson has been recalled and will play on a line with Lias Andersson and Denis Gurianov.

BREAKING NEWS: Jason Robertson scores first NHL goal in win of Leafs
Dec. 18th, 2021
In the 2nd night of a back to back (the Rangers lost 4-3 in OT on the first), the Rangers were looking to take home 3 out of a possible 4 points for the set. Lucky for them, Henrik Lundqvist pitched a shutout and the offense took it away from there en route to a 5-0 victory for the Blueshirts.
While Panarin (2-1--3) and Skjei (0-3--3) each had 3 points, the true hero in the Rangers dressing room after the game was rookie Jason Robertson, who scored his first NHL goal while playing on the top line with Panarin and Zibanejad. The rookie's lone point is his goal (1-0--1), but is a +5 in his 5 games played.
The Rangers have gone 2-0-2 without Kakko.

First Half Recap

​

Record	Home	Away	GFPG	GAPG	PP%	PK%	Division	Conference	League	Playoffs?
27-10-4	14-4-1	13-6-3	3.85 (1st)	2.59 (3rd)	16.7% (24th)	78.6% (24th)	1st	1st	1st	Yes

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

​

​

Goalie	Record	SV%	GAA	SO
Henrik Lundqvist	20-7-1	.924	2.33	3
Igor Shesterkin	7-3-2	.894	3.03	0

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

While Henrik Lundqvist thrived later in the half (2nd Quarter) with a little bit of extra rest, Igor Shesterkin struggled with the extra workload. There are no worries in Rangerstown, as both goalies have shown flashes of brilliance this season, even though Hank is aging and Shesterkin has poor overall numbers.
Rangers fans cannot forget, while this may not be the King's last season, it looks like it may be shaping up to be his last as a starter. The Rangers testing the waters on a bigger workload for Shesterkin is two-fold: A) it gives Hank rest; B) it shows them what Shesterkin may be like next season as a starter.

​

Player	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
Brady Skjei	39	1	36	37	+25	14
Jacob Trouba	41	7	23	30	+32	34
Adam Fox	41	8	9	17	+11	2
Tony DeAngelo	41	4	9	13	+10	0
Niklas Hjalmarsson	41	2	10	12	+13	19
Libor Hajek	41	0	8	8	+24	4
Marc Staal	2	1	0	1	-1	2

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Brady Skjei is following suit of his partner Trouba in having a breakout season. While last seaosn was by far his best with 52 points, he is on pace to shatter that this season. This pace is welcome, but certainly not expected to be sustained. Speaking of sustained, Jacob Trouba hasn't managed to stay around a P/PG, but he is on pace for yet another great season as New York's #1 defenseman.
Adam Fox has usurped Tony DeAngelo as the 2nd PP quarterback after DeAngelo did the same to him last season. Fox is having a wonderful season, already matching his career high in points (it took him 76 games last season). Tony DeAngelo is exactly on his pace from last season, but with all his skills, he just leaves more to be desired.
NikLas Hjalmarsson, who was highly recommended by Henrik Lundqvist to GM Brant King and coach Kayden Purinton, has not disappointed in the slightest. His ability to play shutdown defense, while mentoring Libor Hajek has been key, allowing Skjei to focuys on his own game. Hajek's +24 leads all rookies in that category.
The defense has remained relatively healthy, not giving Marc Staal much of a chance to get in. It is almost certainly his last seaoson in New York, as he has rescinded his A on his own terms. The letter has not yet been re-assigned.

​

Player	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
Artemi Panarin	41	19	31	50	+20	4
Mika Zibanejad	41	16	28	44	+29	28
Vitali Kravtsov	41	23	18	41	+18	12
Filip Chytil	41	11	18	29	+9	22
Lias Andersson	41	9	20	29	+23	10
Pavel Buchnevich	41	4	25	29	+13	10
Kaapo Kakko	33	12	13	25	+9	4
Daniel Sprong	42 (24)	8 (6)	13 (8)	21 (14)	+4 (+14)	4 (4)
Denis Gurianov	41	15	4	19	+21	12
Ryan Reaves	41	8	8	16	+3	48
Brandon Dubinsky	41	2	10	12	E	10
Brendan Lemieux	27	3	6	9	-3	33
Nick Merkley Jason Robertson	11 (0) 5	2 (0) 1	0 (0) 0	2 (0) 1	+2 (E) +5	8 (0) 2

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Artemi Panarin is worth every cent. The winger was no sluch in the first quarter, but he was electric in the second one, exploding to 50 points in just 41 games. The pace he's on would represent the highest point total of his career if he keeps it up. Mika Zibanejad is benefitting from his star winger, on pace for his first point per game season.
Vitali Kravtsov once again leads the Rangers in goals. He was seen as more of a playmaker coming in, but he's developed a knack for goal-scoring, and the Rangers can't complain. Their other young star, Kaapo Kakko, returned from his concussion and recorded 5 points in those 6 games, but is sidelined again with symptoms.
Filip Chytil and Lias Andersson round out the Rangers top 3 centers, and with their added production it's among the best groups in the league. Both players are making the Rangers think about the decision they have to make with Zibanejad. He's openly stated wanting to re-sign with the Rangers, but with Andersson and Chytil behind him, and the cap situation already looking crowded (Kakko, Panarin $10+M, Kravtsov ???), there may be no room for a large Zibanejad deal.
Daniel Sprong has been good, but not great since ariving, while Denis Gurianov, the main beenfactor of the Forsberg trade, has responded well with 15 goals already.
Pavel Buchnevich has an absurdly low SH%, 5.8%, which should rise, resulting in more goals to add to his high assist total.
The 4th line of Brendan Lemieux, Brandon Dubinksy and Ryan Reaves has been fantastic since being formed. Dubinksy has been good, while Reaves has been fantastic. Lemieux leaves more to be desired though.
Nick Merkley has not yet seen action with the Rangers. The training staff expects him to return sometime in late January.
Jason Robertson is back up in light of Kakko's recurring status, and he's sticking on the top line as they get shuffled in Kaako's absence.

The Rangers AHL affiliate is suffering through a rough season, currently just 11-20-6. That being said, despite the lack of team success, there is multiple points of optimism for the Rangers in Hartford.
Yegor Rykov, a 24-year old Russian defenseman, leads the team in points with 23 (10-13--23) in 37 games played. His partner, Sean Day, has 18 points (3-15--18) in the same amount of games.
Other defensive prospects Joey Keane (37 GP, 3-11--14), Nils Lundkvist (11 GP, 2-0--2) and Tarmo Reunanen (24 GP, 2-3--5) are also enjoying various degrees of success.
Forward prospect Leevi Aaltonen is already nearing his points total from last year (5-13--18), with 16 points in just 37 games (3-13--16).

Second Half

BREAKING NEWS: Merkley Require Surgery after Re-injuring elbow

Jan. 11th, 2022
In just his first game with the Rangers, and his 12th game of the season, Nick Merkley will not play another game this Regular Season. He escaped injury in October, but will need the operation this time around, in order to fully recover and be ready for next season.
Jason Robertson has been recalled and will remain with the team for the foreeable future.

​

LW	C	RW
Panarin 90	Zibanejad 89	Kakko 86
Kravtsov 88	Chytil 84	Buchnevich 84
Gurianov 80	Andersson 84	Sprong 84
Robertson 76	Dubinsky 78	Reaves 77
Merkley 79*	Lemieux 77

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

LD	RD
Skjei 88	Trouba 90
Hjalmarsson 83	Fox 83
Hajek 80	DeAngelo 82
Staal 79

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Starter	Backup
Lundqvist 84	Shesterkin 82

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

BREAKING NEWS: Zibanejad suffers concussion, out for Regular Season
Jan. 16th, 2022
The Rangers are in the midst of a very successful campaign, currently owning a record of 32-12-4. That record could suffer over the course of the next 4 months, as the Rangers have lost their #1C Mika Zibanejad for the season.
That is, the Regular Season. The Rangers have to make the Playoffs to give Zibanejad the chance to play again this season, and possibly to ever play for the Rangers again. If the centers can't cover, and the team falters, does Zibanejad become undispensable and absolutely necessary to re-sign?
But, if the trio of Chytil, Andersson and Kravtsov, who makes the transition to center, a role he has limited experience in, and 0 experience in the NHL, does it show that the Rangers can move on from the current #1C and their Captain?

​

LW	C	RW
Panarin 90	Kravtsov 88	Kakko 86
Buchnevich 84	Chytil 84	Sprong 84
Robertson 76	Andersson 84	Gurianov 80
Lemieux 77	Dubinsky 78	Reaves 77
Merkley 79*	Zibanejad 89*

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

LD	RD
Skjei 88	Trouba 90
Hjalmarsson 83	Fox 83
Hajek 80	DeAngelo 82
Staal 79

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Starter	Backup
Lundqvist 84	Shesterkin 82

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

* Lost the part of the post between now and the Trade Deadline. A few more injuries hit to players, with Vinni Lettieri and Joey Keane getting recalled. Both Keane and Robertson didn't need waivers so were returned to the AHL post-deadline*

Trade Deadline

BREAKING NEWS: Rangers acquire Kovalchuk in Deadline deal, scores goal in debut
Trade Deadline
Adding to their Russian contingent, the New York Rangers sent a 2023 2nd and a 2022 4th to the Montreal Canadians in exchange for veteran Ilya Kovalchuk.

Kovalchuk then went on to score a goal and add an assist ion his first game with the team, combining on a line with fellow countrymen Artemi Panarin and Vitali Kravtsov. Unfortunately the Rangers dropped the game 4-3 to the Capitals.

Player	OVR	Age	Potential	Position	Player Type	Stats	Years/AAV
Ilya Kovalchuk	82	38	38	N/A	Sniper	60 GP 20G-18A-38P -10 ... 20 PIM (MTL) ---------------- 1 GP 1G-1A-2P +2 ... 0 PIM (NYR)	1/$1.675M (50% retained)

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

LW	C	RW
Panarin 90	Kravtsov 87	Kovalchuk 82
Buchnevich 85	Chytil 84	Kakko 86​
Gurianov 80​	Andersson 84	Sprong 84​
Lemieux 77	Dubinsky 78	Reaves 77
Merkley 79*	Zibanejad 89*	Lettieri 75

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

LD	RD
Skjei 88	Trouba 90
Hjalmarsson 83	Fox 83
Hajek 80	DeAngelo 82
Staal 79

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Starter	Backup
Lundqvist 84	Shesterkin 83

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

BREAKING NEWS: Rangers lose Kakko again to injury.
March 12th, 2022
Kaapo Kakko has not had a great year statistically, and his season hasn't been that great health wise either. The Finnish forward has now sustained his 3rd injury of the season, and this one will hold him out for 3-4 games.

Vinni Lettieri re-enters the lineup.

BREAKING NEWS: Rangers clinch Playoffs for Second straight Season
March 18th, 2022
The Rangers prevailed in Kaapo Kakko's return to the lineup with a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. The win, their 47th of the season (47-22-6), clinched the Playoffs for the Rangers.

That means NYR fans have the chance to see Mika Zibanejad in a Rangers jersey atleast 4 more times this season.

LGR!!! #StanleyCup2022

Season Recap

​

Record	Home	Away	GFPG	GAPG	PP%	PK%	Division	Conference	League	Playoffs?
52-23-7	25-13-3	27-10-4	3.65 (3rd)	2.66 (2nd)	21.7% (9th)	79.3% (23rd)	1st	2nd	2nd	Yes

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

​

​

Goalie	Record	SV%	GAA	SO
Henrik Lundqvist	37-16-3	.917	2.51	5
Igor Shesterkin	15-7-4	.906	2.84	0

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Henrik Lundqvist has earned yet another Vezina nomination on his illustrious career, this one at age 38. The veteran netminder led all starters (30+ starts) in SV%. Offense was significantly higher this season, resulting in many goaltenders suffering the consequences. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Tuukka Rask also earned nominations.

Igor Shesterkin righted the ship down the stretch, saving his SV%. He may not ever be the Elite goalie and heir to the throne many predicted, but he looks quite serviceable, and is still young with room for growth.

​

Player	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
Brady Skjei	80	5	59	64	+33	40
Jacob Trouba	82	10	54	64	+43	62
Adam Fox	80	18	18	36	+16	4
Tony DeAngelo	79	8	16	24	+15	2
Niklas Hjalmarsson	82	5	15	20	+24	33
Libor Hajek	82	1	11	12	+25	10
Marc Staal	6	1	2	3	-5	2

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Brady Skjei and Jacob Trouba both had excellent seasons on the Rangers backend. They were heradled as the best defensive pairing by NHL Network.

Adam Fox showed considerable progression in his 2nd season, solidifying himself as the #2 d-man on the right side. That moves Tony DeAngelo down to #3, a spot that could be stolen by brief callup Joey Keane.

Niklas Hjalmarsson mentored Libor Hajek in stellar fashion, with both defenders finishing 3rd and 4th respecitvely among defenders in the +/- category.

Marc Staal played 2 of his 6 games as a 4th line winger. He will likely not be back with the team.

​

Player	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
Artemi Panarin	82	35	54	89	+27	6
Vitali Kravtsov	82	49	30	79	+24	12
Filip Chytil	82	18	45	63	+24	41
Pavel Buchnevich	82	12	48	60	+13	12
Kaapo Kakko	71	25	32	57	+12	8
Lias Andersson	82	17	40	57	+21	38
Ilya Kovalchuk Mika Zibanejad	78 (18) 48	23 (3) 20	27 (9) 30	50 (12) 50	-2 (+8) +29	20 (0) 32
Daniel Sprong	83 (65)	19 (17)	28 (23)	47 (40)	+7 (+17)	21 (21)
Denis Gurianov	82	18	8	26	+25	30
Brandon Dubinsky	82	6	18	24	-2	20
Ryan Reaves	76	8	10	18	+3	72
Brendan Lemieux	60	7	8	15	-4	37
Vinni Lettieri Nick Merkley	10 14 (3)	4 2 (0)	3 0 (0)	7 2 (0)	+2 +1 (-1)	2 8 (0)

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Artemi Panarin slowed down, but still posted a career high in points at age 30. With him in posting career highs are Filip Chytil, Lias Andersson, Pavel Buchnevich, Daniel Sprong (talk about later), Vitali Kravtsov (also mentioned later), Denis Gurianov, Brendan Lemieux and Vinni Lettieri.

Daniel Sprong came over in an early trade (Jesse Puljujarvi) and flourished with the Rangers. He had instant chemistry with Lias Andersson and Denis Gurianov, becomign one of the most dominant 3rd lines in the league. Nick Merkley, who arrived in the Forsberg trade, played just 2 games with New York. His play is hard to judge with all his injury troubles. Other midseason trade acquisition, Ilya Kovalchuk, enjoyed a P/PG bump with the Rangers, but the Rangers expect more goals from him in the Playoffs.

Kaapo Kakko disappointed. He was injured, yes, but his stat line leaves something to be desired for a player with a $10M salary next season. He has not found real chemistry with anyone yet, a concerning tidbit. It is up to GM Brant King and Coach Kayden Purinton to find him a spot where he can explode.

Depth players Ryan Reaves and Brandon Dubinksy were solid for NYR, but likely won't be with the club past this Playoff run.

Next Post: 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs and NHL Offseason​

 

[OttawaOilers]

Have outlined a rough draft of who needs to be created for Franchise Mode. Let me know if I'm missing anybody, or have anybody listed that is already in the game. Please!


Created players, NHL20:

Year 1 Draft, 2020:
Goalie - Askarov
Dylan Holloway
Alexander Pashin
Rodion Amirov

Year 2, 2021:
Aatu Raty
Luke Hughes
Kasper Puutio, Swift Current
Martin Chromiak, Kingston
Joshua Roy, Saint Johns
Aito Iguchi
Jesper Wallstedt, G (Sweden)

Year 3, 2022:
Shane Wright - Kingston
Matthew Savoie - Winnipeg Ice
Brandt Clarke

--------

NHL players to be created:

Anaheim - Trevor Zegras
Arizona - Prosvetov, Ivan
Boston - Shen, Pavel
Calgary - Philp, Luke, Zagidulin, Artyom, Martin Pospisil
Colorado - Bowers, Shane, Alex Newhook
Chicago - Alex Vlasic, Chad Krys
Columbus - Vlad Gavrikov,
Dallas - Ryley Tufte
Edmonton - Ilya Konovalov
Florida - Spencer Knight, Grigori Denisenko,
Los Angeles - Alex Turcotte
Minnesota - Matthew Boldy, Karill Kaprisov,
Montreal - Cole Caufield, Jayden Struble, Alex Romonov, Cayden Primeau,
New Jersey - Nikita Gusev
New York Rangers - Adam Fox, Vitali Kratsov, Igor Shestyorkin, K'Andre Miller
New York Islanders - Olivier Wahlstrom, Ilya Sorokin
Philadelphia - Cameron York, Joel Farabee
Ottawa - Josh Norris, Jacob Bernard-Docker, Jonny Tychonick
Toronto - Ilya Mikhelev, Egor Korshkov, Joe Woll,
Vancouver - Vasily Podkolzin, Tyler Madden


Again, let me know. Thanks!

 

[kinger8998]

New York Rangers Franchise Mode

2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs & NHL Offseason

Stanley Cup Playoffs

In the 1st Round, the Boradway Blueshirts draw a matchup against the Broadstreet Bullies. The Flyers finished 4th in the Metropolitan, the 1st WC slot. They owned a record of 43-30-9, primarily boosted by their 3.39 GFPG.

Players to watch for the Flyers are Captain Claude Giroux (77 GP, 27-51--78), former Ranger Eric Staal (76 GP, 15G-46A-61P) and the resurgent Corey Perry (80 GP, 37G-32A-69P). Perry is somewhat of a revelation, as his point totals have gone up in each of the past 3 years after being bought out by the Anaheim Ducks. Their starter, Carter Hart, suffered like most due to the uptick in goal scoring, seeing his SV% dip to .904. That said, he still played in 66 games, posting a record of 33-24-7.

Keys for the Rangers is Henrik Lundqvist showing he still has what it takes for one more run. Deadline acquisition Ilya Kovalchuk must score goals, something he was brought in to do. Finally, an X-factor could be the return of Zibanejad - if it happens.

LW	C	RW
Panarin 90	Kravtsov 87	Buchnevich 85
Kovalchuk 82	Chytil 84	Kakko 86​
Gurianov 80​	Andersson 85	Sprong 84​
Lemieux 77	Dubinsky 78	Merkley 79
Reaves 77	Lettieri 75	Zibanejad 89*

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

LD	RD
Skjei 88	Trouba 90
Hjalmarsson 83	DeAngelo 82
Hajek 80	Fox 83
Staal 79

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Starter	Backup
Lundqvist 83	Shesterkin 83

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

First Round vs. Flyers

Game	Score	NYR Goals	NYR Goalie	Notes
1	6-3 NYR	Kakko (1), Trouba (1), Kravtsov (1,2,3), Andersson (1)	Lundqvist (.893 SV%)(3.00 GAA)	Zibanejad returns for Game 2.
2	4-3 PHI	Skjei (1), Buchnevich (1), Kravtsov (4)	Lundqvist (.892 SV%)(4.07 GAA)	Zibanejad re-sustains concussion. Buchnevich also injured.
3	4-1 PHI	Fox (1)	Lundqvist (.919 SV%)(3.01 GAA)	Defensive pairings changed.
4	5-4 NYR (OT)	Kravtsov (5,6), Panarin (1), Kakko (2), Dubinksy (1)	Lundqvist (.909 SV%)(2.90 GAA)	Lundqvist steller and Dbinsky plays hero for NYR. Kovalchuk injured, Robertson recalled as AHL szn is over.
5	2-1 NYR	Lemieux (1), Fox (2)	Lundqvist (.972 SV%)(1.00 GAA)	Rangers head to Philly with chance to close out series in 6.
6	6-3 NYR	Buchnevich (2,3), Kakko (3,4), DeAngelo (1), Panarin (2)	Lundqvist (.912 SV%)(3.00 GAA)	Buchnevich lifts Rangers to win in return.

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Series Recap
Henrik Lundqvist improved as the series went on after a scary start, while the offense and defense alternated turns coming up huge in a nail-biting series for the Rangers. Remember, just last year they were heavy favorites and were eliminated in Round 1 by the Lightning. This year, although they came in as favorites, that was always in the back of all minds.

Vitali Kravtsov scored 6 goals and 9 points in the series. That leads the entire Playoffs. Kaapo Kakko had 7 points (3-4--7).

Brady Skjei picked up where he left off, operating at a point-per-game pace with 6 in 6. Adam Fox has 2 goals and 4 points to his name right now.

Henrik Lundqvist salvaged his series and possibly his last shot at a Cup with 4 improved performances down the stretch after 2 terrible starts from the netminder.

Two teams with lots of Playoff history will once again face off as the Rangers will face a path through the Capitals to move on. The Rangers have enjoyed success against the Capitals in recent Playoff histroy, defeating them in four consecutive years from 2012-2015. The Capitals defeated the Rangers in 2011. That being said, the Rangers are now a drastically different team, having just Henrik Lundqvist and Marc Staal (not playing) remaining from those playoff runs.

Players for the Rangers to watch against the Caps are still the same faces. Alexander Ovechkin is as potent as ever, scoring 60 this Regular Season. He sits just 77 goals back from Gretzky's all time record. Former Ranger Kevin Shattenkikr has reutrned to the Capitals for a 2nd stint, and he has 5 points in 7 Playoff games. John Carlson leads the Caps in Playoff scoring with 8 points. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper has been fantastic this postseason with a .933 SV%.

For the Rangers, they will need their Russian contingent to counteract the potency of Ovi's scoring and Kuemper's goaltending. New York will need to depend on seeing the Hank they saw in Games 3-6 over the version they got in Games 1&2. Just as Dubinksy socred the OT winner in Game 4, the Rangers will need their depth players to outwork and outscore the Capitals depth in order to move on.

LW	C	RW
Panarin 90	Kravtsov 88	Merkley 79
Buchnevich 85	Chytil 84	Kakko 86​
Gurianov 80​	Andersson 84	Sprong 84​
Lemieux 77	Dubinsky 78	Robertson 76
Reaves 77*	Kovalchuk 82*	Zibanejad 89*

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

LD	RD
Hjalmarsson 83	Trouba 90
Skjei 88	DeAngelo 82
Hajek 80	Fox 83
Staal 79

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Starter	Backup
Lundqvist 83	Shesterkin 83

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Second Round vs. Capitals

Game	Score	NYR Goals	NYR Goalie	Notes
1	5-2 NYR	Kakko (4,5), Robertson (1), Chytil (1), Panarin (3)	Lundqvist (.935 SV%)(2.00 GAA)
2	4-3 NYR	Kakko (6), Sprong (1), Lemieux (2), DeAngelo (2)	Lundqvist (.917 SV%)(3.00 GAA)	Rangers jump out to 2-0 series lead firing on all cylinders.
3	7-4 WSH	Chytil (2,3), Andersson (2), Kravtsov (7)	Lundqvist (.800 SV%)(7.00 GAA)	Bad outing for NYR. Gurianov injured. Reaves returns for next game.
4	2-0 WSH		Lundqvist (.937 SV%)(2.03 GAA)	Ilya Kovalchuk returns for Game 5.
5	4-0 NYR	Fox (3), Kravtsov (8), Andersson (3), Trouba (1)	Lundqvist (1.000 SV%)(0.00 GAA)	Not to be outdone, the King pitches a shutout of his own.
6	4-3 WSH	Trouba (2), Chytil (4,5)	Lundqvist (.879 SV%)(4.06 GAA)	Back to New York for a Game 7.
7	4-3 WSH	Kravtsov (9,10), Buchnevich (4)	Lundqvist (.900 SV%)(4.08 GAA)	Heartbreaking loss for NYR.

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

NHL Offseason

\
BREAKING NEWS: Winnipeg Jets win the Stanley Cup
End of Stanley Cup Playoffs
For the 2nd consecutive season, the Stanley Cup will call Canada home. This time it's the Winnipeg Jets, led by Blake Wheeler, Dustin Byfuglien, Mark Scheifele and Patrik Laine.

They defeated the Washington Capitals in 7 games in the Stanley Cup Finals. Prior to that they beat the Stars in 7, Blues in 5 and Sharks in 5.

Mark Scheifele took home the Conn Smythe Trophy as Playoff MVP.

BREAKING NEWS: Wolf Pack fire entire Coaching Staff, hire new head coach Lance Mason
NHL Offseason News
For the 2nd time in 3 years, the Hartford Wolf Pack will start the season with a new coaching staff.

After yet another dreadful season, GM Brant King decided with AGM and GM of the HWP to start fresh. This came with a promise of an improved roster.

GM Brant King had this to say:

Having a positive, winning culture in the room down there is so important. Players develop and thrive more efficiently under those circumstances. We feel like what we've got down there is a good base, and we can add to that via things like this hire and free agent additions. Lance is a fantastic mind, and he is a very capable teacher and leader for our prospects. We are very excited for the coming season at both our NHL and AHL levels for the first time in a long time.

BREAKING NEWS: Patrick Marleau retires as All-time Leader in Games Played
NHL Offseason News
Patrick Marleau, he of 1902 NHL games, retires as a member of the Florida Panthers. His 1902 games places him 1st on the all-time list, quite a feat for the 42-year old. He retires with 1257 points (584-673--1257).

Also retiring are veterans Jason Pomminville and Mikko Koivu. Ryan Kesler and Travis Zajac also called it quits.

Former Rangers forward Michael Grabner announced his retirement at age 34. The speedy forward had two 20-goal seasons for the Rangers. Brian Boyle, a member of the John Tortorella and 2013-2014 Rangers teams, retires at 947 games played.

NHL Entry Draft

BREAKING NEWS: Rangers move up to 2nd overall pick
NHL Entry Draft
When the Columbus Blue Jackets approached the Rangers looking to Trade down from their 2nd overall pick, the Rangers could not refuse. In a massive deal, the Rangers sent Arizona's 202 1st (17th), their own 2022 1st (22nd), defenseman Tony DeAngelo, pending RFA F Denis Gurianov and unsigned prospect Pavel Denisov (Low Top 6F) to the Jackets for the 2nd overall selection.

This is the Rangers second 2nd overall selection in the last 4 years.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With their 2nd overall pick, the Ranges selected 18-year old centerman Harrison Redden from the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL.

The highly skilled playmaker, who can also score, had 47 goals and 40 assists (47-40--87) in 64 games.

He will likely be returned to the OHL for 1 more season before getting a serious look to make the NHL team.

Aside from Redden, the New York Rangers had just 3 other draft picks.

​

Player	OVR	Age	Potential	Position	Player Type	Stats
Harrison Redden	75	18	Med Elite	C	Playmaker	64 GP 47G-40A-87P +21 ... 18 PIM (OHL)
Robin Graps	57	18	Med Top 6D	D	Offensive Defenseman	16 GP 0G-0A-0P -2 ... 12 PIM (NL)
Ruslan Tursumbayev	57	20	Med Bottom 6F	LW	Sniper	24 GP 0G-0A-0P -1 ... 12 PIM (Russia)
Mason Andersons	57	19	Med Starter	G	Hybrid	27 GP 11-8-3 .925 SV% 2.15 GAA 3 SO

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Re-sign Phase

BREAKING NEWS: Henrik Lundqvist re-ups with Rangers
Re-sign Phase
At 40-years old, Henrik Lundqvist still seeks his first Stanley Cup. He will continue that trek with the Rangers, who have re-signed him to a 1-year deal worth $2.000M.

The Rangers active leader is virtually every goal tending category, he is already the best in Franchise history, and should go down as one of the best of all time. The should can turn into a will if he wins the Stanley Cup, something he truly believes the Rangers can do. He said this when interviewed this summer:

"We have been one of the best Regular Season teams in each of the last 2 years. We've come so close, 2012, 2014, 2015, last year I think even though we lost in the 2nd round that is the most heartbreaking 2nd round loss I've had. We were right there last year. Nothing is completely decided yet, but I feel really good. I'm happy with where I'm at - and with where the team is at - so I definitely can see myself back. It's either Rangers or retirement, because I want to finish my career in New York."

BREAKING NEWS: Rangers part with team Captain Mika Zibanejad and Assistant Marc Staal
Re-sign Phase
When Mika Zibanejad came to New York for Derrick Brassard, there were admittedly some mixed emotions for Rangers fans. Brassard was a fan favorite, while Zibanejad had yet to truly find his game in Ottawa. That being said, the Rangers also received a 2nd round pick, shook up the core that couldn't win, and got younger down the middle in the process. Those sentiments were verified as Zibanejad grew into a legitmate #1C, and an elite PP presence.

Now, Rangers fans are losing Zibanejad for nothing. The Rangers captain for the past 3 seasons now parts ways with the club, and enters Free Agency staring down a massive payday. It had nothing to do with Zibanejad's asking, he would be well worth the $9.5-10.5M he'll command on the open market, but more to do with the Rangers internal cap situation.

Big extensions for both Kaapo Kakko and Vitali Kravtsov are kicking in this season. Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil, both coming off career best seasons, are looking for bigger roles. The Rangers have a hole to fill on the backend with the departed Hjalmarsson gone and a 2nd pairing slot open.

GM Brant King spoke to media about the controversial decision:

"Any time you say goodbye to a player of Zibby's caliber, it hurts a lot. Especially so when he is your team captain and a phenomenal leader. We as an organization want to thank Mika for his hard work and dedication to the Rangers over the last 6 seasons. He will always be a part of our Blueshirts family and we wish him the best in the future.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marc Staal was the second longest tenured Rangers skater (Henrik Lundqvist is the longest tenured of all). The stalwart defender suffered a couple terrible injuries, which derailed a potential top-2 defender in the making, but post-injury Staal was a capable shutdown guy for multiple years.

His play tailed off later in his career, as the game got faster while Staal got slower, but he managed to survive. His long reach and fantastic leadership kept him relevant for New York and kept him in the lineup on a nightly basis.

His 998 games played as a Rangers places him 4th all time in the Games Played Category.

GM Brant King had this to say during his press conference:

"It truly is unfortunate that Marc Staal can't retire a Ranger. This is a guy who is the epitome of a Ranger. His hard work, dedication and grit showcases just what we could ask for in any player. No matter the skill, we want players who want to be here and who want to work to win. Nothing comes easy, and Marc Staal never expected it to.

His maturity and leadership has been on display ever since he joined the team, but was truly showcased when he first donned an 'A". In the end, possibly the greatest display of all was when he gave up his "A" this season, understanding our roster makeup and taking whatever role he signed up for when he signed his extension before the season.

Rangerstown thanks you, Marc.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Rangers entered the Re-sign Phase with nearly $27.000M in Cap Space. That being said, this wasn't Free Agent money, this was money that was going to be used up. New York Gm Brant King had a massive contract to give out to RFA Vitali Kravtsov, he of two straight 49-goal seasons, and a contract to fork over to RFA's Adam Fox. Also, legend Henrik Lundqvist needed a new contract, but that was an easy fix.

The Rangers also had lots of players needing ELC's most of which were easy deicisions to sign/let walk.
​

Player	OVR	Age	Potential	Position	Player Type	Stats	Years/AAV	Notes
Vitali Kravtsov	88	22	Med Elite	F	Playmaker	82 GP 49G-30A-79P +24 ... 12 PIM	8/$9.250M	Kravtsov had led the Rangers in goals in each of the past 2 seasons. He becomes the 3rd highest paid player on the Rangers. Can play all three F positions.
Adam Fox	83	25	Med Top 4D	D	Offensive Defenseman	80 GP 18G-18A-36P +16 ... 4 PIM	7/$4.700M	Fox requested he be traded to NYR just 3 years ago. Now, he signs a 7-year extension. Getting a solid young d-man locked down at a reasonable price is never a bad idea.
Henrik Lundqvist	81	40	N/A	G	Hybrid	58 GP 37-16-3 .917 SV% 2.51 GAA 5 SO	1/$1.750M	Easy choice to resign, will continue to share duties with Shesterkin in nets.
Joey Keane	78	22	Med Top 4D	D	2 way Defender	55 GP 4G-12A-16P -3 ... 42 PIM (AHL)	2/$0.950M	Got first 2 NHL games last season, showing he can hang with the big boys. Now, with DeAngelo gone, it's Keane's job to lose.
Yegor Rykov	77	25	Low Top 4D	D	2 way Defender	76 GP 16G-33A-49P -4 ... 45 PIM (AHL)	2/$0.850M	With Hjalmarsson leaving, it is all on Rykov to prove in camp he can take over. NYR will assuredly sign veteran insurance, but Rykov showed he did not have much left to prove in AHL.
Jason Robertson	76	22	Low Top 6F	LW/RW	Sniper	24 GP 6G-0A-0P +6 ... 2 PIM	3/$0.825M	Slight pay raise on ELC. The speedy forward played well when called upon in the NHL. He has inside track on open spots, but has plenty of competition.
Harrison Redden	75	18	Med Elite	C	Playmaketr	64 GP 47G-40A-87P +21 .. 18 PIM (OHL)	3/$0.925M (ELC)	Rangers 2nd overall pick will get experience in camp, and may even get a Regular Season audition, but either way the very likely scenario is he spends one more season in the OHL.
Tarmo Reunanen	74	24	Low Top 4D	D	Offensive Defenseman	41 GP 2G-6A-8P -4 ... 6 PIM (AHL)	2/$0.800M	Reunanen couldn't find consistent playing time in Hartford, but the Rangers still believe he can figure it out within the two-year term.
Hendrix Lapierre	71`	20	Med Top 6F	C/LW	2 way Forward	66 GP 36G-61A-97P +17 ... 24 PIM (QMJHL)	3/$0.900M (ELC)	Rangers 2nd rounder in '20 signs his ELC after breaking out in his 3rd Q season. Could spend one more year, but he seems ready to take on a role in Hartford.
Jan Mysak	67	20	Med Top 6F	LW	Sniper	52 GP 4G-11A-15P +18 ... 10 PIM (Extraliga)	3/$0.875M (ELC)	Mysak was a 4th rounder for NYR in '20. He has started to develop quite nicely, hence the Rangers ELC proposal. Long ways away still though.
William Villeneuve	67	20	Med Top 6D	D	2 way Defender	67 GP 12G-38A-50P +11 ... 18 PIM (QMJHL)	3/$0.850M (ELC)	Villeneuve is a surprising ELC offer. He never really broke out in the Q, and he was always a long shot.
Josh Lawrence	65	20	Low Top 6F	C/RW	Playmaker	66 GP 26G-43A-69P +16 ... 8 PIM (QMJHL)	3/$0.850M (ELC)	Lawrence is a guy the Rangers have been high on ever since he fell into their laps. Not a surprise to see him sign.
Mason Andersons	57	19	Med Starter	G	Hybrid	27 GP 11-8-3 .925 SV% 2.15 GAA 3 SO	3/$0.875M (ELC)	As Henrik Lundqvist enters what is almost certainly his final season, the Rangers draft a goalie with considerable potential in the 7th round. What a coincidence.
Hannu Bergenheim	52	19	Low Top 6F	RW	Playmaker	31 GP 0G-1A-1P +8 ... 18 PIM (Liiga)	3/$0.875M (ELC)	Despite 0 goals last season, the NYR brass deemed Bergenheim worthy of a vote of confidence with an ELC. Questionable at best.

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

The Rangers also signed goaltender Matthew Villalta (AHL) to a 1-year contract. Forwards Jake Elmer and Tim Gettinger (both AHL) also renewed terms with the team.

Niklas Hjalmarsson and Vinni Lettieri looked to pursue options elsewhere. The Rangers also elected to move on from rental forward Ilya Kovalchuk. Brandon Dubinsky decided to test Free Agency, but didn't burn any bridges.

Free Agency

The Free Agent Frenzy broadcast team:
Host: James Duthie
Deal Breaker Desk: Bob McKenzie, Darren Dreger, Pierre LeBrun, and Gord Miller
Instant Analysis Panel: Ray Ferraro, Jeff O’Neill, Dave Poulin, Martin Biron, Pierre McGuire
FA Bait: Craig Button
Free Agency Panel: Jamie McLennan, Aaron Ward

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Duthie: It was a big day here at TSN. First off, Happy Canada Day to all of our Canadian viewers at home! And for all those Canadians and everyone watching elsewhere, Happy Free Agent Frenzy. First, we're going to get you to our Deal Breakers to fill you in on what has gone down today.

Dreger: Our day was started off with a trade, a weird occurrence on a day such as this one. The Rangers sent prospect Adam Edstrom and a 4th round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft to the Tampa Bay Lightning for 25-year old forward Anthony Cirelli. More on that later in our Rangers analysis.

McKenzie: The LA Kings were very active today, signing one of the biggest fish, Evgenii Dadonov to a 3 year deal with an AAV of $7.875M. They didn't stop there though, also inking defensemen Will Butcher and Julius Honka to 4 and 3 year deals respectively.

LeBrun: Former Rangesrs Filip Forsberg and Mika Zibanejad both found themeselves looking for a new home this offseason, and it seems as though they had no problem finding theirs. Filip Forsberg is heading to the Bruins on a 6-year term while Rangers captain last season Mika Zibanejad heads to Forsberg's former home, Nashville.

The Rangers also announced a slew of depth signings. Defensemen Jonas Sieganthaler, Zach Whitecloud and Yannick Weber join the team. Sieganthaler and Whitecloud are both reclamation projects of sorts, but Yannick Weber should offer some competition and depth on the NHL roster.

Miller: Speaking of the Rangers, they've added some offensive firepower to their arsenal. Joe Thornton joins forces with Henrik Lundqvist in their search for their first Stanley Cups. The Rangers also add Valeri Nichushkin to their Russian group.

Thornton scored at a PPG pace just 3 seasons ago, but has since dropped to 60 points and then 32 this past season. He looks to reverse that trend, and finally win his Stanley Cup.

Nichushkin scored 21 goals just 3 seasons ago, and put up a career high 44 points the season after, but his play fell off a cliff last season with Philedelphia. The forward was a -7 and scored just 9 goals. He joins the Rangers hoping that a strong support system can help him finally reach the potential he had as a 10th overall pick.

Player	OVR	Age	Potential	Position	Player Type	Stats	Years/AAV
Valeri Nuchushkin	82	27	N/A	RW	Sniper	78 GP 9G-15A-24P -7 ... 27 PIM (PHI 21-22)	1/$2.750M
Joe Thornton	80	43	N/A	C	Playmaker	82 GP 12G-20A-32P -2 ... 10 PIM (OTT 21-22)	1/$2.500M
Yannick Weber	78	34	N/A	D	Offensive Defenseman	27 GP 0G-1A-1P -4 ... 4 PIM (CBJ 21-22)	2/$0.750M
Zach Whitecloud	77	25	Med Top 6D	D	2 way Defender	72 GP 0G-4A-4P +2 ... 16 PIM (VGK 20-21)	1/$0.950M
Jonas Siegenthaler	77	25	Low Top 4D	D	Defensive Defenseman	26 GP 0G-4A-4P +4 ... 6 PIM (WSH 18-19)	2/$0.750M

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Next Post: First Half 2022-2023 NHL Season​

 

[Deku]

Noticed something stupid with morale. First screenshot is during pre-season. Second screenshot is as soon as I simulate to the start of the regular season. Take a look at the rating drops:

Henrique, Frolik, Hawryluk, Petan, and Gurianov all "lost morale due to locker room interactions" on the exact same day of October 10th. And they all got harsh rating drops. Meanwhile, no one else on the team lost any morale or ratings. What the hell happened to these players? Why does a young guy like Gurianov (who is low elite) get a -3 drop just for a slight morale drop when nothing even happened yet in the season?

 

[tsujimoto74]

wow, watched someone's GM video on youtube - I forget who but it's the guy doing Toronto - and high sim scoring is broken. Goalies get absolutely destroyed with that sim setting on high.

2.70 GAA was the lowest GAA of a starter, P. Kane had 58 goals in 62 games.

Yikes.

FYI--sim scoring seems to be higher and more in line with reality on medium/normal than it has been in previous versions of the game. I only just started a franchise mode on that setting, but the top players are generally at/above point per game, and the top offensive d-man are just below that pace.

 

[kinger8998]

rangers gm mode not working for me ... kravtsov scoring 50 goals a year and shesterkin posting a .876 SV% as a start through 10 games frusterated me because of innaccuracy... will start a new one today.

any suggestions? leanign tpwards expansion but am open to other ideas ( ie: ottawa/vancouver) could always restart Rangers and tweak the attributes/ overalls/potentials of created players for accuracy

 

[Romkey]

Is anyone else having a ton of issues developing goalies? I have a MED Elite 77 overall goalie who just started 70 games for me and went 47-13 but didn't gain a single overall. His stat line was this: 47-10-3, 2.44GAA and ,912 SV% and yet he didn't gain anything. Any suggestions?

 

[OttawaOilers]

So, who was added into this newest (September 30th) roster update, that wasn't already in the game?!

 

[CharlestownChiefsESC]

rangers gm mode not working for me ... kravtsov scoring 50 goals a year and shesterkin posting a .876 SV% as a start through 10 games frusterated me because of innaccuracy... will start a new one today.

any suggestions? leanign tpwards expansion but am open to other ideas ( ie: ottawa/vancouver) could always restart Rangers and tweak the attributes/ overalls/potentials of created players for accuracy

He pots around 30 for me in my 19 sim.