How does this team compare now to the best Hank teams?

[PalmCoastRanger]

Et tu? Have you been reading Habs fans' posts?

Oh I read every "goalie killer" post. I was there for every "accidentally on purpose" threats on Stepan, who shut 'em up while his jaw was wired shut. It was a shame how all that bs got to Kreider's head. AV's passiveness did not help things out either.

This current Rangers team is moving toward the right direction, but they still have a ways to go. Especially when it comes to just plugging away when the fancy stuff dries up. Hopefully, the new additions combined with the kids physical maturation will turn this team into a hybrid of those Torts and AV teams.

 

[DanielBrassard]

The 12-13 and 13-14 Rangers were heads and shoulders above this team at 5v5. You could make the argument that the Rangers had better talent at the top with Panarin, Fox, and Igor but the rest of those teams were better than this team by a decent margin. But those teams never had a weapon like a top-2 PP which is part of the reason why they never scored enough.

 

[Peltz]

It's kind of crazy how they're still less talented than Colorado, Florida, Tampa, and Carolina. How has the league become so talented?

We have better goaltending than all but Tampa though and even that's arguable.

I think the league just continues to get better year after year in general.

 

[Peltz]

As for the question posed by the thread...

But just going by my gut feeling.... I think that, ultimately, Gallant with this team would out-coach Torts and AV with their respective teams in a best of 7 game series.

Those teams really struggled on the power play and would have a distinct disadvantage on special teams. While they would smother someone like Strome and Panarin at 5v5, I really don't think they'd have an answer for Zib, Kreider of today, especially with Fox/Miller/Trouba backing them up.

I also think that our third line is underrated with the way it's been playing over the last few games, and with the influx of TDL acquisitions, it's going to give teams fits.

I'd take this season's Shesterkin over peak Lundqvist at this point too. He's just been so precise and clinical in all but one game this year. Lundqvist was consistent season to season, series to series. But in a single series or a single run? Shesterkin has a higher peak given what we've seen this year. And I don't think those old Rangers teams had enough offensive skill or crease traffic to beat what Shesterkin brings to the table. Kreider of those years isn't the beast he is this year.

The things I like from those old teams over this current one are the center depth (other than Zib, those were better centers), and the shutdown capabilities of the top defensive unit.

Playing against prime Ryan McDonagh, especially in 2014, just isn't fun for the other team. He was a wizard in how he made the correct defensive play at all times. He was also very fast on the back check on the rarest occasions that he was caught pinching. And Girardi blocked more shots than anyone in the league.

Would those two be able to figure out the cerebral game of someone like Fox in the offensive zone? Maybe, maybe not. I think Fox creates a ton of problems for the shot blocking defensive scheme Torts employed. He'd get players to commit to the block and find passing lanes all day.

 

[RosensRug]

I still think that 2012 team had the better shot at the Cup, even though we lost to the debbies. Torts heavily relying on only 5D in the playoffs is what caused a slow death for us.

I still remember that Game 5 against them, it's like midway through the game, the team collectively just stopped playing.

That was the worst game IMO Henrik had in his career. Multiple softies with arguably the worst goal he ever gave up being the GWG to Ryan Carter after the team roared back.

 

[Raspewtin]

That was the worst game IMO Henrik had in his career. Multiple softies with arguably the worst goal he ever gave up being the GWG to Ryan Carter after the team roared back.

Kucherov in game 3 will always be it for me

 

[Idlerlee]

This years Rangers are in a completely different division talentwise. There are gambreakers in this squad, and Fox is what we all dreamt we had when we saw other NHL teams having superstar defenders on the roster.

But, talent alone does not a team make.

The 2013/2014 for me is the best Hank team we ever had. A team lacking tier 1 elite gamebreakers, but filled with very good pieces that just completed each other incredibly well. That years roster reads like a whos who of #Feelgoodmemories, with Martin St. Louis, Brian Boyle, Ryan McDonagh, Mats Zuccarello, Derick Brassard, Derek Stepan, Rick Nash, Chris Kreider, Derek Dorsett, The King, etc etc.

Its just a team that I genuinely loved and I miss seeing a lot of those guys in a Rangers jersey. A conversation could of course be made for the 2014/2015 roster considering they won the Presidents Trophy. Probably the biggest "what could have been" question since our last Stanley Cup win.

I dont know what the NYR can do this offseason, but there is every chance they will just go ahead and win the Stanley Cup.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

If Kreider and co was as dominant on the pp on those teams as he is now, we may have been talking about a Cup

That was one area this team definitely has over those years.

Thats what makes this team interesting. When you combine a super goalie and super special teams, anything is possible in the playoffs.

 

[DrandonBudinsky]

This year’s version is more exciting to watch.

Some of those earlier teams seemed like they were still imprinted with the Renney/Torts years where at times it felt either A) Always seem like NYR were playing from behind B) If NYR scored first, it felt like they’d have to defend and collapse around Henrik like crazy the rest of the game. It was always nailbiter games, it seems.

This year’s version seems to thrive from deficits and/or 3rd periods and the team having the confidence that Igor is a brick wall without having a Girardi/Callahan/McDonagh needing to sacrifice their bodies to clog up the lanes.

Though, just imagine having any of those years’ Klein, Strålman, Pouliot, Brian Boyle or Dominic Moore on THIS year’s team. They’d be legit contenders.

 

[aufheben]

I mean they won 5 playoff series and a Presidents’ Trophy in a year lol.

“Hey, that looks good.” —Pittsburgh

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Kucherov in game 3 will always be it for me

Game 5 against Washington, can't remember who scored it but I think it was the first goal. Lundqvist was great in the playoffs at times particularly when it mattered most but he had some whoppers of games too. The lack of cup is not 100% on his supporting cast.

 

[Crease]

I feel like they are closer to the Torts teams than the AV teams right now. Definitely ahead of the Renney teams, which is progress. Moore/Boyle on the fourth line and Brassard/Zucc on the third line was the epitome of depth. They are not there yet.

 

[DrandonBudinsky]

I feel like they are closer to the Torts teams than the AV teams right now. Definitely ahead of the Renney teams, which is progress. .

Credit to Gallant

 

[haohmaru]

Talent wise? Probably better than any Lundqvist era team. "Onions" wise? Jury's out 'til some playoffs are under their belt.

 

[McSauer]

If Kreider and co was as dominant on the pp on those teams as he is now, we may have been talking about a Cup

That was one area this team definitely has over those years.

Thats what makes this team interesting. When you combine a super goalie and super special teams, anything is possible in the playoffs.

100%. The Power Play on those teams was ATROCIOUS; every single year. I remember us coming close or even setting the NHL record for 0-fers on the PP in the playoffs in 2014 (until Kreider came back with a big PP goal to turn the Pens series around.)

If 2012-2015 had a PP even a third of what it is today, we're talking a cup or two.

 

[DrandonBudinsky]

If Kreider and co was as dominant on the pp on those teams as he is now, we may have been talking about a Cup

That was one area this team definitely has over those years.

.

Interesting point.
In hindsight, after that infamous jumping out of a swimming pool video, did the fanbase expect too much too quick out of Kreider? At times it feels he was expected to be beast mode Kreider with snarl who utilizes his size to score highlight goals.

Which begs the question. Should more credit be given to the additions of Reaves, Trouba, Goodrow and company shouldering more of that physical snarl role from Kreider which allows him to focus a lot more on just being a net front presence rather than a jack of all trades for those past teams?

Trying to remember off the top of my head, what sandpaper they had on those teams that equaled either Reaves or Trouba.
Rupp? Carcillo, Bickell? Asham?

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Those 13-14 and 14-15 teams had great depth up and down the lineup but didn't have that high end talent we have now.

1C: Mika>>Stepan
Star forward: - Panarin>>> Nash
1D: Fox>McDonagh
2D: Trouba>Staal or Girardi
Kreider: Kreider 2021 >> Kreider 2013-2015
Power Play 2021 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Power Play 2013-2015

Honestly if you just replace one of these slots above on those Hank teams with their Igor counterpart I think we win the Cup one of those seasons. If you just give us the PP alone we probably have back to back cups lol.

This is why the TDL acquisitions were so important because if they all fit in the way we think they will then this team just added the missing depth which IMO would make them easily superior to the 2013-2015 teams.

 

[DrandonBudinsky]

Those 13-14 and 14-15 teams had great depth up and down the lineup but didn't have that high end talent we have now.

1C: Mika>>Stepan
Star forward: - Panarin>>> Nash
1D: Fox>McDonagh
2D: Trouba>Staal or Girardi
Kreider: Kreider 2021 >> Kreider 2013-2015
Power Play 2021 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Power Play 2013-2015

Honestly if you just replace one of these slots above on those Hank teams with their Igor counterpart I think we win the Cup one of those seasons. If you just give us the PP alone we probably have back to back cups lol.

This is why the TDL acquisitions were so important because if they all fit in the way we think they will then this team just added the missing depth which IMO would make them easily superior to the 2013-2015 teams.

Really maddening to see it broken down this way. Those teams just missed one of these scorers to get over that hump.

Seeing these lineups really brings back sad memories. For that period in time, I was really thinking the Rangers would bring in a Cup icing a team that was mostly homegrown. (After all the free agent busts of the dark years)

As much as we all here love and revere that 1994 team, it’s still in the back of my mind that (as Devils fan friends love to tease me with) it was an Oilers dynasty-lite Cup victory (Having Messier, Graves, Lowe, Anderson, McT, etc) Would be nice one of these days to add a fresh new chapter.

 

[Idlerlee]

That was an outlier more than anything else.

2013-14:
Zuccarello leads the Rangers with 59
Crosby leads the league with 104

2015-16:
Zuccarello leads the Rangers with 61
P. Kane leads the league with 106

2016-17:
Zuccarello leads the Rangers with 59
Crosby leads the league with 100

2017-18:
Zuccarello leads the Rangers with 53
McDavid leads the league with 108

I might be recalling, but to my knowledge at no point duing the 4 seasons listed above was Zuccarello ever the most valuable forward on the team as a trade piece, or a player who could "hypothetically" give the best return.

McDavid and Edmonton is a great example of why a exclusively top heavy team is almost useless. Crosby is a great example of what happens when you have a GOAT and a real team behind you.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

This years Rangers are in a completely different division talentwise. There are gambreakers in this squad, and Fox is what we all dreamt we had when we saw other NHL teams having superstar defenders on the roster.

But, talent alone does not a team make.

The 2013/2014 for me is the best Hank team we ever had. A team lacking tier 1 elite gamebreakers, but filled with very good pieces that just completed each other incredibly well. That years roster reads like a whos who of #Feelgoodmemories, with Martin St. Louis, Brian Boyle, Ryan McDonagh, Mats Zuccarello, Derick Brassard, Derek Stepan, Rick Nash, Chris Kreider, Derek Dorsett, The King, etc etc.

Its just a team that I genuinely loved and I miss seeing a lot of those guys in a Rangers jersey. A conversation could of course be made for the 2014/2015 roster considering they won the Presidents Trophy. Probably the biggest "what could have been" question since our last Stanley Cup win.

I dont know what the NYR can do this offseason, but there is every chance they will just go ahead and win the Stanley Cup.

Injuries killed our cup dream that year, our d was decimated, i believe they were all injured and not just bumps and bruises. If anything could be learned from that team was that you need depth at d to win, we had nobody to put on the roster and so we played a limping crew in the finals

 

[NickyFotiu]

Adam Fox is on pace for 80+ points as a defenseman. The Rangers teams of the 2010s couldn't even get a guy to hit 60 some seasons.

Just goes to show how you cant judge everything based on individual stats. That 2014 team knew how to win. Those 2010 teams made playoffs after playoffs. This team has some very good pieces but as a whole 2014 was much better. We had Zooks on our 3rd line. We had McD shutting down his side of the ice. Stepan, MSL, and Kreider were doing their thing. Brassard, Nash, and Richards also chipped in. Stralman was playing very well. Carl Hagelin gave us another speed threat. That 2014 team was no slouch.