Team of the Decade: New York Rangers Edition

[LastWordArmy]

Last Word on Hockey brings you our team of the decade series. We will dive into the best player at each position this decade for every organization. The biggest and the best at each position, with the most memorable moments in franchise history. Here is the New York Rangers decade line-up.

New York Rangers Team of the Decade - Last Word on Hockey

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[ElLeetch]

For a team that went to the SCF, and made a few other deep runs, the names aren't that legendary outside of Lundqvist.

Stepan, Zucc, and Nash were all only 60-point level players for us. Girardi is an ideal 2nd pair D-fender, and McD maxed out as a 'solid #2'.

I'd wager we are *already* in better shape for this decade. Zibby and Panarin are a level above any of the previously mentioned forwards, and ADA/Fox are going to be as least as valuable as McD/Girardi, and Shesty looks like he will be no slouch following Henrik. If Kakko equals or bests those three listed, the list becomes no contest.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

You could make a strong argument for Callahan and/or Kreider and/or Dubinsky over Zucc and/or Nash.

 

[Machinehead]

You could make a strong argument for Callahan and/or Kreider and/or Dubinsky over Zucc and/or Nash.

Nash's worst seasons were literally better than Callahan or Dubinsky's best seasons.

And he was on better and more memorable teams.

Dubinsky played more games not on the Rangers than on the Rangers.

 

[Machinehead]

For a team that went to the SCF, and made a few other deep runs, the names aren't that legendary outside of Lundqvist.

Stepan, Zucc, and Nash were all only 60-point level players for us. Girardi is an ideal 2nd pair D-fender, and McD maxed out as a 'solid #2'.

I'd wager we are *already* in better shape for this decade. Zibby and Panarin are a level above any of the previously mentioned forwards, and ADA/Fox are going to be as least as valuable as McD/Girardi, and Shesty looks like he will be no slouch following Henrik. If Kakko equals or bests those three listed, the list becomes no contest.

The scoring is already in better shape.

The defense is the same garbage and Shesty is already setting us up to not give a f*** again.

That's slightly alarming.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Nash's worst seasons were literally better than Callahan or Dubinsky's best seasons.

And he was on better and more memorable teams.

Dubinsky played more games not on the the Rangers.

So did Nash....

 

[Machinehead]

So did Nash....

And he was a significantly better player.

The point is that Dubinsky should not have any sentimental gravitas here.

 

[eco's bones]

Nash's last 3 years he failed to put up 40 points. Those are not 1st line numbers. It's kind of understandable--he had concussion issues and became more of a perimeter player. He had that move out of the corner where he'd curl out to the right wing circle and put the puck along the ice and there was always someone leaning on him because everyone knew (opposition defense and goaltenders) what was about to happen and they'd almost never go in.

His overall game--play away from the puck, penalty killing improved but he was really getting his huge paycheck to score goals. His playoffs were a disappointment. Of his 6 years with us--his first year and his third year were the good years. The other 4 years were pretty mediocre. I'd easily take Zucc over him and as inconsistent as Kreider has always been I'd take him too.

Offensively the Rangers were better in the Gaborik years than the Nash years. Before Zibanejad became a legit 1st line center and Panarin signed with us--the guys we were playing as first liners including Nash, Zuccarello, Kreider, Stepan, Brassard, Miller were never really legit. They were all better as 2nd line players.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

The major flaw is this isn’t a team of the decade. It’s basically the six-unit of the decade.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

The major flaw is this isn’t a team of the decade. It’s basically the six-unit of the decade.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

So did Nash....

Not in the decade we are discussing

 

[Crease]

The major flaw is this isn’t a team of the decade. It’s basically the six-unit of the decade.

Yeah the term they were looking for is "All-Decade Team"

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Did I forget anyone?

Panarin-Zibanejad-Gaborik
Nash-Stepan-Zuccarello
Kreider-Brassard-Fast
Hagelin-Richards-Callahan

McDonagh-Strålman
Yandle-Girardi
Staal-Klein

Lundqvist
Biron

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

And he was a significantly better player.

The point is that Dubinsky should not have any sentimental gravitas here.

I'm by no means a Dubinsky nostalgist.

 

[JCProdigy]

Did I forget anyone?

Panarin-Zibanejad-Gaborik
Nash-Stepan-Zuccarello
Kreider-Brassard-Fast
Hagelin-Richards-Callahan

McDonagh-Strålman
Yandle-Girardi
Staal-Klein

Lundqvist
Biron

There is an argument for Hayes VS Richards but I'd take Richards although he played less years.

Funny enough, I think MDZ can be talked about in place of Yandle if only because Yandle's time here was short and he was underutilized.
...But I think the biggest omission is Cam Talbot. I have him over Biron and it isn't close. They both were primary backup for the same amount of time here (2 years) and here are the simple stats.

GP-W-L-OTL-SV%-GAA
Biron 38, 20-12-2, .912, 2.32
Talbot 57, 33-15-5, .931, 2.00

Talbot really stepped up huge in the 14-15 season when Lundqvist took that puck to the neck and Talbot took over the number one spot for that 2 month stretch.