New York Rangers 2023-24 Season Primer: Defense & Goaltending

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Two seasons ago, the New York Rangers surprised the league and fans alike with their leap from a non-playoff squad to a conference finalist. Next followed an expectation-filled campaign that ended in a blown 2-0 series lead against the upstart Devils & first-round disappointment. Now the Blueshirts are reloaded with Peter Laviolette as new bench boss and some bargain-bin additions for a third kick at the can. The pieces are certainly there for this squad to rebound and make another deep postseason run but there are plenty of questions to be answered. Fortunately though there's very few on their back end and that's where we'll start the 2023-24 season primer.

As has been the case for the last decade, the Rangers biggest strength lies between the pipes - first in Henrik Lundqvist and now Igor Shesterkin. Igor individually slipped a bit from his other-worldly Vezina trophy season but in terms of team success there was no drop-off. The Blueshirts once again stockpiled over 70% of points in games Shesty played and there's no reason to think that's going to falter with the 27 year-old in the peak of his prime. As long as he can stay healthy you can book about 60 starts & therefore 84+ points in the standings.

Whether or not they can get 20 or so points from their newly-inked backup though is increasingly becoming more of an uncertainty. Sure Jonathan Quick has great credentials over the course of his career but those days are far gone. He's been pretty bad over the past 5 years (3.01/.897) & been shellacked so far this preseason as evidenced by a save percentage barely above 80%. That type of performance isn't likely to rack up double-digit wins and could very well be the difference between scrambling for a wild card vs finishing comfortably in a top-three Metro slot. Veteran journeyman & spicy pork enthusiast Louis Domingue serves as Quick insurance if the wheels fall off.

In front of Shesty is a lot of familiar faces & I'd expect the pairings to remain what we're used to - although Laviolette has wisely expressed the notion to shake things up depending on game situations. Fox and Lindgren should continue to be one of the league's top tandems but if the Blueshirts are chasing a lead in the third, it makes perfect sense to deploy K'Andre Miller with Foxy when offense is paramount. For now though I think Key sticks with Trouba to form a very good (albeit volatile) second pair. We know Trouba's game at this point. The captain will chip in 40 points, wear as many pucks as he can get in front of & set the hockey world on fire with the occasional explosive old-school body check that's all but left the sport of hockey. He'll also have his share of defensive miscues that will forever have fans scoffing at his $8M cap hit. Still, price tag aside, Troubs is an excellent mid-pair player.

If this duo plans to take a leap though it'll hinge on Miller. Fresh off a campaign that left him just outside the top-ten among even-strength points for blueliners & a well-deserved 2-year bridge at just under $4M/per, you can't help but be excited about how much better this 23-year old can be. The freak athleticism, size & speed is innate but with a third pro season under his belt as a student of the game the sky is the limit this year. Another step forward for Key puts the Rangers back end up there among the league's best from top to bottom.

Speaking of the bottom, one of GM Chris Drury's summertime bargain-bin buys was signed to round out their bottom pair alongside youngster Braden "Baby Trouba" Schnieder. In comes Erik Gustafsson and I gotta be honest I kinda love it. Enough of the Nemeths and Harpurs and Hajeks. I wanted someone with at least a shred of puck competency & Gustafsson has that in spades. In his last 30 games under Laviolette before being traded out of Washington, he posted a 7/21/28/+14 line in over 21 minutes a night filling an injured John Carlson's skates.

Yeah it sucks to throw yet another roadblock in front of a promising Zac Jones but clearly Gus can thrive under Laviolette while potentially helping the rest of the D corps transition to a new system. Also, although point-per-game numbers aren't what we should expect from a 6D, it's reassuring to know there's a reliable option to step up in case one of the top four gets hurt. He's comparable to Tony DeAngelo in terms of high offensive proficiency combined with a penchant to get lost in the d-zone, but I'll take a puck moving threat you can shelter over another plodding "big body" with zero upside any day. Jones will still get some run as the 7th (he can no longer be sent down without clearing waivers) while serving as high-ceiling injury insurance, but still finds himself on the outside looking in.

The Rangers back end has it all. Anchored by Vezina and Norris winners in their primes and a captain who may very well be the biggest wrecking ball in the game today, they also feature Miller on the cusp of stardom. Their heart & soul warrior in Lindgren. A third pair comprised of a veteran offensive dynamo and an already polished, reliable defender in Braden Schneider who's stock is rising in his own right while still on his ELC. Waiting for his shot is a 22 year-old prospect in Zac Jones with the skill and mobility to make an impact when that time comes. They may not be on the Carolina Hurricanes level yet when comparing defensive depth charts but the gap will narrow significantly if the Blueshirts youth continue rising to their ceilings.

If that time is now, watch out.

VIVA LA BLUESHIRTS!!!