The Rangers did a miserable job of maximizing the return on Derek Stepan.
Talent-wise and age-wise, it’s hard to find two players more similar in performance and track record than Stepan and Duchene. The better argument can actually be made that Stepan has been the better player of the two, though Duchene may possess more raw talent the Avalanche were unable to expose due to poor roster construction.
The big difference between the two comes down to the inclusion of a No Trade Clause attached to Stepan’s contract, which kicked in this off-season. While NTCs don’t necessarily mean the Coyotes can’t trade Stepan, it does give Stepan clear power in trade negotiations to determine his own destination; a luxury Duchene doesn’t enjoy.
Nonetheless, when the Avalanche are able to snag three prospects (including the Avs most recent 1st round pick), a first rounder, a second rounder, a third rounder and a competent back-up goalie, one has to wonder: how did the Rangers get so little for Stepan?
It’s not that Tony DeAngelo and Lias Andersson are bad, and it’s not like the two won’t play an important role for the Rangers long-term future. But it is clear that the Rangers should have been able to get more than those two for Stepan and Antti Raanta, a starting-caliber goalie being paid like a low-end back-up.
Add in the fact that DeAngelo was misused by Alain Vigneault before being demoted to get more ice time and Lias Andersson not being given a look on the main roster before being sent back to Sweden for another year of development, and you’re left with nothing but complications.
Tony DeAngelo could develop into a top-pairing defenseman (under a different head coach), and Lias Andersson could have his game blossom into becoming a top six center. But even if both players hit their 100-percentile outcome, the simple fact that the Rangers got, at best, 60-cents to the dollar on Derek Stepan will still exist.
– Greg Kaplan[/text_output]
Sure, the team still has plenty of issues, and the process by which the coaching staff is continuing to come to some of its roster and deployment decisions is still a bit baffling, but I will set that aside for now and highlight some positives we have seen over the past week.
At this moment, when I think of positives for the Rangers, I immediately arrive at Kevin Shattenkirk, who just scored the OT winner against Florida.
We are now 15 games into the season, and Shattenkirk leads all NHL defenseman in primary points (primary assists + goals) with 11, and he places third amongst all defenseman who have logged at least 100 minutes of ice time with 2.03 primary points per-60, behind only Mikhail Sergachev (2.36) and Erik Karlsson (2.08).
Further, when Shattenkirk is on the ice for the Rangers in all situations, the team has an expected goals for per-60 of 4.01, (expected goals takes into account shot quantity and quality, you can read more about expected goals from my previous piece), which is the 6th best rank amongst all NHL defenseman who have logged at least 100 minutes. In other words, the Rangers offense is dominant when Shattenkirk is on the ice.
He has also been better than most think in his own zone as well. Sure, Shattenkirk is turning the puck over too much, and he currently leads all NHL defenseman in total giveaways.
However, he currently leads the Rangers in expected goals against per-60 in all situations when he is on the ice, with an xGA/60 of 2.58. For context, Brendan Smith has the worst xGA/60 on the Rangers with a 4.9, which is also dead last in the entire NHL amongst defenseman with 100 minutes logged.
When looking at just the 5v5 numbers, Shattenkirk is second on the team with an xGA/60 of 2.62. I’m not saying Shattenkirk is some wizard in his own defensive zone. What I am saying however, is that he is not the “sieve” that lazy armchair analysts like to paint him to be in his own zone, and in fact the numbers bear out that he is among the best defenseman on the team in limiting quality scoring chances from opponents.
– Drew Way[/text_output]
I don’t understand what people don’t see in the guy. I do believe he adds more to the team than what he is often given credit for. If we’re talking about a Rangers team trying to get younger, I think he is exactly that.
Notching in three essential assists, J.T. Miller added an exclamation point to Saturday night’s game against the Florida Panthers, helping the Rangers extend their win streak to three games; the first of this season.
Overall, watching him grow as a player since his (consistent) call up in 2014-15 has been a huge privilege. If you didn’t get enough of his play from Saturday, here is a playlist of some plays he’s made in the past.
– Keetner[/text_output]
Author: BSB Staff
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