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| Mark Messier, with already six championships under his belt, is looking to win his seventh. |
Overall: 187-191-8
Stanley Cup Championships: 1927-28, 1932-33, 1939-40, 1993-94
Outlook:
The Rangers are a group of proven veterans who know what
it takes to win it all. Led by Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Brian Leetch and
Mike Richter, the Rangers have as good a chance as anyone to win it all.
Changes:
Gone from the 1993-94 championship team, Stephane Matteau,
Brian Noonan, Sergei Nemchinov, Craig MacTavish, Steve Larmer,
Kevin Lowe, Glenn Anderson, Sergei Zubov, Nick Kypreos, Joey Kocur,
and Jay Wells. They have been replaced by, Luc Robitaille,
Wayne Gretzky, Russ Courtnall, Darren Langdon, Shane Churla,
Bruce Driver and Ulf Samuelsson. The Rangers sorely miss Steve
Larmer and even contemplated asking him to un-retire. The losses
of Matteau and Noonan, both acquired in a trade for Tony Amonte,
will be felt and the two forwards that replaced them, Courtnall and
Robitaille, provide more speed and skill rather than size along the
boards. Remember who took the final faceoff in Game 7 of the 1994
Finals? Craig MacTavish, a reliable center who can win faceoffs.
This means that Messier not only will have to take all important
faceoffs in the Ranger's defensive end, he will be asked to carry
the Rangers on his shoulders in the playoffs. That is alot to ask
of one man but if anyone can do it, he can.
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| Wayne Gretzky celebrates after completing his natural hat trick versus the Florida Panthers. |
Offense:
Any team that has Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Adam Graves,
Luc Robitaille, Russ Courtnall, Esa Tikkanen and Brian Leetch
will score goals. But on most nights, the load too oftens falls
on Messier or Gretzky. Opposing teams are standing up Brian Leetch
at the blueline and when he does manage to carry to puck in, he
is not allowed any room to maneuver. Which so far explains for
his low point total in the playoffs. The Rangers desperately need
other players to step it up a notch. Most notably, Niklas Sundstrom,
Adam Graves, Russ Courtnall and Esa Tikkanen.
Defense:
If there's one weak link in the chain, it could be found here.
For most of the regular season, the backliners have been inconsistent
and aside from Brian Leetch, virtually nonexsistent on most nights.
Leetch has been respectable in his own end, reading plays and providing
great offense support. Once a forgotten man with the Rangers, Jeff Beukeboom
has saved his best for when it counts the most. Opposing forwards had better
beware, his game has picked up and is hitting everything in sight,
hard. During the regular season, Samuelsson and Karpovtsev were
paired against the opposition's top line but their play, collectively,
has dropped and it shows. Ulf has been himself at times but on most
nights he doesn't show up, the same can be said for Karpovtsev.
Driver and Lidster are as steady as they come, but they are not big
physical defensemen, rather relying more on stickwork and positioning.
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| Mike Richter has been solid in the playoffs, posting a .978 save percentage. |
Goaltending:
If there is one position where the Rangers do not have to worry
about, this is the one. Mike Richter is as good as they come and
backup Glenn Healy could be a starter on most teams. Richter has
been phenomenal so far in the postseason, single-handedly winning
games while making breath-taking saves in the process. If the Rangers
have any chance at winning the cup, it starts and ends with Mike
Richter. My guess is that the Rangers will go only as far as Mike
Richter leads them. The worst thing that can happen now is a 60 ft
goal, a la Ron Francis, being allowed by Richter. But what are the
chances?
Prediction:
The loss of the enigmatic winger Alexei Kovalev and checker
Bill Berg hurts the Rangers chances. But the recent play of Patrick
Flatley and Mike Eastwood, acquired at the trading deadline, has
been a bright spot, but the Rangers need others to bring their game
up to the next level. The Rangers lack depth and unless Colin Campbell
finds a way to rest his aging superstars, the Rangers might be headed
for an early exit. The best hope the Rangers have for winning the
cup is the defense maintaining its current level of play and for
Richter to continually stone the opposition but more importantly,
the Rangers need both Messier and Gretzky to continue their
outstanding play.
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