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The New York Rangers are going to be a team entering into the 2013-14 season, which starts up in less than two months, with very high expectations to go deep into the playoffs and contend for the Stanley Cup.
However, those expectations may need to be tempered. Injuries to captain Ryan Callahan and forward Carl Hagelin plus the fact that the team has an entirely new coaching staff led by new head coach Alain Vigneault make the task tall enough. The additions of some new players this offseason, through trades a free agency, along with the Rangers’ first nine regular season games all being on the road with the first four on the west coast have all signs pointing to a slow start for the Blueshirts this season.
The only question is how slow?
If you are a Rangers fan like I am, the best you can expect the Rangers to do in the first nine games of the new season is to be 4-4-1. That is the best anyone can ask for, and in my opinion that is pretty darn good. Especially when you take into consideration all of the factors going against the Rangers that I mentioned in the paragraph above.
Also, most likely the two players who will suit up in place of Callahan and Hagelin will be J.T. Miller, who has been in the NHL for one year and only played 26 games recording two goals and two assists, and rookie Danny Kristo, who the Rangers received in a trade this offseason from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Christian Thomas and has yet to play an NHL game as of yet.
Now I’m not saying Miller and Kristo aren’t good or going to be good, because that is unfair to say at this point in time. Both of them are very young and according to NHL scouts have very good upside, but it is just that they are both inexperienced when compared to Callahan and Hagelin, not only on the ice but with leadership wise as well.
All in all, us Rangers fans will just have to remember not to freak out if they are .500 or worse during these first nine games. However, with Rangers GM Glen Sather going out and adding depth to the roster this offseason, one would hope they would be at least .500, even with their current injuries.
Your thoughts?
Steven Carollo is a New York Rangers’ and sports writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook, and join his Google network.
