Ryan McDonagh Is A Great Fit As Captain Of New York Rangers
By PowerPlayCJ
@powerplaywithcj
Getty Images
When the New York Rangers sent Ryan Callahan to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Martin St. Louis, they lost a beloved player and their team captain. They never officially filled the void during their Stanley Cup Final run and had a leadership-by-committee approach going into the 2014-15 season.
That all changed when they named budding superstar defenseman and U.S. Olympian Ryan McDonagh their 27th team captain, making him the fourth American-born and raised player to wear the “C” on Broadway.
Few players affect the game in the number of ways that McDonagh does, as his defensive game is second to none while his offensive game is above average and still improving. McDonagh is one of those players who doesn’t need a letter on his jersey to lead; he lets his play do the talking and leads by example night in and night out.
Look for the new letter on his jersey to change absolutely nothing as his stellar play continues to be the be the straw that stirs the drink for the Rangers going forward. In a city and market so driven by star power, it’s the McDonagh’s uncanny ability to do the little things to help the team win that sets him apart from much of his peers in the NHL.
As his play continues to improve, look for the 25-year-old to contend for the Norris trophy in 2014-15. That being said, there is only one trophy that McDonagh and the Rangers are chasing this season: the Stanley Cup. Considering how close they came to accomplishing their goal last season, and with McDonagh’s play and leadership, it would be foolish to count this New York team out in 2014-15.
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