Game: NHL 15 (PS4)
Roster: Recent Update
Sliders: Custom
2013-2014 Record: 45-31-6 (96 points)
Where they finished: 2nd in the Metropolitan; 5th in the East; 12th in the NHL
Head Coach: Alain Vigneault (2nd season)
Key additions: D Dan Boyle, RW Lee Stempniak, C Matthew Lombardi, LW Tanner Glass, D Michael Kostka, D Matt Hunwick
Key subtractions: C Brad Richards, RW Derek Dorsett, LW Benoit Pouliot, C Brian Boyle, D Anton Stralman, D Justin Falk
Projected Lineup
| New York Rangers Depth Chart - 2014-15 | ||||
| STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | |
| LW | Rick Nash | Carl Hagelin | Mats Zuccarello | Tanner Glass |
| C | Derek Stepan | Derick Brassard | J.T. Miller | Dominic Moore |
| RW | Chris Kreider | Martin St. Louis | Lee Stempniak | Kevin Hayes |
| D #1 | Ryan McDonagh | Marc Staal | John Moore | |
| D #2 | Dan Girardi | Dan Boyle | Kevin Kline | |
| G | Henrik Lundqvist | Cam Talbot | ||
Under first-year head coach Alain Vigneault, the Rangers exceeded expectations last season when they eliminated the Flyers, Penguins and Canadiens en route to the Stanley Cup Final, where they were beaten by the L.A. Kings in five games, three of which went to overtime.
Keeping that team together proved to be a difficult task for general manager Glen Sather, who is entering his 15th season as president and GM. Pressed for cap space, the Rangers lost four key forwards and one key defenseman to free agency in Brad Richards (Chicago), Benoit Pouliot (Edmonton), Derek Dorsett (Vancouver), Brian Boyle (Tampa Bay) and Anton Stralman (Tampa).
The Rangers were able to replace Stralman with Dan Boyle, who at 38 is coming off a 12-goal season and should help a power play that finished 15th in the NHL last season (18.2 percent).
Replacing Richards' 20 goals and 51 points as a top-line center will fall on the shoulders of Stepan, who averaged 49 points in his first four NHL seasons, all as a second-line center.
Derick Brassard (18 goals, 45 assists) should be a solid No. 2 center, but the Rangers' production down the middle drops after that with J.T. Miller (3 goals, 6 points) and Dominic Moore (6 goals, 18 points).
The Rangers should be fine on the back end with a top four of Ryan McDonagh, Dan Girardi, Boyle and Marc Staal and will have a solid bottom pairing with the young John Moore and veteran Kevin Klein.
Between the pipes, Henrik Lundqvist is entering his 10th season in New York. He’s recorded 30 or more wins in eight of his nine NHL seasons and received solid backup support last season from Cam Talbot, who will be trying to build off an exceptional season last year [12-6-1, .1.64 GAA, 941 SP].
Prediction: They are not as deep down the middle as they were last season but the Rangers should finish in the top half of the conference and could give the Penguins a run in the Metropolitan.
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