By Anthony Giachin, Section Editor ’17

The NHL season is underway and one unlikely team has taken the league by storm: The New York Rangers. Despite being one of the top teams in the league for the past five years, the Rangers were unable to capture the elusive Stanley Cup, a feat they haven’t accomplished since 1994. However, after falling to the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup final in 2014 and failing to capture the title after winning the President’s Trophy in the 2014-2015, it appeared as if the Rangers’ window for winning the Cup was waning. With veteran goalie Henrik Lundqvist aging and the loss of key players such as Derrick Brassard, Eric Staal, Dominic Moore, Keith Yandle, Dan Boyle, and Carl Hagelin, the 2016-2017 season did not look bright for the New York Rangers. But as the season has continued thus far, the Rangers have surprised everyone with a lethal artillery of goal-scoring and youth speed that has yet to be matched in the league. This revamped Rangers team has dominated thus far.

The Rangers currently stand at the top of the league with the Montreal Canadiens and they could not be playing better hockey. There is one main reason for the Rangers’ early success this year: speed. The organization has flooded the team with youth, and it shows. The Rangers have been flying on the ice, and with the help of expert passing, it looks as if no other team can keep up. Not only does this type of play make them exciting to watch, but it also allows them to light the lamp so often that some goalies have sunburn on the back of their necks by the end of the night. The Rangers lead the league in goals per game with 4.06, which is well above the league average of 2.71. It is also not as if the Rangers are simply beating up on poorer teams; they have competed with and defeated many of the top teams in the league thus far: they defeated the Sharks 7-4, the Capitals 4-2, and the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-1. The offense continues to pour on for the Rangers and it has protected an aging Lundqvist in net, as he is often playing with a multiple goal lead.

A large part of the offensive explosion can be attributed to the Rangers’ multiple offseason acquirements. Despite the massive losses the Rangers suffered, the administration went out and made some moves themselves by calling up Jimmy Vesey, Brady Skjei, and Pavel Buchnevich, while also acquiring proven assets in Michael Grabner, Brandon Pirri, and Mika Zibanejad. This new injection of youth combined with the already young core of the Rangers has led to a lightning fast offense that moves the puck with ease and beauty. Many of the Rangers goals this year have resulted from beautiful passing plays in which players are left with wide open nets.

Another key component of the Rangers continued success has been the coaching of Alain Vigneault. Vigneault has continued his mantra of playing all four lines at all times and it has proven to be successful thus far this year. Michael Grabner, a fourth-line grinder added this year, currently leads the team in goals, as his speed has allowed him to be a strong asset on the penalty kill and on even strength. By playing all four lines throughout the game, Vigneault has given ample rest to all of his players and allowed his top players, like Rick Nash, Chris Kreider, and Jimmy Vesey, to be fully ready when their names are called onto the ice.

The New York Rangers have been the talk of Newark Academy among hockey fans, due to their proximity to New Jersey and ridiculous offensive numbers despite their low expectations. When asked about the Rangers living up to expectations this year, Aman Patil, a die-hard fan, said, “I thought they were going to be poor due to the fact that they lost key players and Lundqvist is getting old. I was optimistic about bringing Vesey up to the bigs, but I did not expect the offensive explosion that has taken place. They seem to have a new identity compared to years past – one defined by speed and hunger to score.” The strong start of the Rangers has left fans optimistic of what the future will hold, especially since they are still very young.

It is clear that the Rangers are a young team flourishing with budding talent, but the question still remains: can they sustain this early success throughout the season and into the postseason? In years past, the Rangers have gotten off to very hot starts and then settled down as the season went on until they eventually sputtered in the playoffs. However, the Rangers also have not had the type of offense that they have this year, as they have often relied on the strength of Henrik Lundqvist. Hopefully, the Rangers can continue to fly up and down the ice and put the puck in the net. This new Rangers team, if their offense sustains this pace, could have a legitimate chance at ending their 22-year drought and capturing the elusive Stanley Cup.