New York Rangers Will Have Strong Center Depth If Everyone Stays Healthy – Hockey Writers – New York Rangers

One of the biggest problems over the years for the New York Rangers has been their lack of center depth against the top teams in the NHL. Especially when they are deep in the playoffs, they have been exposed to other teams with the best centers and it is one of the reasons why they have not been able to win the Stanley Cup in 31 years.

Now, heading into the 2024-25 season, the Rangers have arguably the strongest center they've had in years. If these players can stay healthy and produce consistent numbers, they can match up with any team in the NHL and should come out on top.

The Continuing Success of Vincent Trocheck

Last season during his second year with the Rangers, Vincent Trocheck had the best season of his career playing on the NHL's best line with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. He scored 25 goals and 77 points in 82 games he played. He followed it up with an impressive playoff performance, scoring eight goals and 20 points in 16 games played and arguably the best player in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Florida Panthers. Now, he is looking to repeat what he did last season and maybe even try to be better than he was.

Related: 9 Takeaways From Rangers' Comeback Win Over Islanders

He is expected to line up with Panarin and Lafreniere again and it could be argued that he is now the Rangers' “number one” center. He is an offensive player and can be relied upon in defense as he is one of the team's penalty killers and is one of the best face offs and winners in the entire league. He is one of the most underrated players in the NHL and if he can have another good season, he should be seen as one of the top two centers in the league.

The return of Filip Chytil

Last season was supposed to be a continuation of Filip Chytil's breakout season after having a great 2022-23 season. He scored 22 goals and 45 points in 74 games played. Many may not remember, but he was actually the starting center last season between Panarin and Lafreniere. He had six assists in 10 games last season before getting injured and many thought his season was over. However, he was able to come back and play in six playoff games, with zero points. He wasn't like her but it was nice to see him on the mend after thinking that his career might be in jeopardy.

Now, after having a summer of offseason training, Chytil is back looking better than ever. He has looked impressive in the two pre-season games he has played so far, scoring two goals, both on power. He has looked fast and strong and doesn't seem afraid to hit. He even hit Scott Mayfield of the New York Islanders and left the game but returned before the end of the first half. He looks good so far and if he can stay healthy for the rest of the season, the Rangers will have an amazing third line.

Mika Zibanejad Must Come Back This Season

Last season Mika Zibanejad treated him badly as his offense had bad consequences. He went from 39 goals and 91 points in 2022-23 to just 26 goals and 72 points. He scored only 12 goals in a draw and this is not enough for a player who we know can score more. He also scored only three goals in the playoffs, two of them in one game and went through the last 10 games without scoring a goal. He was heavily criticized after his poor performance last season and now, all eyes will be on him to see if he can bounce back this season.

He will start on a line with Chris Kreider and Reilly Smith this season and this will be the next of many players Zibanejad and Kreider have played with in the last three seasons since the trade that sent Pavel Buchnevich to St. Blue. It will be interesting to see if this combination can be the one that works in the end, or will it be another failure? Zibanejad needs to get back to scoring both at even strength and on the power play and if he can be a good scorer again, the Rangers will be in a good position to make an even deeper playoff run this season.

If these three players can stay healthy and provide significant offensive production, the Rangers will finally have a core that can match up with some of the top teams in the NHL. All three of these players bring something different to the team and these three players are the most important players to watch this season. If they struggle, the Rangers will struggle. However, if they can be these great players, the Rangers will have great success and maybe lead them to the Stanley Cup.