Over the next three days, I will be grading every Ranger at each position beginning with the forwards. Players are graded solely on their performance during the regular season, so playoffs are not taken into account. Beginning next week I will be reviewing each player individually, which is when their playoff contributions will be analyzed.
But for now, based on the regular season, here are my grades for the forwards followed by a brief explanation.
(A = highest possible, D = lowest possible)
Artem Anisimov - C - Anisimov's 16 goals and 20 assists put him at a six-point drop off from 2010-11, and still four short of that 20-goal mark. At age 24, Artie is nearing his prime and we've yet to see the level of hockey this kid is capable of playing, consistently at least. He needs to break out in 2012-13, or he could be shipped off before his current contract expires next summer.
Brian Boyle - C - Brian Boyle was arguably the largest disappointment this season, right next to Brandon Dubinsky. Boyle went from 21 goals to 11 goals in a one-year span, immediately after being signed to a new deal paying him $1.7 million per year. In terms of bang for your buck, Boyle fell short big time this season. His contributions in the faceoff circle and on the penalty-kill are the only factors saving him of a 'D'.
Ryan Callahan - A - Captain America. Ryan Callahan did it all in his first year as New York Rangers captain, leading the team by example night in and night out. Callahan finished third on the team in scoring with 29 goals and 25 assists, and it also should be noted that he led the club in game-winning goals with nine. Cally is the type of player every coach would kill for and is invaluable to the franchise. Giving him a perfect 'A' is a no-brainer.
Brandon Dubinsky - C - And then there's Mr. Dubinsky, who like Brian Boyle, finished with a significantly lower goal total compared to a year ago. In fact, his spread reached 14 between the two seasons, as he dropped from first on the team in scoring to eighth. Also like Boyle, this was right after inking a $16.8 million deal that he certainly did not live up to. His days in New York are numbered if you ask me.
Ruslan Fedotenko - B - You can't expect much from Ruslan Fedotenko on the scoresheet, so his 9 goals and 11 assists honestly didn't factor much into this grade. It's his contributions elsewhere that count, and I thought Feds was a great veteran presence on the team all season long, especially down the stretch. There aren't many other players as committed to winning as Fedotenko is, and that's why he's a favorite of John Tortorella's. Feds is a UFA come July 1.
Marian Gaborik - A - Marian Gaborik was dynamite for the Rangers in the regular season, reaching 40 goals for the third time in his career. As far as this team goes, Gabby was the comeback player of the year after a season-long struggle in 2010-11, also following the deaths of two dear friends (Derek Boogaard and Pavel Demitra) last summer. Dubinsky and Boyle should take notes if they wish to keep their jobs.
Carl Hagelin - A - Carl Hagelin, or "Swagelin" as we sometimes like to call him, was one of the more impressive rookie stories I've seen in a while. The "Swagelin" name fits because he played with a certain swagger from the day he was recalled right on through to the postseason. Between his explosive speed and 14 goals and 38 points in 64 games, this kid was a big part of the Rangers' success this season, displaying immense amounts of promise for the future.
Chris Kreider - n/a - Did not play in any regular season games.
John Mitchell - C - John Mitchell is what I like to call a "meh" player. He's not very noticeable, he sometimes does the little things, he sometimes doesn't. At times he was effective for this team, and others he was a liability. He's not someone I see the Rangers holding on to this summer (he's also a UFA in July), nor do they need him.
Brandon Prust - B - Brandon Prust defines what it means to be a New York Ranger. For goodness sake, he played with a torn tendon in his finger for five months without a single complaint. He fights, he battles, he's extremely reliable defensively and on the penalty-kill, and he's a fantastic locker room presence. The only reason he did not get an 'A' was also because of a slight statistical drop-off between this season and the last, but regardless, I can almost guarantee he will be re-signed to a new deal in New York this summer.
Brad Richards - B - Brad Richards exceeded my expectations in his first season with the Rangers. He finished with 25 goals and I honestly did not see that happening. He quickly became the new Mr. Clutch for the Blueshirts and became a fan favorite for many reasons. Still, though, he is a better hockey player than we saw in year one, which is something he acknowledged at the season's conclusion. Don't get me wrong, finishing second on the team in scoring is stellar, but I now expect even greater numbers moving forward from Brad based on his past. His grade, for me anyway, really came down to consistency, which is what kept him from an 'A'.
Mike Rupp - C - Mike Rupp is a tough player to grade because the bar is obviously set low to begin with. To make this quick, he's someone I think the Rangers can do without, but at the same time he did come in handy at times during the season. Plus, he basically won the team the Winter Classic with those two goals, so I'll give him some credit there.
John Scott - n/a - Did not play in enough games.
Derek Stepan - C - Derek Stepan finished fourth on the team in scoring so this 'C' grade may be a bit deceiving. I graded Stepan based on expectations, and he was a bit of a letdown after making a lot of noise in his rookie year. DStep is better than what we saw this season, even though he was not necessarily 'bad'. He needs a bounce-back effort in 2012-13 for sure; shake off the sophomore curse, kid.
Mats Zuccarello - n/a - Did not play in enough games.
Agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments, or feel free to even share your own grades for the forwards.
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