3 Offseason Changes To Get New York Rangers Back In The Playoffs

The New York Rangers may have passed by their Stanley Cup window, but there are still some gamers and some room to work if players bounce back and have a strong season. The Rangers should most definitely be a playoff team if it wasn't for a really bad stretch in the middle of the season. There does have to be some changes, but this team can compete again right away.

Move On From Kreider

Chris Kreider was never the player that had a 50 goal season a couple of years ago and it would have been foolish to think he could come close to that again. Everything went right and it just hasn't since. He is a good net front player that is fast, but is on the back half of his career and could only score goals this season. With everyone else the Rangers have to pay and deal with, moving on from Kreider's $6.5 million AAV for two more years is necessary, whether that is through paying a price to dump his contract or even buying him out. Moving on from him will give some of the younger players more of an opportunity that is needed.

Let Lafreniere Have The Best Opportunity

Alexis Lafreniere needs power-play 1 time and it is way past due. Last season he was able to put up 28 goals and 57 points without being on that top unit. That's the tough part about being the first overall pick to a team that was already ready to compete and there being too many players in his way. With Kreider gone and Mika Zibanejad struggling a bit this season, Lafreniere should finally be bumped up, or the Rangers should make that decision. It's tough for a 22-year-old to produce more than 17 goals and 45 points, even on the top line at 5-on-5, without the help of the power play. Not many players can produce at an elite level at even strength. I stand by that he can be a point-per-game player with that opportunity Kaapo Kakko was never given either.

Bring Back All 9 RFAs

If you include Lucas Edmonds and Tayln Boyko, there are 11 RFAs the Rangers have to deal with, but I'm not including them in what is important for the team to deal with. The rest, which encompasses Will Cuylle, Matt Rempe, Adam Edstrom, Arthur Kaliyev, K'Andre Miller, Zach Jones, Brendan Brisson, Matthew Robertson, and Dylan Garand, all have to be signed.

While there may be one that slips through the cracks or is moved, Garand is a good piece for the future and the third string goalie, Robertson and Brisson are depth options that could come up to play a bit, and the rest should be on the team for the most part, especially Miller, Cuylle, Rempe, and Edstrom. All of these players are young and most will contribute to the future success of the team.