In most cases going after big-time free agent signings in the NHL is a fool’s paradise. Not only do teams typically keep their star players who would be worth the big money, preventing them from ever hitting the open market. but the free agent market typically involves teams getting into bidding wars and ultimately spending big money on players that have already played their best hockey for somebody else. Most long-term, big-money free agent signings eventually end in a buyout or salary retained trade long before they expire.
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The New York Rangers have managed to beat the odds on that and found two potentially franchise-altering home runs in recent years with the signings of Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck.
There is a strong argument to be made that Panarin is one of, if not the best free agent signings of the salary cap era. Not only has he proven to be worth every penny of his seven-year, $81.5 million contract by playing at a consistent MVP level since joining the Rangers, but he also rapidly accelerated the timeline of their rebuild. It was his addition that sent the message that it was not going to be a long, slow, methodical rebuild and that they were serious about winning as soon as possible. He has delivered.
Trocheck’s addition was not quite as significant from a big picture standpoint, but he gave the Rangers another top-line center option and has rapidly become one of their most trusted and dependable players. He is the rare forward leading his team in ice-time come playoff time, while both he and Panarin have been at the center of almost every big moment for the Rangers this postseason.
They are two of the biggest reasons – along with starting goalie Igor Shesterkin – that they are 7-0 in the NHL playoffs and one win away from the Eastern Conference final.
Together, they have combined for nine goals this postseason while one, or both, of them has been on the ice for 15 of the Rangers’ 26 goals in their first seven games. That includes six goals in just 82 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time.
Free agency is not always the best way to build a team in the salary cap era of the NHL or to add cornerstone pieces. The Rangers have made it work.
Here’s a look at how the Rangers can sweep the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday and where the Dallas–Colorado series stands ahead of Game 3.
Odds are from BetMGM and update live. Buy tickets to see your favorite team on StubHub.
New York Rangers at Carolina Hurricanes — Game 4
How to watch:
7 p.m. ET on TNT, SN
Rangers lead series 3-0
Series odds: Rangers -1600, Hurricanes +900
- Special teams remain the name of the game for the Rangers. They are outscoring the Hurricanes 5-0 in the special teams game in this series, including four power play goals and a shorthanded goal.
- Perhaps the most staggering special teams number for the Rangers this postseason is not their 34.5 percent power play success rate. It is the fact they are outscoring teams by a 3-2 margin when they are shorthanded.
- The New York Rangers are only the 12th team to ever start a postseason with seven consecutive wins. Eight of those previous 11 teams went on to win the Stanley Cup.
- Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin has not allowed more than three goals in 30 consecutive playoff games, and now has a .935 save percentage this postseason. Since February 1 he is 24-5-1 in his past 30 games of record with a .932 overall save percentage.
- The Hurricanes are trying to avoid having their season end in a sweep for the second year in a row. The common denominator in their postseason series losses tends to be a lack of offense. They scored just six goals while being swept in the Eastern Conference final a year ago. They have just eight goals in three games entering Game 4 on Saturday.
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BuyDallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche — Game 3
How to watch:
10 p.m. ET on TNT, SN
Series tied 1-1
Series odds: Avalanche -115, Stars -105
- After finishing the regular season as the highest-scoring team in the NHL (3.68 goals per game) the Colorado Avalanche have not slowed down in the playoffs, averaging a league-best five goals per game in the playoffs entering Game 3 against Dallas on Saturday night.
- As promising as that offensive output is, they need a better start in Game 3 after following behind 3-0 and 4-0 in the first two games of the series. They pulled off one improbable comeback, but fell short of another in Game 2. No matter how good your offense is, that is not a recipe for success.
- The Avalanche held Wyatt Johnston, Dallas’ early Conn Smythe contender, to zero shots on goal in Game 2. That is just the eighth time in 91 games this season (regular season and playoffs) where he failed to register at least one shot on goal.
- There have already been six special teams goals scored in the first two games between the two teams, with Dallas scoring three power play goals and a shorthanded goal, and Colorado adding two power play goals of its own. Both teams are converting on more than 30 percent of the power plays in the playoffs, while both have struggled on the penalty kill (around 70 percent).
- The Stars are still mostly using just five defensemen in the playoffs as Nils Lundkvist, their No. 6 defenseman, is averaging just four minutes of ice-time per game.
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(Photo of Artemi Panarin: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)