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My top Rangers offseason questions to date - of which there are 16

August 7, 2020, 11:14 AM ET [86 Comments]
Jan Levine
New York Rangers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
As noted in my play-in series end blog, similar to years' past, I will cover my top questions for New York this offseason. During the pandemic, I did a player-by-player breakdown, so doing so or even really updating those blos based on three games seems somewhat pointless. But the Rangers have several pressing matters to be decided, which will help drive the future direction and hopefully path to the next level.  

I proposed my first eight in the blog the other day. Some modifications have been made to a few of them based on receiving some updated information since Game 3 ended. In addition, I posed a few more below. I now throw it to you to propose which questions that I have not raised you would like me to cover this offseason. Please post those in the comments and I will provide credit if they are included. 

In addition, and this is also the same as years past, don't provide your answers to all the questions in the comments, as the plan is to go one by one this offseason. a break will be taken for the draft lottery and I hope to run a mock draft again. The same for free agency. But the game plan is to complete all these questions before the season starts again, likely after the first major blush of free agency and before salary arbitration.

Repeating what I wrote Tuesday night, thanks to all those who have read me this year. I appreciate those who stuck with the blogs during the pandemic. Deciding if I need a bit of a mental break in general. But the plan as of now is to run blogs with my view on all the questions.

Initial questions:
1) Should Ryan Strome be brought back and if so, what kind of deal?
2) Has Jesper Fast played his last game as a Blueshirt?
3) Did Tony DeAngelo price himself out of the team's plans with his regular season or did his price tab dip enough due to his poor series versus Carolina? (update: his hamstring injury during the play-in round needs to be considered)
4) Is David Quinn the right coach for the team moving forward? How concerning is his inability to adjust in-game and between games?
5) Should we prepare the jersey raising for Henrik Lundqvist now?
6) Can Filip Chytil be the second line center if Strome is not brought back? (update: is his future at center or wing?)
7) With Nils Lundkvist and K'Andre Miller in the pipeline, does New York have enough D to get the next level?

New questions:
9) Do the Rangers need to name a captain? If so, should that be Mika Zibanejad or Chris Kreider? Regardless of your view, did Kreider's comments in the Game 3 press conference sway your view?



10) Which is the true Brett Howden, the one that did little from October to March or the one we saw against Carolina
?11) Do you view the three-game sweep as a good learning experience for the neophytes on the team or is it too early to make that call?
12) Were you satisfied with the growth seen from Kappo Kakko and what's your realistic view as to what we should expect in years 2 and 3?
13) If Lundqvist is not back, do you want Alexandar Georgiev as Igor Shesterkin's 2020-21 backup or are you dealing him for additional assets? If bringing him back next year, are you signing him for more than one season?
14) Are you concerned with Artemiy Panarin's small late-season swoon? No goals in the last eight games before the pandemic and just one goal in the three-game sweep?
15) What is the identity of this Rangers' team? Do we know? Is one needed?
16) Can Brendan Lemieux repeat how he played in Game 3 against Carolina or was that the aberration and not the norm?

PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT QUESTIONS YOU WANT ME TO COVER


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