By all accounts, the New York Rangers are having a good season. Entering last night, they led the NHL in wins (25) and points (51).

An exciting team that’s played well under coach Peter Laviolette, they’ve probably over achieved up to this point of the season. Even with star goalie Igor Shesterkin performing inconsistently, they have won a lot of games due to the brilliance of star Artemi Panarin, whose team-leading 23 goals and 51 points have him ranked in the top five among the league leaders.

By shooting the puck more, the 32-year-old forward is on pace to set a new career high in goals. His previous best came in 2019-20 when he scored 32 in his first season with the Rangers. Although he didn’t extend his goal streak to five in what proved to be a forgettable 6-1 blowout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night, Panarin assisted on Chris Kreider’s lone tally in the second period. He has six goals and two assists for eight points over the last five games.

If the Rangers didn’t have Panarin playing at a high level, they’d be in trouble. His MVP caliber first half is the impetus for the Rangers’ hot start that has them near the top of the league. It’s been the play of the second line featuring Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Alexis Lafreniere that’s made a difference. Easily the team’s best line at five on five, the cohesive trio has combined for 27 goals and 40 assists for a total of 67 even strength points this season.

Panarin’s 15 even strength goals lead the Rangers. With a goal last night, Kreider ranks second on the team with nine. That’s followed by Lafreniere (8), Mika Zibanejad (7), and K’Andre Miller (7). Both Jimmy Vesey and rookie Will Cuylle also have seven goals at even strength. While it’s good for the team to be getting production from the supporting cast, that means that they need more from Zibanejad.

To his credit, Zibanejad’s picked it up. A strong December that saw him score nine goals and add 12 assists for 21 points in 14 games helped turn his season around. Four of those goals came at even strength. The other five included four power-play goals and one shorthanded goal. Despite the improvement, he still was a minus-one for the month. The 30-year-old center will need to improve at five on five in order for the Rangers to be successful over the long haul.

His sidekick Kreider actually has better numbers at even strength. With nine goals and 11 assists for a total of 20 even strength points, the longest tenured Ranger is performing better at five on five than on the power play. He is also tied for the team lead with Panarin in power-play goals with eight. Zibanejad ranks third with seven on the man-advantage. Each has done well on the penalty kill with Kreider and Zibanejad combining for all three of the Rangers’ shorthanded goals.

So far, Zibanejad and Kreider have totaled 16 goals and 21 assists for 37 even strength points. Counting Blake Wheeler, who’s been mostly playing on the first line since Kaapo Kakko’s injury, he has four goals and 10 assists for 14 points at even strength. That included an empty netter. Although he isn’t the fastest skater, Wheeler has played better recently. It might be asking too much of the 37-year-old veteran to produce in a top line role. An area that Rangers Team President and GM Chris Drury should address.

With the status of Filip Chytil uncertain due to the concussion he suffered versus Carolina on Nov. 2, there remains no timetable for his return. Recently, he flew back home to the Czech Republic to be with his family and continue recuperating. Chytil has had at least four concussions in his career. When it comes to head injuries, it’s a complicated process. Over a decade ago, the Rangers’ Mike Sauer suffered a concussion on a clean hit by the Leafs’ Dion Phaneuf. He never played another game in his career.

Nobody can predict Chytil’s future. However, it would be unrealistic to expect him to return this season. Even if all indications are that he’s still committed to returning, there’s no way of knowing if he’ll play another game for the Rangers. In 10 games, he had six assists. The team misses Chytil. But his overall health and well-being come first. This is his life that we’re talking about. Whatever happens, you hope he’ll make a full recovery.

Without Chytil and Kakko, who struggled by posting only two goals and an assist for three points in 20 contests, the Rangers’ bottom six forwards have been affected. It’s forced veteran center Nick Bonino into a top nine role. The grit and intangibles he brings are commendable. He’s a reliable checking center who can be counted on to take faceoffs and kill penalties. However, he doesn’t add much offense. Bonino blocks shots. He leads all Ranger forwards with 63 blocks. He’s better suited in a fourth line role.

By continuing to play Jonny Brodzinski with Bonino and Cuylle on the third line, there isn’t going to be much offense. Brodzinski is a good skater with a strong work ethic. He tends to shoot the puck when given the opportunity. He’s provided a boost with a goal and seven assists for eight points. But his offense has dried up lately.

Cuylle is the only consistent threat with all seven of his goals coming at even strength. He leads the Rangers with 90 hits. Three more than Jacob Trouba. If Cuylle had better players to play with, he could have double digits in goals. He isn’t shy about shooting the puck. He’s been a consistent player in his first season.

The fourth line has been anchored by Barclay Goodrow. He’s a player who’s more than the one goal and three assists he has in 34 games. Laviolette’s used Goodrow in a matchup role against opponents’ top scoring units. A bit of a pest who mixes it up between whistles, Goodrow is effective in that checking role. He’s been good on faceoffs and remains a key penalty killer.

Of the three Blueshirts on the fourth line that also include Tyler Pitlick, only Vesey has been productive with seven goals and four assists. For that reason, Laviolette’s moved him up during games when the team needs a boost. Vesey has been a consistent player who’s provided secondary scoring.

If there’s an area that they’ll need to improve on, it’s at five on five. The Rangers are now minus-one for the season at five on five. When the games get tighter and the playoffs roll around, there won’t be as many penalties called.

As good as they are on the power-play clicking at 30.1 percent to rank second in the league, the Rangers know that the postseason is different. Even though special teams are important, being able to dictate the terms at even strength is what usually decides the playoffs. After dominating the first two games last year against the Devils, they struggled mightily to lose in the first round.

Between now and the March 8 trade deadline, Drury has enough time to upgrade the roster. Especially if Chytil doesn’t return. Kakko is skating on his own. He’s expected back at some point. There’s a very good chance that the Rangers will have approximately $4.5 million in cap space to address their team needs.

That would appear to be a top nine forward who can add a combination of skill and sandpaper to a lineup that needs it. It also could mean finding another center to fill the void, assuming Chytil remains out.

It won’t be easy.