A defeated Henrik Lundqvist can’t look after the Rangers were defeated by the Kings for the Stanley Cup.
Getty Images/AP
After midnight in New York City, the Kings defeated the Rangers 3-2 in Game 5 on Alec Martinez’ goal in double overtime to win the Stanley Cup at Staples Center. It was the franchise’s second championship over three years. They also won Lord Stanley in 2012 defeating the Devils in six games on the strength of Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Quick’s goaltending.
These Stanley Cup Kings were different averaging almost a goal more than they had during the regular season. Speaking to how deep they were, four players tallied over 20 points including postseason leader Anze Kopitar, who posted 26 (5-21-26). Justin Williams paced them with seven (2-5-7) in the Stanley Cup Final finishing with 25 to take home the Conn Smythe. Jeff Carter tied Williams with 25 (10-15-25) and was followed by the postseason’s leading goal scorer Marian Gaborik, who potted 14 along with eight assists for 22 after being acquired from the Blue Jackets.
Just how balanced were they? A dozen skaters reached double figures including a trio of defensemen led by Drew Doughty (5-13-18). Jake Muzzin (6-6-12) and Martinez (5-5-10) were the others with Martinez closing out Chicago and New York in sudden death. Not too shabby for a former ’07 fourth round pick taken 95th overall. If you include Slava Voynov (2-7-9), the Kings had four blueliners who contributed offensively and defensively. Willie Mitchell and Matt Greene did the heavy lifting with the latter filling in for the injured Robyn Regehr.
When you can find Martinez and Dwight King in the fourth round 14 picks apart in the same draft and score Tyler Toffoli in Round 2 of 2010 at number 47 and net Tanner Pearson at the end of Round 1 after winning the Cup, you’ve done a remarkable job. It speaks highly of Los Angeles GM Dean Lombardi who is the architect of two Cup winners and has Doughty thinking dynasty. Lombardi was the mastermind behind dealing for Williams acquiring him from the Hurricanes for Patrick O’Sullivan. He also rolled the dice on Mike Richards sending the Flyers an excellent package featuring Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds and a second round pick. He also added Greene and Jarrett Stoll for Lubomir Visnovsky. An absolute steal.
Dating back to 2003 when the Kings took future captain Dustin Brown 13th overall in the first round, they boast 14 players who were drafted. That includes Quick, who has backstopped them to two Cups in three years and is right in the conversation for best goalie alongside Henrik Lundqvist, who carried the Rangers as far as they could go. Then there’s Kopitar who came in 2005 11th overall from Slovenia. One of the game’s best players. Few centers are better when you combine his size, skillset and two-way capability.
Even role players Kyle Clifford and Trevor Lewis shouldn’t be overlooked with Clifford instrumental in LA’s comeback win in Game 1 with a goal and helper. In assessing the Kings, they are built perfectly with Pearson and Toffoli building blocks of the future. It makes them mighty scary.
The Rangers’ run was impressive because it wasn’t expected. Realistically, I felt they were capable of getting out of the Metropolitan Division and reaching the Conference Finals. They showed more heart than humanly possible digging out of a 3-1 hole to stun the Penguins. A big part of it was Martin St. Louis, who Glen Sather gambled on sending former captain Ryan Callahan to Tampa Bay along with first round picks this year and next. He justified it by saying he felt adding St. Louis could get the Rangers further. They did just that with St. Louis inspiring teammates following the loss of Mom France. When he returned for Game 5, I knew they weren’t losing. Then St. Louis scored on Mother’s Day sparking an emotional Game 6 triumph I’ll never forget. The building rocked.
St. Louis’ leadership along with former Lightning teammate Brad Richards were instrumental in rallying the team following a Game 4 humiliation that had everyone down. It was because we all felt they were better. What translated was an amazing run with Lundqvist allowing only three goals the final three games against the high powered Pens, who showed frustration with another inspirational piece Dominic Moore getting inside Sidney Crosby’s head. With Lundqvist shutting the Pens down, key Blueshirts stepped up including Ryan McDonagh and Derek Stepan. Both former Wisconsin products elevated their level with each torching the Canadiens in the third round. Especially McDonagh, who was stolen by Sather from Montreal for Scott Gomez. He put up 10 points against the team that drafted him.
Without the cohesive line of Derick Brassard, Benoit Pouliot and Mats Zuccarello, they wouldn’t have come back. They gave the Pens fits scoring crucial goals with Brassard delivering three in Games 5 and 6. Acquired from Columbus along with John Moore and Derek Dorsett in 2013 for Gaborik, Brassard has shined totaling 24 points the last two postseasons including 6-6-12 during this run. He should play a larger role next season once Sather re-signs the key Group II. Brassard, Zuccarello (5-8-13) and Pouliot (5-5-10) were the only line that stayed intact throughout combining for 16 goals, 19 assists and 35 points in the playoffs. Zuccarello is restricted and Pouliot is unrestricted. All should be back.
In what was a bounce back year, Richards scored the series clincher to oust the Pens doing so with a power play goal that was perfectly executed thanks to superb playmaking from St. Louis on a broken play. After being humiliated by former coach and friend John Tortorella, who didn’t even have the balls to tell him he was scratched in person, Richards responded under Alain Vigneault. He returned to form posting 20 goals and 31 assists totaling 51 points which ranked third trailing only Zuccarello and Stepan. But at 34, he isn’t the same player. When Sather invested nine years and a whopping average cap hit of $6.6 million, it was due to past performance. However, Richards more than repaid Slats leading the Rangers to two Final Four appearances in the last three years. Assuming he’s amnestied, his leadership will be missed.
Of all the pieces this team has moving forward, perhaps the brightest is Chris Kreider. Once he returned, they were much better. Coincidentally, their five-game win streak that scaled the end of the second and beginning of the third round. He was involved in the Game 5 rout of the Pens scoring a power play goal and assist. His size, skill and net presence drove the Canadiens crazy with him beating Carey Price on a breakaway that opened up the floodgates in Game 1. Ironically, he also knocked Price out of the series when he collided with him following a breakaway where Alexei Emelin tripped him. Predictably, Michel Therrien accused Kreider of wrong doing and led to a lot of backlash from Vigneault in what turned into a nasty series. No matter what the Habs tried, they couldn’t get Kreider off his game. Of the 13 points he had in 15 games, eight came against them. Although his four-point performance was misleading due to undisciplined play in a bizarre Game 5 shootout won by the Canadiens. Against the Kings, Kreider finished with a goal and two helpers with his power play goal tying Game 5.
The Rangers didn’t have enough firepower to match the Kings yet were competitive thanks to a heroic effort from Lundqvist, who posted a 2.14 goals-against-average and .927 save percentage with a shutout in the postseason. Unlike the first three rounds, he was beatable with the bigger Kings able to score dirty goals including Kings’ controversial one that swung Game 2. Credit them for doing enough in crunch time. They beat Lundqvist 15 times with six coming in the third and overtime which ultimately was the difference. Astonishingly, Lundqvist was a seventh round pick selected 205th overall in 2000 on the advice of former European scout Christian Rockstrom. Now the all-time franchise leader in wins and shutouts, he’s won a Vezina, Olympic gold and carried the team to its first Cup appearance in 20 years. Amazing stuff.
When looking at how our team was constructed, it’s a combination of drafting, scouting, signings and trades. Ten skaters registered at least 10 points during the run paced by McDonagh, who had 17 after a sluggish start. A future Norris candidate who did everything possible, he’s Sather’s best move to date. He was quick to point out he’d never seen McDonagh play- properly crediting scouts. He pairs up with Dan Girardi, who amazingly enough was signed as a free agent in 2006. All he’s done is develop into one of the game’s best defensive defensemen who signed long-term for six more years. Granted, he struggled mightily in the Final. But few match his intensity.
Only eight Rangers from the 2013-14 roster were originally drafted. They include Stepan (5-10-15), Kreider (5-8-13), Carl Hagelin (7-5-12), Dom Moore (3-5-8), Marc Staal (1-4-5), J.T. Miller (2 assists), Jesper Fast (1 assist) and Lundqvist. Of the aforementioned, Hagelin doesn’t get enough credit. He really raised his game and became a leader in the aftermath of the Callahan trade. His penalty killing was a weapon throughout with Hagelin setting up Brian Boyle’s shorthanded goal the other night. Enough can’t be said about how well Hagelin played. Staal teamed with Anton Stralman, who was superb. Another smart Sather addition who also was part of the ’11-12 run, Stralman has become a reliable top four defenseman who will cost this summer to keep. Staal can turn unrestricted next summer. He definitely struggled but was ailing.
Perhaps no one played with more guts than Boyle. A former Kings ’03 first round pick who was acquired for a third round pick in 2009, Boyle became a staple. One of the top penalty killers who also is strong on faceoffs and lifts his game when it matters most, Boyle totaled three goals and five assists during the run. His breakaway goal that beat Marc-Andre Fleury in Game 7 was huge. Of course, a guy who has trouble finishing would beat Quick top shelf inside the bar with a perfect shot that had Garden Faithful believing there would be a Game 6 tomorrow. If you’ve followed me on Twitter, you know how huge a Boyle supporter I am. If he leaves, it’ll hurt. Both he and Moore are UFA’s. Each played key roles.
Sather had his best year also adding Kevin Klein to the blueline for Michael Del Zotto. It was never going to work here for Del Zotto, who hopefully will figure it out in Nashville now that Barry Trotz left. Though I didn’t feel he got enough back, Klein evolved into a solid stay at home type who didn’t make many glaring mistakes. Along with partner John Moore, they were cohesive and finished on the plus-side of the ledger with the more experienced Klein going plus-seven. Vigneault limited their minutes leaning on his top four. Klein is signed another four years at a moderate price ($2.9 million) while Moore is restricted and must play a larger role. Two assists from a great skater capable offensively isn’t enough. He only totaled 15 points during the season but made strides defensively.
The one guy I left out is Rick Nash. Maybe by design. Certainly unintentionally. Nash remains a giant question mark. Acquired by Sather in the summer of 2012 for Artem Anisimov, Brandon Dubinsky and throw in Tim Erixon plus a draft pick, Nash leaves you wanting more. In 25 playoff games, he scored three goals and 10 points. All three goals came against Montreal. The effort was fine. He led the postseason with 83 shots but only scored three times. Unacceptable. For the money he makes ($7.8 million), you expect better production. Nash has four years remaining and the Rangers fanbase is split whether to keep or trade him. Nash is virtually untradeable. What exactly is the backup plan if they move their best scorer? At some point, he has to get it. If not, four goals in his first 37 playoff games as a Blueshirt will be hanging over Madison Square Garden.
To Sather’s credit, he also added valuable depth pieces such as Daniel Carcillo and Raphael Diaz. Carcillo scored twice in eight postseason appearances including a big goal against the Flyers. He served a six-game suspension for abuse of an official but never played against the Kings. Vigneault opted to stick with Dorsett, who played his ass off but finished with one assist. Carcillo is unrestricted as is Diaz, who filled in admirably for John Moore at the conclusion of the Habs’ series and Game 1 versus the Kings.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the key role Cam Talbot had. When Lundqvist struggled, Talbot was tremendous in his first NHL season showing the experience of a seasoned vet. He always said the right thing and became a steady backup. Hope we’ll see more of him.
In looking at the Rangers moving forward, more will be expected from Kreider. He’s the power forward this team has lacked. Now, it’s all about putting it together. Stepan is another guy who will be leaned on. He learned a lot during this postseason showing more determination following a broken jaw suffered on a late hit from former buddy Brandon Prust. The core is here with some new candidates (Miller, Fast, Ryan Bourque, Danny Kristo, Oscar Lindberg, Conor Allen, Dylan McIlrath, Brady Skjei) possible.
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