Bet On NHL Hockey: Rangers
It was a long and emotionally draining season for the New York Rangers in 2013-14, with the team qualifying for the Stanley Cup Final and playing their hockey well into June in a season lengthened by the Olympic break.
Even still, they would surely go right back on that ride if it meant another shot at the Cup.
NHL Predictions
New York Rangers
Odds to win the 2015 Stanley Cup: 20/1
Odds to win the 2015 Eastern Conference: 8/1
Odds to Win the 2014 Metropolitan Division: 4/1
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2014-2015 New York Rangers Betting Preview:
The Rangers endured a lot last season, breaking in a new coach and starting the year 3-6-0 on the road as their home building underwent renovations. The team sent seven players to the 2014 Sochi Olympics, and also played two games outdoors at Yankee Stadium as part of the NHL Stadium Series.
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The team now has to weather some more changes as some of the key players from last year’s Cup run will be playing elsewhere this season, though the core players remain intact. Head coach Alain Vigneault likes to roll all four of his forward lines and all three defense players, so everyone will be getting in on the action.
Offense
The team’s top line took a hit before the year even started as center Derek Stepan suffered a fractured fibula during a conditioning drill in the last week of September and will miss four-to-six weeks as he recovers from the injury.
The team’s depth at the forward position was a definite strength for the team last season, and Vigneault will now be tasked with working in some new faces into the lineup. The Rangers had eight different forwards score at least 15 goals, which was more than any other team in the league last season.
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Some of those players have moved on, but there’s still plenty of talent in town. Replacing Stepan up front will be a tough task, as will a season-opening date with the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 9. Dominic Moore figures to be the guy to move up a spot to help fill that void. He was a fixture in the team’s top-six on their playoff run a year ago.
The Rangers finished second in the league in shots on goal and figure to keep opposing goaltenders busy once again this season. Getting a full year out of Martin St. Louis will also do wonders for the team, as would some kind of scoring help from Rick Nash in the postseason.
Defense
One of the team’s toughest losses in the offseason was veteran defenseman Anton Stralman, who signed a five-year, $22.5 million contract to play for the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was a fixture among the team’s top-four defenseman.
The team still has the other three pieces to that top-four in Ryan McDonagh, Dan Girardi, and Marc Staal. McDonagh in particular made real strides last season in establishing himself as one of the top defenseman at both ends of the ice, while Girardi and Staal do a great job of shutting things down at the back end.
Of course, any talk of the Rangers’ back end begins and ends with goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who has established himself as one of the top goaltenders in hockey. With Cam Talbot making big strides forward last season, the Rangers figure to get solid goaltending in all of their 82 games.
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FREE Rangers NHL Predictions 2014/2015
The Rangers’ roster didn’t change too much over the summer, which would lead one to believe they have a shot at returning to the Cup Final. However, they played an awful lot of hockey last season, so it’s going to be tough to keep fresh legs come June. With that said, coach Vigneault’s philosophy of rolling all four of his lines is a perfect fit for this season.
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