Let me make this abundantly clear. The New York Rangers have not won a Stanley Cup in my lifetime. Yes, they last hoisted The Cup in 1994, but I was three years old. I doubt that I knew what hockey was, and I did not attend the parade on Broadway. And while I never played hockey growing up, the Rangers have become my most beloved New York sports team. It is not because of individual members over the years, but rather because I just really love hockey. All of this is why the 2011−2012 NHL season has been rather special for me.
For the first time in my lifetime, I truly believe they are the best team in hockey and that they can and will win the Stanley Cup. I feel like I've done something terribly wrong by putting that statement into writing, but maybe it's just because it's something I have never done before.
The Rangers are 2−0 versus the Boston Bruins, 5−0 versus the Philadelphia Flyers, and 2−1 versus the Pittsburgh Penguins. That amounts to a record of 9−1 against three of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference. Additionally, they are a dominant 30−10−3 against all Eastern Conference opponents.
What has me even more excited is that this team is built for a long run of success. There are 10 integral members of this team that are 26 years old or younger. To balance out that youth, head coach John Tortorella brought in veteran Mike Rupp, 32, to provide some leadership and stability in the locker room, and he has had his biggest moments on the biggest stage — two of his four goals this year came in the Winter Classic vs. the Flyers.
Tortorella'sdecision−making this season is quite possibly the biggest reason for the Rangers' success. Before the season started, he named Ryan Callahan the captain, making Callahan the first homegrown player to be named captain since legend Brian Leetch. Callahan has taken the captaincy and been spectacular this season thanks to his toughness and overall play: he already has surpassed his career high in points and goals scored for a season.
Tortorella's other most important decision this season was how he organized his lines after the high−priced offseason acquisition of Brad Richards. Richards was brought in to help provide stability to the first line and to re−inject life into the goal−scoring machine that was once star winger Marian Gaborik. Gaborik scored only 22 goals last year after putting in 42 in his first season as a Ranger. After a few games, however, Gaborik was moved to the second line and rookie Carl Hagelin was moved to the first line to play alongside Callahan and Richards. Moving Gaborik to the second line provided 21−year−old center Derek Stepan the opportunity to develop alongside a proven goal scorer. The second−year center has flourished, leading the team with 26 assists.
But I would be remiss if I did not conclude this vote of confidence by mentioning "The King."HenrikLundqvist is dangerously close to passing Mike Richter as the greatest Ranger netminder of all time and is the most beloved Ranger since Leetch. The "BOOM! BOOM! HENRIK!" chant, my favorite in recent New York sports memory, makes Madison Square Garden quake. Lundqvist is having his best season ever, posting a career−best 1.77 goals against average and .941 save percentage, while leading the league again in shutouts. He seems to stand on his head in the biggest moments and games, as witnessed in his penalty shot save in the final seconds of the Winter Classic and in Tuesday night's 42−save shutout win over the Bruins.
If there's one reason Rangers fans should believe deep down that we are cup−bound, it is because Hank is between the pipes.
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Alex Arthur is a sophomore who has not
yet declared a major. He can be reached at
@tufts.edu.
