The New York Rangers’ regular season game against the Nashville Predators concluded on Saturday night. The Blueshirts won last night 4-1 against the Seattle Kraken. There were many players who impressed, but three players truly stood out from the bunch.
Dishonorable Mention – Blake Wheeler
There were mainly positives in this game for the Rangers, however there is one negative performance that needs to be mentioned, and that came from Blake Wheeler. It was noticeable the first few games of the season, but Blake Wheeler looks cooked as a player. He has continued to decline further, and a notable thing Wheeler has declined in is the way he skates. He is a much more sloppier and slower skater. Just look at his offensive impact as well, it has really declined further for the team.
While it is early in the regular season, and there is still an opportunity to bounce back, it is not a good sign with how much further he has declined. Fortunately, Wheeler’s deal is a one-year “prove it” contract. So, the Rangers are not locked up long-term with him.
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3. K’Andre Miller
Now, there is the K’Andre Miller that many Ranger fans fell in love with. To be honest, Miller has not been the greatest player these first few games of the season. He needed to have a strong game not only to bring confidence in himself but the fanbase as well. Luckily, Miller stood out in a good way, especially after a terrible performance against the Nashville Predators.
He made 2 key assists on the Kappo Kakko goal in the 2nd period, and the final goal in the 3rd period which was made by Artemi Panarin. Hopefully, he keeps this up and performs at a solid rate for the entire 2023/24 NHL Season.
2. Artemi Panarin
Artemi Panarin has to go on this list with how strong of a performance he had against the Kraken. Scoring two goals pretty much is a clinch that a player will make a list that is labeled as standing out. The goal that impressed me the most was the one he made below in the 3rd period.
It is so impressive how he scored that goal, and it is another reason as to why Panarin is super elite. The Chytil shot was deflected in the air. Panarin somehow bats the puck out of the air and scores with 4 Kraken players surrounding him. This, so far, is the goal of the season for the Rangers. Panarin is just so talented, and thank goodness the Rangers managed to get him in his prime.
1. Filip Chytil
While Filip Chytil didn’t score in this game, he played a crucial role in creating scoring opportunities for the team. He contributed with three assists in this game, two of which led to goals by Artemi Panarin, and the other resulted in an Alexis Lafreniere goal in the 2nd period. This last goal was particularly significant, as it gave the Rangers a two-goal lead at the end of the 2nd period. Chytil had an outstanding performance in this game, and fans hope to see more of the same in future matches.