For the last 18 years (12 with The Hockey News) Dobber has reviewed each team from a fantasy-hockey standpoint and graded them.

The 19th annual review will appear here on DobberHockey throughout the summer. This is not a review of the likely performance on the ice or in the standings, but in the realm of fantasy hockey both for the season ahead as well as the foreseeable future. Offensively, will the team perform? Are there plenty of depth options worthy of owning in keeper leagues? What about over the next two or three years? These questions are what I take into consideration when looking at the depth chart and the player potential on that depth chart.

Enjoy!

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Gone – Pavel Buchnevich, Colin Blackwell, Phillip Di Giuseppe, Tony DeAngelo, Jack Johnson, Brett Howden, Brendan Smith

Incoming – Barclay Goodrow, Sammy Blais, Ryan Reaves, Greg McKegg, Patrik Nemeth, Jarred Tinordi, Gerard Gallant (coach)

Impact of Changes – The Rangers appeared to have one objective personnel-wise this offseason, and that was to get tougher. By adding Goodrow, Blais, and Reaves, they are adding the equivalent of an entire line of sandpaper. The Tom Wilson chokeslam on Artemi Panarin late in the season may have had that drastic an effect in the Rangers' offseason. New coach Gallant will need to get the most out of these players while directing them toward his normally high-tempo offense.

Whether it's to make room for the gritty players, to clear space for a possible Jack Eichel trade, or just to clear space to sign current players (or all of the above), Buchnevich had to be moved to St. Louis. That could spell a larger role for one of the Rangers' younger stars, such as Alexis Lafreniere or Kaapo Kakko. Former head coach David Quinn wasn't easy on players with limited NHL experience, but Gallant could help the fortunes of these important young players.

Ready for Full Time – 2018 first-round pick Vitali Kravtsov finally reached the NHL after his KHL season ended. He was mainly eased into the lineup, averaging 12 minutes per game while scoring four points in 20 games. He will likely be behind Kakko in the lineup to start and may need to earn the trust of Gallant before he receives prime icetime and power-play time. Unlike when he first played in North America (2019-20), he will likely stay with the Rangers full-time.

After finishing up in the Swedish league, Nils Lundkvist signed his entry-level contract to come to North America this season to challenge for a spot on the Blueshirts. He possesses significant offensive upside, which should make him rosterable in keeper leagues. Although he could stay with the Rangers for the entire season, expect them to bring him along slowly. He may also receive second-unit power-play time.

Zac Jones is another blueliner looking to make the Rangers. He finished off his time in the NCAA with 24 points in 29 games for UMass. He then joined the Rangers for 10 games, scoring four points while averaging nearly 15 minutes per game and receiving second-unit power-play minutes. The fact that he has a bit of NHL experience should help his chances of making the Rangers.

Fantasy Outlook – Scoring-wise, there's lots to choose from here, even with the loss of Buchnevich. Panarin is a top-10 fantasy option who has consistently scored at a 113-point (!) pace in his two seasons on Broadway. He's one of the few lucrative free agent signings that has been worth the money. Mika Zibanejad will look to keep the scoring going for a full season after an ice-cold start (nine points in first 25 games). He scored 41 points in 31 games after that, including two 6-point games. Ryan Strome has emerged as a serious scoring threat beside Panarin (0.8-0.9 PTS/GP), but he is on the final year of his contract and will be the subject of trade rumors. Chris Kreider should continue to be a bangers league threat for scoring and hits.

We saw what Adam Fox was capable of last season when he was given top-pair minutes and first-unit power-play duty, and it was tremendous. Fox won the Norris Trophy and also finished second among blueliners in scoring (47 points). He also scored at a point-per-game pace over his last 39 games. The scoring of Fox (and DeAngelo before that) have turned Jacob Trouba into primarily a shutdown defender whose value may be limited to leagues that count hits and blocked shots.

Igor Shesterkin could be in the conversation for the league's top goalie as early as this season. Since the Rangers appear to be a team on the rise, his win total could improve. Alexandar Georgiev should continue to back him up and could generate interest on the trade market.

Fantasy Grade: A- (last year was A)

2021 Offseason Fantasy Grades

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