For the last 20 years (12 with The Hockey News) Dobber and the team have reviewed each team from a fantasy-hockey standpoint and graded them.

The 21st 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 we take into consideration when looking at the depth chart and the player potential on that depth chart.

Enjoy!

Gone – Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko, Julien Gauthier, Vitali Kravtsov, Niko Mikkola, Ryan Reaves, Jaroslav Halak, Head Coach Gerard Gallant

Incoming – Blake Wheeler, Nick Bonino, Tyler Pitlick, Erik Gustafsson, Connor Mackey, Jonathan Quick, Head Coach Peter Laviolette

Impact of changes – As the two big Rangers departures were both deadline additions, the biggest difference for the team will be perhaps a bit more of a stable top-of-the-lineup to begin the year. Assuming the kid-line stays together as the third line, that propels Jimmy Vesey up to one of the top-two RW slots, with Blake Wheeler taking over the other. It's a bit of a subtraction from the skill that was in the lineup at the end of last season, but the remaining core will more than make up for it.

The defence core has a little more depth to it this year, but remains largely unchanged, while in net the majority of the starts will still be handled by Igor Shesterkin. His new backup, Jonathan Quick, may give new head coach Peter Laviolette more opportunities to rest Shesterkin and keep him fresh for the post-season.

Ready for Full Time –

Being a consistent playoff team, and having had most of the top-picks graduate to full-time already, there aren't a lot of players pushing their way into the lineup or even spots for them to play. Last year Braden Schneider played a full season, and he was the closest thing that the Rangers had to a youngster breaking into the lineup.

Zac Jones has played between 10 and 16 games in each of the last three seasons, but hasn't cracked the lineup in a full-time role. On the depth chart, he's the fourth LD, behind K'Andre Miller, Ryan Lindgren, and newcomer Gustafsson. He may see a few more games this year, and would have some deeper fantasy relevance once he does have a full-time role, but in the meantime he's just a watchlist player.

Fantasy Outlook:

The top-tier of forwards here are excellent, and there is a lot of value to be found in the top two-thirds of the lineup, especially with the number-one power play unit. Adam Fox is one of the best defencemen in fantasy, with Miller and Gustafsson having some scoring upside as well on the back end.

What could really bump the Rangers into the elite echelon is one or both of Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko taking a big step towards their ultimate upside. Adding in some more reliable depth pieces like Nick Bonino, there should be a lot of offensive zone starts to go around for the top scorers.

Additionally, having one of the top goaltenders in the game (Shesterkin), and maybe the goalie favourite the lead the league in wins, there is a ton of upside here up and down the lineup.  

Grade – A (last year was B+)