New York Rangers Season Preview

Tomorrow is September 1st. Other than tomorrow being my birthday, the start of September also means that hockey is right around the corner.

Training camp will start soon, and shortly after that, the puck will drop for the NHL regular season. New York Rangers fans have a lot to look forward too this season. They are coming off a disappointing playoff exit, but the arrival of Brad Richards to Broadway will give fans something to cheer about.

This slideshow will take a look at the Rangers, and I will give some predictions for the regular season.

Who will lead the Rangers in points, goals and assists?

Goals

Here are some predictions for players and how many goals they will score next season. 

Marian Gaborik—45: The speedy Slovakian has the pivot he needed in Brad Richards. This new No. 1 center should translate to a better on ice production.

Ryan Callahan—30: The captain in waiting had his season cut short due to injury. He knows how to score, so there is no reason why he can't put up 30 in a full 82-game season.

Brandon Dubinsky—27: Dubinsky led the Blueshirts in points last season with 54. Dubinsky could play on either the top or second line, so he will have optimal chances to put the puck in the net.

Derek Stepan—26: Derek Stepan had a good rookie season. Now that he has gone through a full NHL campaign and knows what is expected of him, there is no reason why he can't top his 10-11 total by six.

Brad Richards—25: Broadway Brad was brought in to pass the puck and run the power play. As the designated power-play quarterback, Brad will light the lamp early and often.

Artem Anisimov—22: Artem Anismov was given a new contract this offseason. He has yet to have his breakout season. This year could be a make-or-break season for the Russian forward.

Wojtek Wolski—21: Wolski worked very hard this offseason with Barbara Underhill and also attended former NHL tough guy Gary Roberts' Bio-Steel camp. This determination and drive should allow Wolski to be the power forward he has the potential of becoming.

Brian Boyle—20: Brian Boyle will settle in on the fourth line with Brandon Prust and Mike Rupp. He has the potential to score 20 goals again this year, but his focus will be on two-way play.

Goaltending

Henrik Lundqvist

67 Starts

40-21-6

11 shutouts

.928 Sv%

2.18 G.A.A

With the offensive face lift the Rangers received, Henrik will not be under as much do-or-die pressure as he has been in previous years. Henrik also has a top-rated young defense in front of him. The Rangers were sixth overall in goals against last season, so this year should be no different.

The save percentage and goals-against statistic is based off Henrik's career average, and it is adjusted in accordance with him winning more games and the Rangers defense allowing less goals.

Martin Biron

15 Starts

8-5-2

Martin Biron has been a great sounding board for Henrik and other players on the Rangers. I know the coaching staff likes to give Henrik rest, but if the Rangers clinch early enough, Biron could maybe see five to 10 more appearances in net.

Assists

Brad Richards—60: Brad will run the power play and top line. Therefore, he will have many opportunities to dish the puck so others can score.

Marian Gaborik—50: Gaborik is a player who has great speed, and that allows him to join odd-man rushes. It is times like these where he can really setup others with scoring chances.

Brandon Dubinsky—32: Dubinsky is a center by trade despite the fact that he has found his niche as a left winger. This is evident in Dubinsky's pass first mentality.

Derek Stepan—30: Stepan could play on a top line with Gaborik and Richards. If this is the case, he could have many opportunities to set the table for others to join the scoring party.

Artem Anisimov—30: Artie has the chance to have a big year. There is less pressure on him this year, so hopefully he can fly under the radar and exceed expectations.

Ryan Callahan—25: Callahan hasn't been one to be greedy with the puck; therefore, he should easily rack up 25 assists before the season's end.

Top 5 Point Producers

Marian Gaborik (95)

Brad Richards (85)

Brandon Dubinsky (59)

Derek Stepan (56)

Ryan Callahan (55)

If I were too look at the roster and had to pick five players who I felt were the offensive catalysts of this team, I would pick these five.

These are good two-way players who can shoot and pass the puck with skill and ease. Marian Gaborik is a player who many feel could have a big year, so 95 may look lofty, but consider he scored 86 points with Vinny Prospal two years ago.

Brad Richards is a player who will give you at least 65 points. I'm putting him at 85 to be realistic given his linemate of Marian Gaborik. If he scored 77 points in 72 games with Loui Erikkson, 85 should be reachable.

For Dubinsky, Stepan and Callahan, realistically they could score 59,56 or 55 points respectively. Those are numbers they could reach comfortably with a good chance or exceeding them.

Overall Record

48-26-8 104 Points.

The Rangers won 44 games and had 93 points last season with a team full of rookies and replacements. There is no reason why they can't step up their game this year and win four additional games for good measure.

This is not as ludicrous as it may appear, but the Rangers will have to remain healthy to insure this plan and prediction comes to fruition.

Comments, Questions, Concerns?

I'm very excited for the start of training camp and can't wait till the Rangers get back on the ice. I hope the Rangers have an injury-free season and that they can go deep into the playoffs. A Stanley Cup trophy would be nice, but I would be happy with anything more than a first round playoff exit.

Leave your comments in the section below to get the conversation going. If you liked what you read, feel free to give it some props, a like and a plus-one. And if you like me enough, you can go to my homepage and can become a fan.

Thanks for reading!

Tom Urtz is an NHL Featured Columnist.

For more NHL free agent news, updates and alerts about players: