NHL: Secondary Scoring and Teamwork Are Keys to New York Rangers' Early Success

The New York Rangers are finding ways to win this season, thanks largely to their secondary scoring and a team-first mentality. Yes, marquee free-agent acquisition Brad Richards and sniper extraordinaire Marian Gaborik have been white hot, but the Rangers have greatly benefited from their secondary scoring.

Through 30 games the Rangers have four players with 20 points or more. If you spot Artem Anisimov he would enter the class of 20 points or more. Derek Stepan and Ryan Callahan have gotten off to great starts, and that helps balance the load for a team that has been an underperforming offense team that usually rides on the back of the all world-crease crusader that is Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist is still playing a monumental role, but the balance in scoring makes Hank’s job a lot easier.

The Rangers are lead by two young talented American players in the secondary scoring department. Stepan and Callahan’s great starts are very important because both players have almost half the amount of points they had over the course of the 2010-11 NHL campaign.

Callahan has answered the call in a huge way after getting the captain’s C affixed to his sweater for the immediate future. He is currently on pace to finish the season with 32 goals and 30 assists for 62 points. Callahan is on pace for a career year as he has scored 16 points in his last 16 games. He is also blocking less shots than usual which should help him remain healthy for the long haul.

Derek Stepan is another player who has stepped up for the Broadway Blueshirts thus far. He has had quite a career up to this point. He has gone from playing college hockey in Wisconsin to winning World Junior championships for his country to pivoting the top line for one of the league’s most storied franchises.

Stepan was a second-round draft pick , 51st overall, during the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. After an impressive training camp last season, Stepan made the team and proved on the first day of the season that he had the potential to be something special. This season Stepan has grown into the role of becoming a solid playmaker.

He has 14 tallies and 7 goals for 21 points overall and has reacted well with Gaborik riding shotgun on his line. The chemistry that has developed on the GAS line,  67 combined points in 30 games, can be attributed to a lot of the Rangers success offensively.

This secondary line of talent has allowed Richards to play with Callahan and Ruslan Fedotenko for the most part. Callahan’s grit and guile really complements Richards’ playmaking and Fedotenko’s offensive awareness. Fedotenko may be considered an ideal third liner, but his chemistry with Richards has been a plus.

The Rangers are still a team that relies on defense and goaltending as its strengths, but the increased offense has been a great help. Speaking of defense, the Rangers' rearguards have made an increased effort to get involved on the offensive side.

Michael Del Zotto was a player who was ostracized by many fans due to his sophomore slumping after a fabulous freshman season. Del Zotto took his demotion to the Connecticut Whale like a true pro and has grown leaps and bounds in a short time. He currently leads Rangers’ defensemen with 16 points. His ability to run a power play with Richards has helped a bit but more improvements can be made. Del Zotto is on pace to score 43 points, and that would be huge for Del Zotto.

Ryan McDonagh is another player who has stepped up both elements of his game this season for the Rangers. Defensively, McDonagh has an average of 25:05 a night and also has 14 points. His willingness to shoot the puck has become more evident as the season has progressed. 

The fact that McDonagh’s overall game has developed so significantly has made Marc Staal’s absence more tolerable.  Dan Girardi, who is playing close to 30 minutes every night, has been a solid partner for McDonagh and has contributed 12 points of his own.

Other players of note like Anisimov and Carl Hagelin have also had a refreshing impact. Anisimov seems to have found his niche as a left winger on the GAS line. He is skating with confidence and fits in so well on the top line. This is the case because of his offensive awareness and his ability to both pass and shoot. He also can take key faceoffs at certain points in the game because that is a minor weakness for Stepan. 

Carl Hagelin has only been a member of the team for 12 games, but he already has six points. These points have been earned as a member of the third line with minimum minutes. Recently Rangers bench boss John Tortorella has gradually increased Hagelin’s minutes and responsibilities as the young winger now is a member of the penalty kill unit.

The most important facet of Hagelin’s game is his speed. Teammates are now more trusting of Hagelin since he established himself at the NHL level as a decent player. Linemates Brian Boyle and John Mitchell will throw the puck into open space, and Hagelin’s speed allows him to catch up with the puck while keeping defenders on their toes. Hopefully Hagelin can continue to grow as his speed could really benefit the Rangers second line.

Last but definitely not least is the outstanding play of backup goaltender Marty Biron. Biron is a goalie who has a bright personality and an outstanding work ethic. He has quietly become one of the league’s top backups by posting a 6-1-0 record through eight appearances this season. He has only allowed 13 goals and has been a huge player for the Rangers.

The Rangers sit fourth in the conference with 40 points and an overall record of 18-8-4. They trail their Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division leader and rival the Philadelphia Flyers by three points and hold a game in hand. These two teams face off two weeks from today in the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic. Things are really clicking, and the fact that the Rangers have only allowed 67 goals this season is huge.

The Rangers seem to have a lot going for them these days despite coping with the injuries of Marc Staal, Michael Sauer and various other players. One wonders how far and successful this team can be when they are 100 percent healthy and are firing on all cylinders.

Tom Urtz is an NHL Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.