The State of New York Metropolitan Hockey Franchises
Success and championships were once synonymous with each metropolitan area hockey team. The only team more dominant than the New York Islanders in the 80’s was the A-Team, led by Mr. T. The Islanders were the class of the NHL in the early 80’s winning four straight Stanley cups from 1980 – 1983. The New York Rangers broke the dreaded curse in the Summer of 1994 with a dramatic 3-2 victory at Madison Square Garden over the Vancouver Canucks as Mark Messier ended up hoisting the silver chalice that is Lord Stanley’s Cup. Arguably the greatest moment in Rangers history was succeeded by the largest parade ever for the NHL where over one million people flooded Broadway and was, as Coach Mike Keenan put it best, a day Ranger fans will remember forever. The Rangers Hudson river rival, the New Jersey Devils, took the league by storm in the late 90’s and early 00’s for their famous defensive and often-despised system known as “The Trap”. From 1995 to 2003 the Devils made four Stanley cup finals and ascended to hockey’s mountain top three times in the process. For a 25-year stretch all Metropolitan area hockey teams experienced success, which elevated the sports profile in the area.
Unfortunately, poor management, mediocre coaching and a dearth of young superstars have plagued the level of success in the last 15 years for each organization. Given the exorbitant annual expectation for the Rangers, the team has consistently handed out big money contracts to aging veterans who couldn’t bring the franchise back to it’s 94’ glory. The Rangers were notorious for winning games in July and August with headlines from the Daily News such as, “Chris Drury, Scott Gomez make Rangers beasts of East” only for players like these to be part of the “salary cap relief” strategy through contract buyouts.
Poor salary cap management wasn’t exclusively a Rangers problem though, as the Islanders and Devils committed the same fatal mistake that hampered each team’s ability to put forth a team capable of sustained success. The Islanders and Devils dished out infamous contracts to Rick DiPietro and Iyla Kovalchuck respectively that to this day get a chuckle from the hockey community. DiPietro was tabbed as the franchise goaltender the Islanders had been longing for since Billy Smith, however hip and knee surgeries nullified what was once a promising career. Kovalchuck on the other hand was the Devils talisman, especially after Zach Parise migrated west to play for his hometown team in the Minnesota Wild. As a Devil fan, I hated the term on the contract but was happy to have retained a top player in the league. Little did I know, a couple of years later Kovalchuck would get homesick and jettison back to Russia, effectively retiring from the NHL.
As a result of such ineptitude, hockey in the metropolitan area has faded in the NY hierarchy. New Yorkers demand greatness, and anything less is considered a failure. Such expectations have caused teams to make these questionable decisions ultimately affecting the on ice production. Although expectations haven't been met with success in the recent past, there is hope for all three franchises. Now more than ever the fan bases should be over the moon with the direction of their team.
The Ranger’s general manager, Jeff Gorton has done a masterful job in orchestrating one of the fastest rebuilds the NHL has ever seen. His shrewd trades, timely free agent signings and impeccable drafting acumen have vaulted the Rangers to one of the most promising teams in the league. With the likes of Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Igor Shesterkin, Kappo Kakko and now the right to select Alexis Lafreniere first overall in the 2020 NHL draft after winning the lottery has the Rangers poised to be a perennial cup contenders for years to come.
Although the rebuild isn’t nearly as finished and has taken longer than Devils’ fans would’ve liked, the team has a bright future led by their two former #1 overall draft picks in Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes. Both Centermen have all the potential in the world and provide the Devils with star power up the middle for the next 10+ years. The core of a successful team starts with having strong center ice play and a foundational goaltender, which by all counts the Devils have in Mackenzie Blackwood who posted a 2.77 GAA and a .915 Save % this past season. Given the recent trades and draft selections, the Devils have an intriguing prospect pool with players like Ty Smith, Janne Kuokkanen, Reilly Walsh and Kevin Bahl in addition to three first round picks in the 2020 adding depth to an already talented young nucleus.
The Islanders on the other hand might not boast the young talent compared to their two division foes, although Mathew Barzal and Ilya Sorokin may beg to differ. However they have something more important and that is organizational structure and team identity. The two most important men that have spearheaded the team’s recent success have been general manager Lou Lamoriello, and head coach Barry Trotz. With these two at the helm, the Islanders finally have stability that the organization has been lacking for years. Such stability has enabled the Islanders to play hard-nosed, grind-it-out hockey games and make them a thorn in any team's side. Given what happened in the Bubble Playoffs with the Islanders making the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1993, fans should be fired up for the potential of this team after a special run.
Whether you’re a die-hard fan or newly acquainted with the sport, now is a great time to be a fan of the Rangers, Devils, or Islanders as each team looks to embark on a new era. Although it has been too long since the last time on of these teams has been crowned a champion, brighter days are ahead for the future of hockey in the New York metropolitan area.