After just six games, the Rangers hold a 3-2-1 record led in large part by Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad with 12 and eight points, respectively. The team appeared rusty in games against the Winnipeg Jets, San Jose Sharks and Columbus Blue Jackets, but handily defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning and Minnesota Wild, two of the top teams in the league last season. The win against the Lightning served as revenge after the Rangers were knocked out of the Eastern Conference Finals by the team just a few months ago. 

Zibanejad has continued his goal-scoring dominance, leading the team with four goals and contributing four assists. Three of the four goals have come on the powerplay, all with assists from Panarin. As it was for the team last year, the powerplay is shaping up to be the Rangers’ greatest strength. They scored their only goal in the game against the Blue Jackets with the man-advantage.

Fresh off of his Vezina Trophy-winning season, goalie Igor Shesterkin looks a bit shaky, but it might just be the defense in front of him. His save percentage is sitting at .901, as opposed to his .935 save percentage last season. It’s too early to diagnose any problems, as negative statistics are often inflated within the first few games in any sport. The defensive situation will likely sort itself out as the rust shakes off, otherwise head coach Gerard Gallant will have some decisions to make. 

Newcomer Vincent Trocheck is thriving in his center role alongside Panarin, contributing six points in the first six games of the new campaign. With two goals and four assists, he seems to be fitting in very well with the Rangers’ offensive scheme and is making up for the loss of Ryan Strome. After Vitali Kravstov left with an injury against the Lightning, Alexis Lafrenière joined that second line with Trocheck and Panarin and will likely remain there unless his stellar play drops off. His chemistry with Panarin has been on display, especially in the 7-3 win against the Wild. Lafrenière is looking for a breakout season after a strong playoff performance and with the end of his contract looming. A productive season would put pressure on Rangers’ general manager Chris Drury to shell out more money on Lafrenière in the offseason. 

Besides Lafrenière, the other “kids” from the famous postseason “kid line” are putting up good numbers to begin the season. Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil have two and three points respectively in their first six games, which is good production from a third line to begin the season. Chytil left Sunday’s game with an upper-body injury, allowing either Jimmy Vesey or Sammy Blais to get some time on the third line with Kakko if he ends up out for a few games.

In a somewhat surprising move, the Rangers put veteran Dryden Hunt on waivers for the purpose of sending him down to the AHL, but he was claimed by the Colorado Avalanche where he’ll join former Ranger Alexandar Georgiev. He had a goal for the Rangers this season, but it appears Drury and Gallant want to prioritize Vesey and Blais for possible third or fourth line options. 

Defense seems to be the biggest area for improvement for the Blueshirts, but it looks to be the same Stanley Cup-contender team that fans saw in May and June. They’ve struggled against the lower-caliber teams, but play well against the better playoff-caliber teams to start the season. The team is facing a somewhat grueling upcoming schedule, with six games in ten days against a healthy mix of competition. The loss to the Blue Jackets on Sunday should be a wake-up call as the Rangers look to get back on track this week.