Rangers Banking on Second-Line Evolution After Last-Place Finish
New York looks to Pavel Dorofeyev and a bounce-back from captain J.T. Miller to elevate their offensive depth.
The New York Rangers are attempting a rapid turnaround after finishing last in the Eastern Conference and missing the playoffs, as Sports Illustrated first reported. To move from the bottom of the standings back into postseason contention, the team has focused on significant roster upgrades during the offseason.
Reporting from Sports Illustrated notes that the Rangers revamped their forward group by acquiring Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights and signing Oliver Bjorkstrand and Eeli Tolvanen to one-year contracts. On the defensive end, the team added Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi via trades to anchor the second-pair.
While the first line of Mika Zibanejad, Alexis Lafreniere, and Gabe Perreault saw success last year, Sports Illustrated reports that the team's ceiling may depend on the productivity of the second line. Head coach Mike Sullivan is weighing options that include placing Dorofeyev—who scored 37 goals last season—on the second line.
For that unit to succeed, Sports Illustrated emphasizes that captain J.T. Miller must have a bounce-back campaign following a struggle last season. The projected second line would be rounded out by veteran Oliver Bjorkstrand, who is expected to provide a two-way presence and goal-scoring ability.