Rangers' 2011-12 season report card

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A heartbreaking overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals bounced them from the playoffs, but the New York Rangers should feel nothing but pride for a remarkable season in which they cultivated a winning culture and built a firm foundation for the future.

Sure, they still need to target an elite offensive weapon this offseason (and possibly a top-pair defenseman, too). But the organization took a pivotal step forward in reaching the third round of the playoffs with a young team chock full of potential.

Rangers' 2011-12 report card

		Overall Honestly, who would've predicted the Rangers making the Eastern Conference finals? Not many people. So it's a testament to the team's rugged resilience that they pushed within two wins of a Stanley Cup finals appearance. Tackling adversity from the outset of their 2011-12 campaign, the Rangers' staggering consistency continued throughout a grueling playoff run in which they knocked off the Senators and Capitals in the first two rounds before falling short to the Devils in the conference finals. By the end, their legs may have given way but their heart was never lacking.
		Offense Ultimately, the Rangers' lack of production was their undoing. Never a dynamic offensive juggernaut, the Blueshirts managed only 2.15 goals per game in the playoffs -- not enough to beat a deep Devils squad with four lines that can score. Both Marian Gaborik and Brad Richards, who combined for 66 goals between them in the regular season, were held without a goal in the team's six games against New Jersey. Captain Ryan Callahan finished with three goals over the last four games, but took too long to get going. And top-line winger Carl Hagelin? Not a single point the entire series. Scary to imagine where the team would've been without rookie Chris Kreider's five playoff goals.
		Defense Perhaps the most encouraging element moving forward for the Rangers was the emergence of shutdown pair in Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh, a tandem that anchored the team when it lost alternate captain Marc Staal for the first half of the season with a concussion. Mirroring their heavy regular-season workload, Girardi and McDonagh led the league in postseason minutes, with 26:51 and 26:49 per game, respectively. Staal was also a bright spot for the team, as he returned to form as one of the game's dominant defensemen in the playoffs. But the team needs more depth for next year. Third-year blueliner Michael Del Zotto struggled with consistency, especially in the postseason, while coach John Tortorella seemed reluctant to rely on others outside of his top four. The Rangers will need to address their back end via free agency or trade this summer.
		Special teams A dreadful power play that hampered the Rangers in the regular season picked up in the postseason, bailing them out of a few games, but the unit still needs a specialist with a big threat from the point. The team's penalty kill was terrific in the regular season -- fifth in the league with an 86.2 percent success rate -- but wasn't quite as stingy in the postseason. The Rangers surrendered 11 power-play goals and managed no short-handed markers of their own.
		Goaltending It seemed unfair that Henrik Lundqvist splayed in his crease will be the lasting image of how the Rangers were sent packing for the summer. The 30-year-old netminder deserved a better fate after a truly phenomenal season that could very likely earn him the Vezina Trophy. Lundqvist was the team's most valuable and consistent performer in both the regular season and the playoffs, and regardless of the team's exit, proved he is one of the league's elite and among the best in franchise history.
		Coaching A deserving finalist for the Jack Adams Award, Tortorella coaxed the most out of a Rangers team that battled every night, true to its blue-collar identity. Even when outmatched, the Rangers built success upon pure grit, will and determination with their hard-nosed, grinding style that championed plain old hard work and sacrifice. Was that demanding style of play a cause in the fatigue that seemed undeniable in the late stages of the playoffs? Probably. But their black-and-blue mentality -- on display in some of the postseason's most staggering comebacks and triumphs -- also boosted them further than most anyone would've expected.

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Katie Strang

ESPNNewYork.com

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Katie Strang covers the Rangers, Islanders and Devils for ESPNNewYork.com. She is a graduate of Michigan State University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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