One of the annual rites of passage as the Rangers head into the offseason each spring is to search for a scapegoat to pin the team’s shortcomings on. Whether it’s a star player like Jaromir Jagr, Henrik Lundqvist, or Rick Nash, or bit players like Tanner Glass and Nick Holden, the list of players who have been maligned for disappearing in the playoffs is a lengthy one. This year, Derek Stepan has earned the honor of being the root of all of New York’s problems after a disappointing twelve games to conclude the season. While his post-season performance left a lot to be desired, (two goals and four assists, one of which was an empty netter) the calls for Jeff Gorton to move on from his team’s best center are misguided at best, and ludicrous at worst.
Derek Stepan Is Anything But A Problem
