When a team misses the postseason after being a perennial contender, it’s natural to take stock. For the most part, the teams of the past five years do not have much connection to the current team. Just three players, Henrik Lundqvist, Marc Staal and Jesper Fast, remain from the 2014 Stanley Cup Final team.
One of the more interesting things to watch over time was the development of the team. The Rangers compiled a unique mix of home grown talent and outside hired mercenaries. The team went through two head coaches, and went from bubbling with talent to serious contender.