Last season, Derek Stepan finished the shortened 2012-13 campaign with a whopping 44 points in 48 games. This year, Stepan has 17 less points in the same amount of games played. Oh how the mighty have fallen.
Stepan has been very streaky and an utter disappointment as the team's No. 1 center. Granted he is only in that role because "Broadway" Brad Richards is now primarily a winger, but nonetheless, Stepan has not played up to his potential.
Therefore, given his track record and his struggles this year, was the 2012-13 a fluke for the Blueshirts' 23-year-old center?
Right now it appears that the 2012-13 campaign was a fluke for Stepan, but that isn't a knock on him at all. Averaging 0.92 points per game is fine and dandy, but Stepan is not that type of player offensively.
What Stepan can do is play two-way hockey, and that is an invaluable role in today's NHL. The former Wisconsin Badger can kill penalties and generate offense, but he isn't going to be a 70-point player on a consistent basis.
Fortunately for Stepan, he isn't the only first-line center in that situation.
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Tom Urtz Jr.
Was 2012-13 Season a Fluke for New York Rangers’ Derek Stepan?
January 16th, 2014 by Tom Urtz Jr. Leave a reply »
Advertisement