The New York Rangers were dealt a huge blow when Derek Stepan broke his leg in training camp. The injury meant that it would be the second straight year in which the Blueshirts' budding No. 1 center would be unable to properly condition himself for the start of a season.
A tough round of contract negotiations led to Stepan missing the majority of last year's training camp and preseason, and he struggled mightily for the first few weeks of the 2013-14 campaign.
The 2014-15 season is a contract year for Stepan, and one that could determine his future with the Rangers. There was some reason to be concerned about what type of shape and condition "Step" would be in when he returned, and four games into his season, he looks better than ever.
The Rangers' No. 1 center has four points—one goal and three assists—in four games, and he's looked very decisive and aggressive.
During the Blueshirts' loss against the Colorado Avalanche, Stepan was in an offensive situation along with leading scorer Rick Nash. In previous years, Stepan would defer to Nash, but in this instance, he decided to rifle a shot towar ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Tom Urtz Jr.
Derek Stepan Looks Better Than Ever Since Returning to Rangers’ Lineup
November 13th, 2014 by Tom Urtz Jr. Leave a reply »
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