The 37-year-old right-winger is set for his first season in the Big Apple. Blake Wheeler has had a very successful NHL career, but what can the Rangers expect from their offseason "steal"?
Blake Wheeler has spent the last 12 seasons playing for the Winnipeg Jets, and now that he has a fresh start with the Rangers, it could be the perfect spark for not only him but the entire organization.
The interesting thing about Wheeler is that he could play anywhere on the first three lines on this team. I don't think it's crazy to say that he could play alongside Mika Zibanejad on the first line, but it could be assumed that he will be with Vincent Trocheck or Filip Chytil on the second or third line.
Right now, per The Daily Faceoff, they have Wheeler slotted in on the second line with Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin, but more importantly, he also happens to be in that very important fifth slot on the first power play unit.
Last season, Wheeler tallied 16 goals along with 39 assists for a total of 55 points in 71 games played. Those numbers might not necessarily jump off the page, but offensive production has never been an issue for the 16-year NHL veteran. Going back to the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, he put up back-to-back 91-point years.
Someone who's watched a lot of Wheeler over the past decade is my good friend from TSN and BarDown, Jesse Pollock, when I asked him about his expectations for the former Jet, Pollock stated "I think a fresh start is gonna be great for Blake. New team, vet role, surrounded by tons of talent. If he can stay healthy for 82 games I think he can hit 60 points.” I personally couldn't agree more about him reaching 60 points.
Where Wheeler will thrive most, in my opinion, is on the man-advantage. He's always been a strong power-play guy, but if he gets time on that top unit with Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Adam Fox, and Chris Kreider, he should put up a minimum of 20 points alone on special teams.
I think Wheeler has a 25-goal season in him. My prediction for Wheeler is 63 points (26 goals, 37 assists).
