When it comes to Derek Stepan’s time in a New York Rangers sweater, one obvious image comes quickly to mind.
That, of course, is Stepan celebrating with teammates after sending the Blueshirts past the Washington Capitals and into the 2015 Eastern Conference Final with his Game 7 overtime goal that gave the Rangers a 2-1 victory, capping a comeback from a 3-1 series deficit. For the latest generation of Rangers fans, many of them too young to have indulged in the franchise’s seminal moment in 1994, that goal serves as one of the high points of their time rooting for a team that has endured plenty of disappointment since that long-awaited Stanley Cup nearly 30 years ago.
Stepan, though, was so much more to the Rangers than just that goal. His decision to retire after 13 seasons at age 33, which he announced Oct. 3, fired up the memory machine for Rangers fans once more, just over a month after former teammate Carl Hagelin decided to hang up his skates Aug. 30.
“Step” was the club’s second-round draft pick, 51th overall, in 2008, selected by the team that also drafted his father Brad in the fifth round in 1985. While Brad never played in the NHL, it was Derek who grew into a core member of a group of youthful talent that was brought successfully through the Blueshirts’ system. He joined Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Hagelin, Chris Kreider, Ryan McDonagh (acquired as a prospect from the Montreal Canadiens), Jesper Fast, Michael Del Zotto, Dan Girardi, Marc Staal and of course, Henrik Lundqvist, as part the backbone of a less-than-supremely talented but tough and fundamentally-sound team that nonetheless challenged for championships.
Stepan’s Consistent Production Was Critical Element for Rangers
A playmaking center, Stepan never rose to the level of true No. 1 pivot. He instead settling into a role that became known affectionately as the “1A” behind splashy free-agent pickup Brad Richards from 2011-14 – three seasons in which the Rangers reached the East Final twice and the Stanley Cup Final once. Advancing to the conference finals again in 2015 thanks to Stepan’s OT goal, the Rangers fell short in Game 7 to the Tampa Bay Lightning at home.
While the Minnesota native and University of Wisconsin Badger never reached 60 points in a season, his hallmark with the Rangers was consistency – he recorded 50-plus points in five of his seven seasons in a Blueshirt – and was exceptionally durable, playing 515 of a possible 540 games during his time on Broadway. Centering a formidable line with Rick Nash and Kreider flanking him, Stepan totaled 15 points in 24 games during the Rangers’ run to the 2014 Cup Final.
Stepan was good enough to be selected for the 2011 Ice Hockey World Championships, posting seven points in seven games for Team USA while playing with Kreider and McDonagh.
“I want to thank my family and friends for always supporting me and allowing me to live my dreams,” Stepan said in his retirement statement, which he released through the NHL Players’ Association. “I want to thank the four organizations I had the privilege of playing for, and to my teammates for allowing me to be part of their family. Finally, I want to thank the fans, it was an honor to play in front of you. I’m forever grateful for this game and I look forward to the next chapter.”
Stepan’s low-profile but productive work for the Black-and-Blueshirt Rangers of the early to mid-2010s that couldn’t make the final ascent to the top of the championship mountain epitomized the egalitarian ethos of those clubs. Though largely lacking in star power, they were blessed with depth and relied on a team-first approach, relentless work ethic and willingness to do the little things to win.
Stepan’s career beginning with him becoming the fourth player in NHL history to record a hat trick in his NHL debut – a 6-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 9, 2010 – is a mere footnote now, as he’s sure to be remembered as a crucial contributor to the most successful Rangers teams since the Stanley Cup season.
Like his former teammate Hagelin, who was forced to retire because of an eye injury, Stepan had long since moved on from the Rangers by the time his career concluded. Also like Hagelin, Stepan departed from his original team in an unceremonious fashion due to salary-cap constraints. Having assumed the No. 1 center role after the departure of Richards via amnesty buyout after the 2013-14 season, Stepan inked a six-year, $39 million contract extension in July 2015.
Hurricanes Proved to Be Perfect Ending for Stepan’s Career
Despite turning in two more typical seasons for the Rangers – Stepan totaled 53 and 55 points – the front office found itself seeking salary relief from his deal two seasons by the summer of 2017. With young up-and-comers Mika Zibanejad and Kevin Hayes ready to assume bigger roles at center, Stepan’s time in New York came to a close, the team trading him to the Arizona Coyotes for goaltender Antti Raanta, the seventh overall pick in the 2017 draft (which became noted bust Lias Andersson) and defenseman Tony DeAngelo on June 23 of that year.
Related: Hagelin’s Retirement Reminds Rangers of What They’re Missing
Stepan delivered a characteristic performance for the Coyotes in 2017-18, posting 56 points and playing all 82 games, but he didn’t approach that point total again over his final five seasons. He had an injury-marred, forgettable stint with the Ottawa Senators during the pandemic-altered 2020-21 campaign, but then joined the Carolina Hurricanes as a free agent for two seasons that proved to be a fitting coda to his career.
Following the lead of numerous former Rangers who had also made their way to Raleigh, Stepan fit right in on another roster that was committed to a selfless, winning mentality. He delivered 19 points in 58 games and won a career-best 55.9 percent of his faceoffs in 2021-22, when the Hurricanes captured the Metropolitan Division with 116 points – only to lose to the Rangers in seven games in the second round of the playoffs.
Unsigned for 2022-23, Stepan accepted a professional tryout contract with Carolina and parlayed a big preseason into another one-year deal with the team. He produced only 11 points in 73 games, but won 54.3 percent of his draws and posted a career-best 61.5 Corsi for percentage. The Hurricanes piled up 113 points – winning the Metro again for their third straight division title – and reached the conference final, where they were swept by the upstart Florida Panthers in what turned out to be Stepan’s final chance to lift the Stanley Cup.
Stepan’s simple, attention-shunning retirement announcement seemed to suit him. There’s little question, though, that he’ll be missed, having become beloved with Carolina even as a bottom-six forward nearing the end of his career. That said, Stepan will always be remembered primarily as a Black-and-Blueshirt, enjoying his best seasons for the team that became a family affair – and for which Stepan did his best to deliver a championship before falling just short.