The Rangers return to action after two days off to complete their four-game homestand with a contest against the Sharks on Sunday. When New York takes the ice, there will be several lineup changes as coach Alain Vigneault looks to find the right combinations to boost a stagnant offense and less than optimal center position. Following Sunday's game, New York gets a mild break in their schedule after facing New Jersey on Tuesday, with no game until Saturday in Montreal. Which should allow some on- and off-ice practice, including video and technical sessions.

We as fans, and at times writers, like to make every game life-and-death. As I written before, and giving myself a kick in the butt to remember this, seasons have to be looked at through a longer term prism. Five game stretches and probably 10-game stretches are better evaluation windows rather than making judgments day-to-day. Given some of the recent lineup changes and moves, it's unclear whether AV went with the longer or shorter term evaluation model, but whichever one he and GM Glen Sather, changes in the forward pairings and personnel are evident.

The Blueshirts coming into training camp were a bit light at center. With Brad Richards and Brian Boyle moving on, I was less than kind in my words as to what NY did early in free agency. No one was brought in to replace those two, even with Dominic Moore coming back and lesser options like Chris Mueller signed. The Rangers looked even more like a donut team when Derek Stepan went down with a non-displaced fractured fibula, promoting Martin St. Louis to volunteer to and actually getting taken up on that offer to move to center.

That experiment is now over, with St. Louis moving back to right wing - a move that started during with win against Carolina - where he is more comfortable. Face-offs and the increased defensive responsibility for a pivot were adversely impacting St. Louis' game, and as willing as he was to move, shifting him back to wing makes sense. Hopefully, this will get him back on the beam, as St. Louis now has one goal in 24 regular season games - a shortie against Vancouver - as a Ranger.

New York tried J.T. Miller at center as well and that was unsuccessful, though one can argue he didn't get much of a chance. In this case, AV used a shorter term evaluation period, Miller had a very strong early training camp but regressed as the preseason wore on. As Larry Brooks wrote, Miller had a reasonable opener, mediocre second game, tough third one and then was benched for the last two games. Vigneault was to see Miller play center at Hartford to determine if he can play there full time or is he a winger who fills in at center. It's possible Miller will get showcased for a deal, but unsure what his value is since he hasn't excelled when called up, though he also hasn't been given that much of an opportunity to do so.

Jesper Fast came to camp stronger and faster - no pun intended - earning a spot out of camp. He too didn't get that much of an opportunity and now also finds himself in Hartford. Fast is looking like a 4-A player, though it may be a bit premature to fully put that moniker on him.

In their place comes the savior - kidding - Mueller. What Mueller provides New York is a true center. It remains to be seen how long he sticks around, but if he can win draws, forecheck well and create some chances, that will increase his odds of remaining with New York, until at least Derek Stepan is back. Once Stepan does return, cap issues will be prevalent again, though with Miller and Fast down, they are only about $313k over the cap.

One way to reduce that hit is to send Mueller or Ryan Malone down, one of whom will be expendable when Stepan returns. Malone has shown he can be a presence on the power play, though at 0-for-the-season, that's not something to hang your hat on, despite some good chances. Malone does not have the foot speed to really excel in Vigneault's system, so his time may be limited.

Remaining up in the air is what to do with Anthony Duclair. Vigneault said before the season that Duclair would sit out some games: "‘As long as you prove that you can plan in our top nine, then you’re going to stick with us. It doesn’t mean he’s going to play every game but, when he plays, he has to play in our top nine forwards.” Duclair saw just 10 minutes against Carolina and it makes sense for him to sit and watch from the press box. While he has the talent offensively, he also needs to know where to be and how to adjust defensively, which is lacking in his game. Because Duclair's ELC is burned right now, the Rangers can send him down to juniors even after nine games have passed. To me, keep him here if as others have said he will play consistent minutes. If not, then regardless of how many games he has been here, send him to juniors to say that ice time he needs.

The Rangers lines today are:

Mats Zuccarello-Derick Brassard-Marty St. Louis
Chris Kreider-Kevin Hayes-Rick Nash
Carl Hagelin-Dominic Moore-Lee Stempniak
Tanner Glass-Chris Mueller-Ryan Malone

The donut hole in the middle gets closed slightly by calling up Mueller. The burden to fill the rest and make it a danish falls on Kevin Hayes and Dominic Moore. Moore we know can move up and down the lineup, but he is better suited to be the fourth line pivot man. That won't happen until Stepan returns. When that occurs, players can settle more into their role. Until that happens, Hayes has to step up.

Hayes has shown some signs and gets the benefit of playing between Chris Kreider, his former BC teammate, and a red-hot Rick Nash. If Hayes can continue to show what he has to do date while improving his poor faceoff mark, 10 wins in 27 games chances, the Rangers might have found a third line center. Of course, when Stepan returns, he likely will step between the two big boys, moving Hayes to play with Carl Hagelin and Lee Stempniak and Moore down to the fourth line, either at center or wing, depending if Mueller or Malone is sent down.

Besides the PP struggles and the combination issues and the defensive lapses, to me there is one more major area of weakness: the fourth line. In the playoffs against New Jersey and Boston, the Devils and Bruins fourth lines were dominant. Last year, the switch flipped and it was the Rangers' fourth line that dictated play. They had the speed to get in on the forecheck and grit to keep teams in their own end. When a turnover was created, they were able to capitalize. With Derek Dorsett dealt before the draft, Brian Boyle not re-signed and Dan Carcillo allowed to walk, the fourth line is a shell of what it once was. If the current trio could be as or close to as effective as last year's group, New York would be in a lot better place.

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