Defensive deployment seems to be the buzz word of the day. The signing of Kevin Shattenkirk and re-signing of Brendan Smith along with subtraction of Dan Girardi has markedly changed the Rangers' blue line for the better. But, the question of the day has migrated from will the blue line be better to how the team will deploy that defense and if coach Alain Vigneault will much (or choose another word that sounds similar) it up.
Last season ended largely due to player mismanagement and improper deployment. In Games 2 against Montreal and Ottawa, AV had Nick Holden and Marc Staal on the ice. In Game 5 against Ottawa, it was Staal Smith, Tanner Glass, Derek Stepan and Mats Zuccarello. Defensively in each, it should have been Brady Skjei and Smith or AV should have ridden Ryan McDonagh and paired him with either Smith or Skjei down the stretch. But AV was wedded to certain pairings to the detriment of the team.
The Rangers blue line now has enviable depth, McDonagh, Shattenkirk, Skjei, Smith, Staal, Holden, Anthony DeAngelo, Neal Pionk, Sean Day, Alexei Bereglazov, Ryan Graves, Sergei Zborovskiy, John Gilmour, Kevin Klein, Steven Kampfer and Vince Pedrie. Clearly, not all the prospects will make it, but it gives New York a base from which to deal from and substitutions if injuries hit, which has been an issue in years past.
The expectation is that Klein will retire. But Larry Brooks threw a bit of cold water on that in his column today. His comment likely shudder down every Rangers' fan, as I think all of us had already counted Klein as good as gone. But if that proves not to be the case, then the best case scenarios would be a trade, then a buyout using the second buyout window or his injured back requires a stint on LTIR, freeing up cap space.
That number (the approximately $8.4 million in salary cap space) assumes Klein’s retirement from the NHL. But if the 32-year-old defenseman, who has yet not notified management of his plans, does not retire, that would have a dramatic impact on the club in reducing the club’s available space by $2.9M, to around $5.5M.
If Klein is bought out, the dead cap space would be $916,667 this year and next, which would be added to the dead cap space due to the Girardi buyout, but that would free up $1,833,333 this season. That $1,833,333 added to the $5.5 mil, would leave enough to re-sign Zib and add one more forward, maybe two, if really cheap. Anyone else wish they had saved some money on the Ondrej Pavelec signing and only gave him maybe $1 mil not $1.3 mil?
Update: Kevin Klein retired Friday morning. His retirement frees up an additional $2.9 mil in cap room. He was a huge component in the team's run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2014 and ECF in 2015 but his play had regressed the last few seasons. Klein was a physical force on the blue line and scored some key goals his first few years in New York. Fare thee well, Kevin.
With Shattenkirk and Smith in the fold,
here is what the defense pairs for the Rangers should be this season, at least as of July 6:
McDonagh and Shattenkirk
Skjei and Smith
Staal and Holden
Brooks brings up a bone of contention for many of us as it relates to how acquired assets are mishandled by av. "After the Rangers acquired Keith Yandle at the 2015 trade deadline at the cost of a first-rounder, a second-rounder and primetime prospect Anthony Duclair, Vigneault used No. 93 primarily on the third pair and second power play." Now, Yandle is less defensively responsible than Shattenkirk, despite many who feel that the latter is bereft of talent in his own end, which may have made now deploying on the first line make some sense. But not to use on the second pairing and especially on the first PP was criminal and cost New York against Tampa Bay in the ECF.
The line of don't think meat, it will only hurt the team appears to apply here. Don't overthink it. Your top-four would be insanely solid while your third pair would be average, to maybe below-average. But you could shelter Staal somewhat on that third pair, hoping the reduced minutes and responsibility aids his game while Holden is the puck-moving, d-man of the duo. That very well may be wishful thinking, but in no uncertain terms should Staal be on the second pairing.
Having McD-'Krik together would give the team two, puck-moving d-men on top pairing. Both players have been effusive for their praise for the other, noting how each one can bring the best out of the other. Shattenkirk will allow McDonagh to focus on the other aspects of his game without having to worry about carrying the offensive burden while McD will enable Shattenkirk to do what he does best, which is rush the puck and spur the offense. By doing so and playing that dup major minutes along with Skjei-Smith, you limit the minutes the third pairing has to play, like what Chicago used to do.
I know some have espoused the view of mixing up McDoangh and Shattenkirk to spread out the puck moving ability. To so do might mean moving Smith up to the top pair, Staal or Holden to the second pair opposite Skjei and then 'Kirk on the third pair with Holden or Smith? One other option, and this depends on what happens with Holden and Skjei, is pairing McD with DeAngelo and also playing 'Kirk on the third pair. That would enable each line to have a top, puck-moving d-man, one of which would always be on the ice in a crucial situation but also makes the first and third duos weaker rather than stronger based on the combinations.
AV could also go McDonagh-DeAngelo, Skjei-Shattenkirk and Holden-Smith but that also puts a high-priced blueliner on the third pairing, even if it's not Staal, and feel free to swap Holden for Staal. This type of move would put a ton of pressure on a young, d-man, who has had maturity and consistency issues. So how do you have him play big, top-pair minutes? Maybe he gets there during the season or eventually and the move is made then, but not to start the season. Smith was tried with McD last year with mild success, but he showed he was better on the second pair and especially with Skjei.
The depth enables AV and Lindy Ruff, once he is confirmed, to be creative. The deployments and usage should be much better with Ruff handling this aspect of the team. Initially, I could and expect to see mixing-and-matching to see which combinations work best together. Barring a trade, and I don't think any of us would be shocked if Holden or Graves are moved to try and get a forward. Staal going is likely a pipe dream, due to his salary and years remaining. If nothing happens. look for the six plus ADA mentioned above to be the seven taken forward. The team could go with eight to open the year, depending on what other moves are made, but that's not an optimal use of talent. During the season, it wouldn't surprise me if Pionk or Bereglazov or Graves or Zborovskiy or Glmour each got a cup of coffee, same maybe with Day at the end of the year, if he plays for Hartford. The logjam will need to be relieved, so look for some form of trade before September or after the season begins.
I will get into the forward depth, or lack thereof as of now, and goaltenders in another blog. While each have taken hits this off-season, the hope has to be the betterment of the defense will offset the declines in each of those areas. The depth on the blue line should enable a trade to be made to improve the forwards and if need be, backup goalie, especially since there isn't and won't be room for all of them. GM Jeff Gorton has had a solid off-season to date, converting that defensive depth into plugging the holes up front will be his next challenge/remit.
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