The Rangers completed what was a lost weekend - if fact, a lost season to date - by dropping a 3-2 decision to New Jersey on Saturday. Coupled with a 3-1 loss to Columbus on Friday, New York fell to 1-5 on the season. That sound you hear is the increasing clarion call and drumbeats to fire coach Alain Vigneault. I am not fully there yet but his head-scratching decisions and the team's listless play is making it harder and harder to defend him.
Years ago under coach John Tortorella, the Rangers had an identity as a blue-collar, lunch-pail, will work you for 60 minutes team. Following his firing, the team started to transition to a squad built on speed and puck-possession. For those aspects to work, the team construction must allow that to be the case. Right now, it's either the team is poorly to put together, the coaching is sub-optimal or both. It's hard to separate which it is and that falls on both GM Jeff Gorton and Vigneault and also to Glen Sather, who was initially responsible for putting together the roster.
AV right now is searching for answers, because nothing is working. The offense has been MIA for most of the season, save for the second period against Toronto. You could argue that the team has had no puck luck but the Rangers are not making their own breaks at all nor forcing opponents into mistakes. It's almost become easy playing against New York. While I am not an advocate of the need ti have an enforcer, who on this squad can change the momentum of a game with a big hit? Maybe Chris Kreider, but that's not really his game. It's one reason I wanted Daniel Winnik because you know he is not afraid to drop the gloves or more importantly, deliver a bit hit to change the tone of a game.
The blender approach to line combinations and defensive pairings has been an abject failure. It's almost to create chemistry when you don't play with the same players at least on a semi-regular basis. However, I do understand why AV has made the changes, because other than the KZZ line, early on, the remainder of the offense has been in the witness protection program. You could argue that Varlamov, Hutton, Bobrovsky and Kinkaid stole games for their respective teams. However, that's far from a murderers row of netminders, yet, each of them were able to stone New York. When you shoot the puck at the crest of the goalies jersey, I don't care how many shots you get, you are unlikely to score. The lack of creativity in the offensive end has been staggering and that gets into team construction, which falls under Gorton's purview.
A bigger concern is the team's failure to put forth 100% effort or appear ready to play nightly, which falls on the coach. This isn't a new issue, but one that has been seen far to often during AVs tenure. This mirrors AV's line after Friday's game of "we are not playing 60 minutes." As a professional, you maybe shouldn't need to get up for each game. But when slow starts are the norm rather than the exception, then you look to look at the coach. It's either the lineup, the game plan, the coach's inability to get the most from his players, a failure to adjust to game situations, or in this case, all of the above, which is the worst possible answer (as RangerSaver noted).
Kevin Shattenkirk was brought in to pair with Ryan McDonagh and also run the PP. Now, as Old School #6 wrote and we spoke about, based on the Anthony DeAngelo acquisition, it's fairly clear, NY did not expect to sign 'Kirk or why get another puck-moving d-man? Especially since the team has signed Neal Pionk and was to re-sign Brendan Smith, creating a logjam. That's on Gorton, but NY's failure to play McD and 'Kirk together enough this pre-season is on AV and Lindy Ruff. No chemistry was built then, which was the time for it, and now, the team is paying for it.
OldSchool added: There is no cohesion among the forward lines., which may be way, as AV said, "every line seems to have one guy fighting it." They're forcing AV's up tempo offense, much too much separation, especially through center ice. Also, please stop passing the puck to a stationary forward just inside the blue line. Its not working seldom does. To me, the failure to get through the neutral zone and own zone play are the biggest issues. Teams are preventing the home run pass, which was a staple of last year's offense. The inability to adjust falls on AV because you would think quick passing would neutralize that strategy and create chances.
Way too many passengers. Is that evidence that the talent was overrated and really not as good as we thought or just a slow start? Kevin Hayes got his first goal Friday but other than that, he has been invisible or making poor plays leading to goals against, like on the game-winner yesterday. Rick Nash scored his first Saturday but the takes an ill-advised elbowing penalty on Nico Hischier. J.T. Miller has bounced from wing to center and back, failing to produce at either spot. Michael Grabner, save for a shorthanded breakaway the other name, has made no impact, which is only mildly surprising, as we expected a regression just not one this quick. Besides the top line, which has sagged lately as well, who has played well? David Desharnais? I think not. Jimmy Vesey? Not evenly remotely close. Mats Zuccarello? Likely the best of the remaining bunch, but he hasn't been consistent, as four of his five points came in the 8-5 loss to Toronto. Paul Carey hasn't been horrible on the fourth line, but he isn't making a difference. In addition, from the group, who will step up to make a play or turn the tide in a game? No one, which is a major part of the issue.
The blueline is a wreck. Even playing seven defensemen isn't working. McDonagh has had four pairmates in six games, that's ridiculous. Stick with one and let then build chemistry. By the way, it shouldn't be DeAngelo, because his defensive issues show up game after game and are not offset by his offensive ability. Saturday, he failed to step up to pick up Adam Henrique in the slot - though part of that was due to poor forward play - boom, tie game. Later, he failed to clear the puck, putting it softly to an open area while taking a hit and that led to Miles Wood's deflection goal. Lastly, his retaliation cross-check on Nico Hischier, after he was cross-checked in the back, which went uncalled, resulted in Drew Stafford's goal.
Not all of the blue line ills are on ADA, as his teammates haven't been much better. McDonagh looks like a shell of his former self, as he too has been less than secure with the puck or is his play. 'Kirk has yet to settle in. His defensive woes are exceedingly apparent, which hasn't been aided by the pair shifting and lack of chemistry on the ice. Smith was benched earlier this season for his failings and scary to say, Marc Staal may be the most consistent blueliner so far. Is that due to his better than expected play or drop off from every other d-man? Brady Skjei hasn't been immune to the poor play, which is a bit surprising after his fine rookie campaign and Nick Holden isn't the answer, nor is Steven Kampfer. But, again, is this due to the talent or lack thereof or system or both? Right now, it's hard to separate.
The NY Post game recap sums up a lot of what I said in just two paragraphs. Read between the lines and it's apparent that all the above is true. It's also why that if a turnaround doesn't occur soon, something dramatic will happen, either a trade or shakeup behind the bench.
The Rangers were clearly the better team for the opening 25 minutes, the more active, aggressive, and in tune unit. They were more physical, more defensively responsible. They had the game’s first seven shots and 13 of the first 14. They scored first, too, on Rick Nash’s first goal of the season.
It was at that point, the first of six meetings between the Hudson River Rivals tilted — in the Devils’ favor. The light switch had been flipped off again, the Rangers again playing uninspired, sloppy hockey. There was little of an attack to speak of, more missed assignments and too many giveaways. They had just five shots on goal over the span of 34 minutes, from the end of the first period to midway through the third. The power play remained powerless, 0-for-3 on Saturday and now 1-for-14.
The clock may be ticking on AV's tenure as coach, regardless of the extension he signed earlier this year. The fanbase has their pitchforks and torches ready. Unless the team rights the ship soon, management may not be far behind. To be clear, I am not advocating that this type of move be made. But if the season continues to spiral downward, usually the coach is the easiest scapegoat, which will likely be the case here.
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