The Rangers headed out today for the start of their four game road trip, the first three of which are in Western Canada. Accompanying that trip are line and defensive pairing changes driven off the team's recent less than optimal play, capped by a poor performance Tuesday against Vancouver. More important, however, may be the mental status of Chris Kreider, who today (seen in the NY Post) expressed his dissatisfaction with sitting for stretches in Tuesday's contest.
Coach Alain Vigneault sat Kreider and Jimmy Vesey for broad swathes in the loss to the Canucks. It was the second time in four games that he made each the whipping boy. AV could have sat several others, including Mike Zibanejad, whose play has leveled off after a string start, but instead decided to have CK20 and Vesey ride the pine.
Kreider today admitted that he could have been better but also noted that he felt his strong start should have bought him a longer leash. Prior to his neck injury, CK20 was on a roll. He looked like the prototypical power forward we all hoped and believed he could be. Since he has returned, that level of play and production haven't been there. In fact, Kreider has gone seven straight without a goal after scoring one in each of the first three games. Part of that may be due to Zib's struggled while part also may be due to Pavel Buchnevich getting moved off his line after he returned from injury. Kreider said:
“But I think that when you’re working hard and doing the correct things in the defensive zone, but maybe the flow isn’t quite there offensively, it would be nice to be able to get the opportunity to work through that.…“We’ve been a little disjointed, we’re not coming out of our end as well, we’ve been doing a lot of doubling back. When you’re not coming out cleanly, no matter how fast your lineup is, you’re not going to be fast. Did we look fast the last few games? No.
“For my part, it all goes back to the things I’ve talked about over and over. It’s playing on instinct, using my size and speed, and doing the things that a power forward is expected to do,… he said. “I think I’ve been good on the defensive side. Offensively, I’ve got to come down through the neutral zone, get the puck in behind the D and then get in on the forecheck and go into the corner shoulder-to-shoulder where I’m using my speed and my physicality.
“At the start of the year I was doing that all the time. I was playing instinctually. Now maybe there’s too much running through my mind. I’ve got to get back to focusing on the things I can control and allowing my strengths to permeate my game from one end of the rink to the other.…
“I can’t be deferring. I’ve got to be accountable, put the onus on myself and go with it. And that’s what I am going to do.…
Hard to argue with any of what he said. He realizes he needs to be better and knows what's required for him to be there. In addition, he doesn't throw anyone under the bus but asks for leeway in terms of remaining on the ice to figure it out. AV should have benched Zib. In fact, there were several who could have sat Tuesday but he made an example of Kreider and Vesey. Each of them deserved to sit but I also agree that Kreider, given his hot start, which was interrupted by injury, deserved a chance to figure it out.
For those suggesting AV could eventually lose his job if he continues to bench those two players, if the team doesn't rebound, then yes he will. But it won't be because he benched them, it will be because the team as a whole struggled. AV is making the team accountable, which is an area of weakness the past two years and one we all felt needed to be addressed. So you can't criticize him for doing so. You can however disagree with who he singled out, which I do, but a coach can't sit everyone. Plus given CK20's reaction, on paper at least, it looks like the move worked.
At practice today, the forward lines were: 89-93-36; 20-21-61; 26-13-10: 40-73-19. Kreider to second line, where he reunited with Stepan and Nash, who he played with in 2014-15. Zuccarello to first line. I think we call the top trio the BuZZ line. If this shake up doesn't work, look for Zuccarello and Kreider to swap spots, restoring the lines from the beginning of the year. Grabner moves to the fourth line with the kid line together on the third trio. AV will. Are his final decision on if these pairings stay together following his watching of the Flames-Stars game on Thursday.
On the blue line, Skjei is now on the right of Staal. Holden to the left with Klein, as those duos are moved around. McD stays with Girardi, who has had a rebound year to date. I know the advanced metrics show Holden has struggled on zone exits and maybe Adam Clendening should play, but I don't have an issue with Holden remaining in the lineup. Since he has been moved down twice, first when G came back and now for Skjei, if he does struggle, look for Clendening to play. Regardless, with back-to-back contests upcoming Saturday and Sunday, I expect Clendening to play one of those two games.