The Rangers head to Brooklyn tonight to take on the Islanders. The Isles come in off a 5-2 win against Columbus in which Brock Nelson tallied a hat trick. The Blueshirts continued their better play of late, defeating Boston 2-1 on Monday. Following Thursday's game, New York stays within the division, facing Philly on Saturday and Washington on Sunday, both of which will be on the road.
If you read the papers or the blogosphere, what we learned in the last 24 hours is Keith Yandle is pretty much a goner, either before the deadline or after the season, AV and GM Jeff Gorton have a major disconnect on personnel usage and team construction and that AV is at risk of losing the team with his decision making process as to which players are active and in the press box, otherwise known as an accountability problem. Amazingly, despite all of this negativity swirling around the team, at least some of which is likely accurate, and their struggles for nearly six weeks, the Rangers are still battling for second place in the division. The winner of Thursday's game will remain in that position.
We have spoken often about what will happen with Yandle. How AV's style doesn't suit his talent and his usage of Yandle doesn't seem to lend itself to having him here even to the end of the year. Plus, to bring him back, someone on a long term deal at major $ will most probably have to go. All that said, don't worry about after the season. Worry about if Yandle can help you advance deep into the playoffs and only deal him if you obtain assets that improve your team enough to make that run. But of course as we have seen in the past, that is not how New York normally operates.
On points 2 and 3 above, they may be 100 accurate but as we are not in the GM's office at MSG or in the locker room, it's pure speculation. Both points include around the acquisition and possible misuse of Emerson Etem as well as AV's continued use of Tanner Glass as well as Dan Girardi while Oscar Lindberg and Dylan McIlrath sit. It's hard to argue with either point, as we too share the same thoughts. However, that doesn't mean that the GM and Coach are odds of that he has lost the locker room. AV may be losing and/or angering the fanbase with these moves and the irritation level - as seen by Henrik Lundqvist's comments - may be rising but that doesn't mean the room has turned on him.
If the team continues to win, that anger and irritation may be mollified a bit. I understand why Glass is in against the Islanders since Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck are on the ice, especially if McIlrath is scratched. If G is out Thursday, then McIlrath will be in the lineup. If you want to argue that maybe Viktor Stalberg should be out, I can understand that, but off a solid game by the fourth line Monday, it's not surprising no changes are made. The only possible change is if Derick Brassard's 'maintenance day' for some reason keeps him out of the lineup Thursday, then Lindberg will be in.
But the above paragraph is a one game analysis. The overall is that AV's player usage and line combinations have been more than questionable. It's because of this that speculation is that the locker room is being lost and the coach/GM are at odds. AV has left himself not much wiggle room and eroded a lot of the good will from the past two seasons with the fanbase by deciding to play Glass and Girardi over players that many believe warrant a spot in the lineup. But what we the fanbase think matters little, it's what those in the locker room and management office think. If the team continues to play as they have the past week-plus, much of this criticism will dissipate. If not, the anger and catcalls amongst some for AV's dismissal could get louder.
I have made my views on the above well known. These arguments are almost as tiresome as the conversations we had in the past on if NY will get Rick Nash; Hank will sign an extension, Ryan Callahan will be re-signed; G and Staal will stay and so on and so on. It would be nice to be able to worry about what's happening on the ice rather than focusing on off the ice. But that comes with the territory of playing in New York.
Win Thursday, go into the weekend in second place and on a good note. This should be the focus now. Everything else is secondary.