The Rangers limp home following a Western Canada trip that saw them lose all three games in damaging fashion. While you know I am pretty even keeled and don't believe in getting too high or too low, the myriad of mistakes cannot be ignored. It's why I got into a little bit of a Twitter argument Saturday night after the loss to Calgary.
To keep saying that this team is too good not to rebound and to just keep calling their issues a 'slump' ignores the issues that exist. In addition, while it maybe true that this team will rebound and play like we expect them to, at what point does several weeks, maybe 4-6, move from a slump to the norm? What happens if it really is what you see is what you will get moving forward and that expected or hoped for 180-degree doesn't happen?
Where to start?
- the defense has been a joke at best. Players out of position. Two d-men going to cover behind the net leaving the front of the net open. Misplacing 2-on-1, which arose at times because of a bad play in the offensive or neutral zone. The gaps within the d-zone are so wide a semi can be driven through it with ease. Six defenseman who appear to have no clue on how to play or play off one another and look like they have never skated together before rather than being teammates.
- the best two defense men lately have been Dylan McIlrath and Dan Boyle. McIlrath, for his steady play in his own zone, and Boyle as the only one able to create chances but also decent defensively. Out of the other four, Kevin Klein isn't counted because he is hurt, it's almost impossible to pick a worst one. Ryan McDonagh has been lousy and not solely because he is playing with Dan Girardi, whose regression continues at an alarming quick rate. Marc Staal has reverted to playing like a d-man who knows nothing about spacing or coverage while Keith Yandle has mixed decent offense at times with bonehead plays, as we saw Saturday night when his giveaway resulted in the first goal. That giveaway removed all the momentum the Rangers and started the team on his downward path.
- who is your top pairing? What about your second pairing? Based on the play of the above, it's almost impossible to figure out. Plus with Klein out and the minimal cap space, no one is getting promoted to come to their rescue, not that Chris Summers, who would be the likely candidate for a call up fits that bill. Maybe Brady Skjei is worth a look, as we have said a lot, but that doesn't appear to be a forthcoming move.
- evidence of the defensive issues can be seen in goals allowed. While that's not the complete story, it highlights the existing issues, which in the past was marked by the bailout play or Henrik Lundqvist and Antti Raanta. As written in the NY Post: 'New York has allowed three or more goals in nine of their last 16 games, including four or more in five, after having surrendering three or more in only two of the first 15, and as many on four in one.' That prior sentence is a pretty good indicator just how bad the D has been.
- up front, it's a mish-mash of players. A few have elevated their games, others have recently rebounded from slumps while too many are passengers on the bus. In the past, AV loved to roll four lines, lately, they are lucky to have two lines they can roll with any sort of confidence. When Derek Stepan out, we hoped that the team could survive his absence with a few stepping up. Now, it's even more apparent just how valuable he is.
- in terms of passengers, the bottom two lines may have monthly bus passes, given how frequently they have been there. Viktor Stalberg got off to a decent start but lately he has shown why he was bought out of his long term deal. Dominic Moore and Jarret Stoll have been very up-and-down, struggling with who is the center and who is the winger on that fourth line. Emerson Etem cannot continuously crack the lineup, even with Stepan out. JT Miller has been more engaged lately but his offense has yet to really materialize while Jesper Fast's proven that he is decent third or fourth liner but not someone who can score.
- even the top two lines have not been immune to the poor play. Rick Nash's offense has come and gone but in the past, he usually was defensively responsible. Recently, as Brooks points out, he has been lousy away from the puck and defensively. The only player who has remained relatively responsible defensively on the top line has been Mats Zuccarello, but he too has had lapses. Derick Brassard and AV have a love-hate relationship, as AV believes Brassard has more to give, which has only been seen occasionally.
- Chris Kreider has failed to take that next expected step while Kevin Hayes has left us and the coaching staff wondering what happened to the fine play we saw his rookie year. Kreider, even when he does something good, then makes a stupid mistake. Same with Hayes, whose issues have also been failing to go north-south but playing east-west. In addition, his defensive zone coverage has been a rumor at best. Oscar Lindberg, the new second line center, has been the best of the bunch but to have expected him to keep up his early season scoring pace was a fallacy.
- it's easy to say we wish Carl Hagelin and Martin St. Louis were still here. Hagelin's presence on the puck created scoring chances but more importantly, kept the opponents pinned deep preventing chances. As Larry Brooks wrote, St. Louis, despite struggling offensively last year, was still responsible defensively and in the right place for the overall playing style structure. Plus, as Brooks points out, each were top-six or nine wingers. But neither are here now - and unless the Rangers and MSL think a late-season return would make sense, which it might - they aren't coming back. So they need to figure out how to make what's currently there work a lot better than it is.
- the most damaging aspects of their poor play lately has been the lack of confidence and let down after rallying. Wednesday night, New York tied the game at 1, 30 seconds later, Danie Sedin scored following more horrific own zone coverage. Friday night, NY rallied twice from two goal deficits to tie. They allowed a goal 18 seconds into the third. Then after tying it at five, Taylor Hall scored the game-winner 12 seconds later following another bonehead breakdown. Saturday, up 1-0 and in control, Yandle had his turnover and it was 1-1. Instead of rebounding, Girardi's soft cross ice pass - though I also blame McDonagh for skating backwards towards the far boards rather than coming towards the pass - resulted in a 2-on-1 goal against 17 seconds later.
Mistake after mistake after mistake. Not just physical but even worse, mental ones, which is the sign of a team not thinking on the ice but also one lacking on confidence. It's almost like they play expecting something to go wrong. In addition, you can't help but wonder if the trust factor that existed in the past has eroded or is completely lost. This is where the coaching staff and AV has to keep spirits up as high as possible. The blown games Friday and Saturday could have easily been galvanizing wins but key mistakes reared their ugly head up once again.
Where is the leadership in the locker room? This is not a young team. Has the absence of MSL had such a huge impact? Would it be different if Stepan was there and not injured? Where are McDonagh and Nash etc. to help settle the mood and get everyone on the same page. Beyond the wins and losses, getting everyone on the same page, on- and off-the-ice may be the team's biggest challenge.
So what to do?
Defensively. Maybe play McDonagh with McIlrath. While that's a major stretch for a player who wasn't even counted on as a sixth defenseman, he deserves a chance to see if he can fill that role. Girardi has to be moved down a pair or two. With Klein out and the inability or unwillingness to promote anyone, what we see is what we will get. G should be on the third pair. Pair him with Yandle, which creates it own set of issues, or with Boyle, which results in a pairing of aging and aged. You can't put Staal and G together as they would be possession nightmares and offensive ciphers. To me, go G and Yandle with Staal and Boyle and pray that it works out until Klein returns.
Offensively, keep the big line together. Breaking up Nash-Brassard-Zucc creates other issues. The Rangers comebacks Friday and Saturday came after lines were juggler and combinations altered, so expect more of that if the struggles continue. Play Lindberg with Kreider and Miller. Without a better option, put Hayes back at center between Etem and Fast. Have Stoll with Moore and Glass on the fourth line. It's survival mode until Stepan returns or the team is willing/able to promote someone like Tambellini - thought putting Stepan on LTIR to free up despite impact down the road would be an option - to give him a shot. If not Tambellini, go with Brian Gibbons or Jayson Megna, possibly instead of Stoll or scratch Stoll for Stalberg.
After a 16-3-2 start, the Rangers are 2-6-2 in their last 10. The issues I highlighted above appear no closer to resolution. Plus those issues existed during the hot streak but they were masked by the wins. Changes need to be made and quickly before it really go south, even more so that recently as the team is now third in the division.