With the calendar now in August, training camp is slightly more than a month away with the season just over two months from now. Granted, still a long way to go, but three-plus months have passed since Game 7 against the Devils. An interminable wait, but we inch closer.
To help pass the time, I posted my off-season questions, a list supplemented by a few readers. Below, I have added in the links to the questions I believe we have covered already. Please take a look - and let me know if off-base and if any additional questions besides those without links - remain unanswered.
In this blog I cover question:
5) Is Filip Chytil a center or a winger? if a center, should he center the second line?
Answering this question, also covers - to a certain extent - question 13 on how the bottom-six should look. In addition, there is bleed over to question #8 on Laf, at least the first part of it. This question seemingly has been posed annually and we somehow land in the same spot. But this year might be different.
Artemi Panarin had chemistry with Ryan Strome, that was clear. He lacked similar chemistry with Vincent Trocheck, which also became more evident in the playoffs even though they were better as a duo the second half of the season. One question to be answered on the center/wing debate is if Panarin would have any sort of chemistry with Filip Chytil if he Chytil moved up to the second line center?
Chytil took a step forward last season. He showed flashes in the past but usually an injury stunted that growth, partially sending him back to square one. Chytil didn't continuously ascend in 2022-23, but he set career-highs in goals (22), assists (23), and points (45) resulting in him inking a four-year deal. I know some feel that the contract makes it easier and more likely New York will trade Chytil, which may well be the case. But for now, he is remaining on Broadway.
The current roster constitution is much stronger with Chytil and Trocheck as centers. Moving Chytil to the wing leaves a gap down the middle. Brennan Othmann and Will Cuylle, two rookies waiting in the wings, pun intended, are not centermen. Nick Bonino is better suited on the fourth line, same with Barclay Goodrow, though he is fine on the wing and not down the middle on the third trio. If Chytil is moved to the wing and Trocheck centers the second line, who is the pivot on that third line?
Vince Mercogliano tackled this topic to a certain extent when he wrote about the roster and line configurations. "There are two reasons I would consider Chytil as the 2C: 1. There are many around the league who believe Laviolette will aim to create a strong defensive matchup trio with his third line, and Trocheck is better suited for that role than Chytil; 2. With Panarin being such a pass-first player, he needs a finisher to maximize his production."
On part 1, Trocheck won 56.1% of his draws last season, Chytil 39.8%. While that alone is not a reason to make a change, if Laviolette wants a strong defensive presence on the third line, having someone who can win faceoffs - cognizant that not every win is a win or loss is a loss - in your own zone is a major plus. Goodrow is probably the right wing on that line while either Laf or Chris Kreider could line up to the left of Trocheck. This presumes Kaapo Kakko will play on the first line and Blake Wheeler the second, though Laf might get a chance at a top-six role at right wing.
The second point made by Mercogliano is the most interesting. Panarin is not a shoot-first winger. He would rather make the pass to create the goal than be the scorer. This doesn't mean he can't score but his skill set is more to dangle and create, which drew consternation by many last year and in the playoffs. A leopard doesn't change his spots, so while Panarin might modify hsi game somewhat, don't expect massive changes.
Chytil has shown in the past a willingness and desire to shoot. We saw additional signs of his solid wrist shot and speed last season, which started in the long playoff run the prior year. If Panarin will be the set up man on that second line, possibly with another shooting winger on the right side in Blake Wheeler who also likes to pass, Chytil might be the perfect middle man between the two. Chytil could take advantage of Panarin's sublime passing skills, as well as the strong dishing skills of Wheeler, resulting in a probable uptick in goals for Chytil.
What say you? Would you leave Chytil at C or move him to W? If he stays at C, is he centering the second or third line?
Top Offseason Questions:
1) Will and should Gerard Gallant be fired? Gallant fired
2) If Gallant is let go, should the Rangers target a young coach or retread? Covered here, here, here, here, here
3) Which of the team's free agents - if any - would you bring back? Free agency covered here
4) Is Jaroslav Halak the best option as the back up goalie? Covered as Jonathan Quick signed with the team he rooted for as a kid
5) Is Filip Chytil a center or a winger? if a center, should he center the second line? (see this blog)
6) Has Artemi Panarin's playoff struggles soured you on him enough that he should be dealt?
7) Any concerns that Mika Zibanajed is not a playoff performer and puts up his numbers mainly on the PP and against weaker opponents?
8) Did Alexis Lafreniere show enough 5x5 to be moved to the top-six and do you view him as a first line right winger? How many years and how much salary would you sign him to in his next contract?
9) Should New York add a veteran blueliner or try Zac Jones or Matthew Robertson as the sixth d-man? Covered as Erik Gustafsson signed with the Rangers
10) Will Brennan Othmann and/or Will Cuylle be given a REAL chance to make the squad this summer or will the Rangers opt to not rush the youngsters? Both are on their ELCs and are listed as LW. If they do make the roster, then who gets moved out? Pretty much covered in free agent signing blog. But happy to discuss it further in another blog.
11) Are the Rangers built to compete for the Stanley Cup? What about compared to Carolina or New Jersey for the division?
12) How do you want the third and/ fourth lines to look? Do they need to be a traditional bottom-six or should the third line be more of a scoring line?
13) Who would you have targeted in free agency given the minimal cap space available?
14) Is K'Andre Miller worth a long-term deal? Would you go one year and then sign him to an extension in January with the cap rising? How about a two-year deal with a $4 mil cap hit? Covered in K'Andre Miller signs two-year deal.
15) What's the biggest gap/issue with the team that needs to be fixed for them to be a true Cup contender?
16) To what extent do you think analytics should be used in roster/line/pair decisions? (Mark Weissman) Covered in Analytics vs. eye test
17) Do you think too much emphasis is put on what other orgs are doing? (by mgmt? coaches? players? fans?) (Mark Weissman) Covered here
18) What will be/should be the power play deployment based on the current roster (TJ)More to come. Covered in Who should man the PP
19) How do you want the makeup of the assistant coaches to look? Veterans? New faces? Mixture of both? (This has also already been answered with the hiring of Phil Housley, Don Mase and Michael Peca. A nice mixture of a coach that has been around a while in the NHL, one who has some but not a ton of experience and a new coach, but one who was a captain and brings recent experience to the table)
Nice piece on Ryan Lindgren, who ended up a d-man because his coach misread what position was written next to his name at tryouts for Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Sept. 2011. The rest has kind of been history. New York will have a decision to make quickly on Lindgren who will be a restricted free agent with arb rights at the end of this upcoming season. He has a $3 mil AAV and likely will be looking for a fairly significant raise.
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