New York Rangers Forwards Comparison: Brandon Pirri or Matt Puempel
The New York Rangers undeniably have a talented group of forwards. Let’s take a moment to look at two of them, in particular; Brandon Pirri and Matt Puempel. Both currently play on the fourth line, however, their play throughout the season at even-strength and on the power play will be brought to light here. Which player has provided more to this point?
It’s the final stretch of the regular season now for the New York Rangers. Just like them, every team is vying for that coveted playoff spot to compete for the glorious prize of the Stanley Cup.
One of the main reasons the New York Rangers are able to differentiate themselves from other teams this season is because of players such as Pirri and Puempel. They are both productive fourth liners that allow the Rangers to consistently roll four lines. Which one of them has brought more to the table so far? Let’s find out!
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Brandon Pirri:
Pirri has played in 53 games this season as of March 2nd. In those contests, he has recorded eight goals and ten assists for a combined total of 18 points. He also has three game-winning goals on the season, a respectable number.
At even-strength, Pirri has only three goals. This shows that he is better suited to play the power play, where he has five goals and four assists. It is vital that Alain Vigneault realizes this and plays him where his true ability can be evident and most helpful for the team.
New York Rangers
One negative about Pirri is his +/- rating, where he (as of March 2nd) is a -6 on the year. The team, as a whole tend to have solid +/- ratings, so that is definitely something he has to work on.
Matt Puempel:
Puempel has participated in only 34 games this season. This is partially due to missing some time because of a concussion sustained in a game against the Islanders. He has registered eight points, including six goals and two assists.
On the power play, Puempel has claimed three goals, along with three assists. This means that six of his eight points are on the man-advantage situation.
However, the important thing to remember here is that all three of those power play goals came in the same game. Puempel helped the Rangers to a 6-3 defeat of the Colorado Avalanche to end the 2016 calendar year. This is also where he got his one game-winning goal of the season. Also, his +/- rating is worse than Pirri’s (-9).
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In conclusion, it is fair to say that Pirri has been the better player of the two this season. Puempel deserves the benefit of the doubt because he is about two years younger than Pirri and has therefore played in less games. However, as of this season, Pirri is the more productive of the two, and the Rangers could use some elevated play by Puempel to help them keep their four lines rolling.