New York Media Calls for the Head of the New York Rangers
Nothing leads to overreactions like an humiliating exit out of the playoffs and playing in New York only magnifies these reactions. There has been a lot of discussion recently about the New York Rangers and how they should be “blown up” or drastically changed. Even diehard Rangers fan Linda Cohn bought into this narrative after the 6-3 loss to the hands of the Penguins on Saturday.
Blow up the core. https://t.co/T0gTBzsbfX
— Linda Cohn (@lindacohn) April 23, 2016
I get it. Hockey is an emotional sport and everything gets ramped up when a fierce rival is blowing you out of the building, but this is a core that has been pretty successful over the last two years, capping off each season with deep postseason runs.
This year, well, not so much, and head coach Alain Vigneault is taking a lot of the heat for failing to adjust to the Penguins in those final two games. That is criticism that he deserves, but let’s not forget how he’s turned this franchise into a bonafide Stanley Cup contender immediately on arrival. A lot of fans have short memories. I am not one of those fans, so allow me to briefly recap.
The AV Era in New York
His first full season as head coach saw a run to the Stanley Cup Final, where the New York Rangers lost in 5 games to the Los Angeles Kings. You would think losing 4-1 in a series meant a landslide, but all three games in Los Angeles were won in overtime by the Kings (two in double overtime no less!). The Rangers barely trailed in those games. Only in game 5 did they face a deficit in LA, which was for only a period and a half. And let’s not forget (or forget, if it still pains you) this momentous no call:
If there were coach’s challenges, you sure as heck better believe Vigneault would have used his and won, as the NHL admitted months later that this was indeed goaltender interference, breaking my heart again (better late than never, NHL, jeez). Despite the heartbreaking loss, it was a huge step forward for a franchise looking to bring the Cup home for the first time since 1994. There was a renewed hope amongst the fans and organization. A buzz about what could be.
The next season brought a new confidence as well. The New York Rangers surged in the second half of the season en route to the team’s 3rd Presidents’ Trophy. Unlike the previous postseason, they were the favorite. The pressure was high, both due to the run the previous year and the great regular season the team was coming off of. Unfortunately, they were knocked out by the Tampa Bay Lightning in game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final. But again, this team was close.
Which brings us to the 2015/2016 season, where the Rangers rocketed to an incredible 16-3-2 start. It was like they were waiting all summer to get going. However, the rest of the season was clearly up and down, plagued with inconsistent play, especially in the defensive zone. And not to mention an awful penalty kill, which was an area that has been a strength for the squad in recent years. They were under 80% for the first time since 2003/2004, the last year before the lockout.
Ultimately, what made this loss sting the most was the performance of the team in the previous years. The belief that they could do it. The determination to come back from a 3-1 deficit in each of the previous two postseasons. They have been right there and the expectations get higher and with higher with each coming year. But as Lundqvist gets a year older, fans sense the urgency of this “win now” period this team is in and want excellence. Dammit, they demand it.
AV Introduces a New Style of Play
I gave you that long recap to point out the highs that this team has had with these core players and touched on the success Vigneault has brought to this team. This, in turn, led to something else that was missing before his arrival: expectations. Now there are huge expectations of winning a Cup, so any loss is unacceptable. The Rangers have turned into New York’s version of the Yankees (oh, wait, the Yankees still think they are “win or bust” mode?). When the stakes are this high, defeats like this are all the more apparent.
Along with the higher expectations, Vigneault also brought a different style of play, one that is a dramatic shift from the grinding, behind the net approach John Tortorella brought to the team, which wore down the players. This was most notable in that 2012 Eastern Conference Final against the Devils, where the players looked gassed by the middle of that series. Following a second round exit the next year, Tortorella was fired and Vigneault was brought in and provided immediate dividends.
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He brought a style that upped tempo, without having to pay a huge physical toll on players. It is this style that has made this team what it is today and people should not overlook the fact that he made a team that struggled mightily to score into one of the league’s best offenses. And with Henrik Lundqvist in net, they were able to play more open. Here is a break down of their GF%/GA% over the last few seasons:
2011/12: 2.71/2.22
2012/13: 2.63/2.25
2013/14: 2.61/2.32
2014/15: 3.02/2.28
2015/16: 2.84/2.62
As you see, it took a year, but once the players learned the system they hit another level. A level that did not hinge on one man, Henrik Lundqvist, to get them to the playoffs. The weight was divided much more evenly. This new style of play led to the progression of guys like Derek Stepan and Derick Brassard, who have shown a great ability to move the puck, and have been solid point producers under Vigneault. J.T. Miller took a huge step forward this season as well, but the player most affected by this change is fan favorite Mats Zuccarello, a player Tortorella never gave the light of day.
Next: New York Rangers, A Season That Could Have Been
With Vigneault, Zuccarello has turned into one of the Rangers most important offensive players. His scary injury in the last postseason was a major blow in a return to the Cup Final, but thankfully he made a full recovery and had his best year to date this past season. After playing in 42 games in his rookie year back in 2010/11, he only played in 25 games over the next two seasons combined. In the three seasons with Vigneault, Zuccarello has had 59, 49, and 61 point seasons. Solid production from the diminutive Norwegian.
Overall, yes, this season was a disappointment. Getting knocked out at any stage is a disappointment. Both the players and coaches were to blame for their quick exit. The errors and miscues were aplenty and were compounded by the fact that they were playing the Penguins, the NHL’s hottest (and in my opinion best) team in the opening round. An unlucky draw, but one that served its purpose, opening the eyes to some holes that need fixing. This is the first real trouble Vigneault has been in and he deserves the chance to fix it. Changes will be made. Their roster will be tinkered with. And come next season, the New York Rangers will be once again eyeing a Cup victory. Or at least that’s what I hope. The great thing about sports is that there is always next season, and Vigneault has done enough to make me believe that next year is the year.
What do you think? Has Alain Vigneault earned enough for you? Or has this team peaked under him?