New York Rangers’ Buchnevich Set to Return, Spark Offense

The New York Rangers have spent the better part of two months shorthanded on offense. With rookie playmaker Pavel Buchnevich on the verge of returning, among others, an offensive renaissance could be at hand.

Going into the 2016-2017 season, there was a widespread feeling that the New York Rangers had one of the shallowest prospect pools in the National Hockey League.

But shallow didn’t mean bereft of talent. Pavel Buchnevich was primed to make his North American debut, and there was certainly hype surrounding him. After scoring in the KHL at a pace comparable to Vladimir Tarasenko, Artemi Panarin, and Evgeny Kuznetsov, Buchnevich was generally regarded as the Rangers’ best prospect.

Buchnevich quickly lived up to the expectations, looking positively explosive in training camp and in the preseason while skating on a line with Chris Kreider and Ottawa transplant Mika Zibanejad. That magic carried over to the regular season, with the three of them forming a dangerous trio.

It was short-lived, though. Zibanejad broke his leg and Buchnevich had a four-game goal streak interrupted by a back injury that’s kept him out of the lineup since November. He is currently in Hartford, his back seemingly healed, playing on an unofficial conditioning stint during the Rangers’ bye week. It took Buchnevich just over a period to score his first AHL goal.

He is currently in Hartford, his back seemingly healed, playing on an unofficial conditioning stint during the Rangers’ bye week. It took Buchnevich just over a period to score his first AHL goal.

During that time, the Rangers have struggled to keep up the torrid scoring pace of the halcyon days of October. After scoring an obscene 72 goals in 17 games over the first month of the season, that pace dropped sharply: the Blueshirts have 74 goals in 25 games since.

The Power Play Will Improve

One area the Rangers have seen a noticeable impact has been on the power play. Despite carrying the league’s third-best power play percentage at above 23%, the Rangers’ PP has not been as effective at entering the zone and moving the puck once there (that percentage was greatly inflated by a stellar week against the cellar-dweller Coyotes and Avalanche).

Early in the season, with the Rangers’ PP humming along, Buchnevich saw regular time as the pivot man in the high slot. His work opened up the ice for puck movement from the low boards to up high and across to Zibanejad for one-timers.

Much Needed Depth is on the Horizon

Since his time on the shelf, the Rangers have cycled through a number of players in that position. These players include Mats Zuccarello, Brandon Pirri, and Kevin Hayes, to varying degrees of success.

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But the possibly biggest impact Buchnevich’s return could have as at even strength. Between his absence and the extended injuries to Zibanejad and Rick Nash, the Rangers are missing an entire line of offense—perhaps even an entire “top line.”

With Buchnevich back in the fold, the trickle-down effect on the lineup is impressive.

While the Rangers have been running two scoring lines and two depth lines (albeit good ones), Buchnevich’s return to the lineup brings back three scoring threats and a fourth line that contend for the “best in the league” title. Whether it’s Jensen-Pirri-Fast, or Hrivik sticks with the big club, the Rangers can boast a fourth line with punch, puck possession instincts, and the ability to chip in offense.

Meanwhile, the top three lines can come over the boards with speed, playmaking, and scoring. A third line of Jimmy Vesey-Lindberg-Buchnevich would cause opponents headaches; if Alain Vigneault decides to reunite Buchnevich with Chris Kreider, that frees up Mats Zuccarello to create space for Vesey.

Next: New York Rangers are not Last Year’s Mess

The Rangers survived the test of their offensive depth, for the most part. The return of Buchnevich to full health is a hopeful sign for the high-flying offensive days of October and early November to return.