New York Rangers’ Speed Counteracting Defensive Woes

One aspect that has made the 2016-17 New York Rangers roster so dangerous has been the speed the roster contains.

While it is no question that former Rangers teams have looked to use speed as one of its most vital characteristics, this season, it is part of what led to their hot start and what has allowed them to maintain some consistency.

Changes to the roster this offseason by Rangers GM Jeff Gorton completely changed the definition of the word “speed” on the ice for the Rangers.

The Rangers are a speed first team. This has been both a positive and a negative for them this season.

The Offense

The Rangers thrive in what is perhaps the most vital area to have speed. Their play on the offensive end of the ice has made them one of the most dangerous teams in the league this season.

Eleven of the Rangers 30 players on the roster last season were over the age of 30, and now that number has been reduced to four. Regardless of how youthful your older members play, young talent can jumpstart and offense. The additions of Pavel Buchnevich and Jimmy Vesey are perhaps the two most talked about since they are rookies that have made a big impact.

Now in the heart of the season, these young players have helped veteran forwards grow. Though they have not fully developed, their raw talent and speed in transition is something that has been vital to the Rangers offensive success.

The addition of Mika Zibanejad visibly made an impact during the hot start to the Rangers season. He has established himself as a worthy younger replacement for Derek Brassard. He not only managed to find chemistry with Buchnevich and Chris Kreider earlier in the season but also has proven he can generate opportunity anywhere on the roster scoring two goals in his first game back from his injury.

The most important thing the Rangers have done this year is they have built on the foundation of the young players they had last season.

Rangers’ veteran forwards like Rick Nash, Chis Kreider and J.T. Miller have been especially important to generating scoring opportunities this season. Kevin Hayes, who was nearly invisible last season, has had a breakout and has established himself as perhaps the most important playmaker on the Rangers roster.

The Defense

The Rangers offense is where their speed is a blessing, but when it comes to their defense, it has been much more complicated. The root of many of the Rangers’ issues as of late have been out in the defensive zone.

This season, Vigneault has been running the offense out of the defensive end. While this was effective in the first few games of the season, as time has gone on, it has become more of a burden. The Rangers have been relying on their goaltender Henrik Lundqvist more than they should be, especially since he has had ups and downs through the first half of the season.

Both Ryan McDonagh and Brady Skjei have been the most solid blueliners through the first half of the season. They are similar in style of play – good puck handlers and skaters that can make plays through the neutral zone and can use their speed to infiltrate their opponents’ end.

However, in this regard, almost every other Rangers defenseman falls short. The one exception is perhaps Adam Clendening who has played well the games he has started in Marc Staal’s absence.

The most pertinent issue is that the Rangers have not been able to sustain this type of play. While this was at first the most threating aspect of their game, it is now one of their biggest weaknesses.

Part of the issue is that the team cannot generate offense coming out of their own zone in the same way they were able to early in the season. Because of this, they are spending more time in their own zone and are only making it more difficult to prevent goals against.

Looking Ahead

In the short term, the Rangers need to consider options to boost their performance on the power play, which has struggled recently. In the last four games, they are 0-for-14 after Alain Vigneault replaced Brandon Pirri with Vesey and moved Miller down to the second unit.

Looking further down the road, what Rangers need most is a solid top four defenseman that can keep up with McDonagh. While Skjei has proven that he could potentially be a match for the Rangers captain, if the Rangers manage to land someone who could fit in the top two, he might be better utilized in the second or third pair in order to give the Rangers more depth.

While the team needs to seriously consider a move for a defenseman, it is important they don’t force a trade. The team cannot afford to trade their core players, in an effort to sustain growth.

Next: The 5 Worst Defenseman Henrik Lundqvist Has Ever Played With

A decision like this will likely not be able to be made until this summer. In the coming months, the Rangers need to decide what defines their core and who they are willing to depart with in order to take a step towards more balance.