New York Rangers’ Defensive Evaluation Lacks Logic
Uneven expectations and evaluation of defensemen have hurt the New York Rangers for years. They must recognize the talent they have (and don’t have) to play their best lineup.
For years now, the New York Rangers have had a constant struggle with assembling a competent defensive top-six. Once regarded as one of the strongest groups in the league as recently as 2012, New York now suffers on a nightly basis from lackluster defense.
However, despite this ongoing struggle, one thing has remained constant: unfair evaluation of defensive talents. Over the years, the Rangers have seen a number of their impact defensemen subject to ridicule and unfair expectations.
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Even as far back as the 2009-2010 season, New York was home to one such blueliner: Michael Del Zotto. As a rookie, Del Zotto burst into the NHL with 12 points in his first 14 games, earning Rookie of the Month honors. The future was bright.
But after a disappointing sophomore season that saw him demoted to the AHL, Del Zotto’s shine wore off.
In the era of coach John Tortorella’s blue-collar Blueshirts, Del Zotto’s non-physical, risk/reward style of play earned him reduced minutes, a lack of trust from the coach, and plenty of contempt from fans.
Nicknames like “Del Zaster” were common; jeers in the stands of Madison Square Garden rained down on the young defenseman. His every mistake in the defensive end was magnified.
In a way, it wasn’t too surprising. This was the NHL on the cusp of its acceptance of puck-moving defenseman, but there was still very much an old-school mentality at work. (Dan Girardi, a “stay-at-home” defenseman if there ever was one, was voted into the 2012 All Star Game.)
The labeling of Del Zotto as an offensive defenseman put the first nail in his coffin as a Ranger. It seems players branded thusly are held to a different standard.
Del Zotto isn’t the only Rangers defenseman to be nailed to the cross of offensive defensemen.
The continued emphasis on raw turnovers as a statistic is one such aspect.
One simple fact makes it an unreliable statistic when used at face value: if a player has the puck all the time, he has more opportunity to turn the puck over. Indeed, year-in and year-out, turnover leaders are consistently among the NHL’s elite.
For 2016-17, runaway Norris Trophy favorite and all-around dominant force Brent Burns leads the league in turnovers. In past years, P.K. Subban (2015 and 2016) and Erik Karlsson (2014) also led the NHL in giveaways. Both of those players are Norris Trophy winners. Those rewards were large part due to their skill with the puck, penchant for creating plays, and ability to control the game.
Del Zotto isn’t the only Rangers defenseman to be nailed to the cross of offensive defensemen.
Trade deadline acquisition
came to New York and quickly established himself as a skilled producer, both at even strength and on the power play. He scored points for the Rangers at a pace not seen since the days of Brian Leetch.
But again, Yandle was raked over the coals and carried a reputation as a “turnover machine” and a defensive liability, mostly because he would make occasional turnovers while attempting to force a high-level play.
Even though Yandle had some of the best underlying numbers on the team, indicating that he suppressed shots in his own zone and produced them at the other end of the rink, that reputation stuck with him.
Yandle was traded to Florida in the summer of 2016 for a measly fourth-round pick.
And now, with the Rangers’ defensive group struggling once again to perform, another talented offensive defenseman finds himself subject to unfair scrutiny.
Adam Clendening has spent the majority of the season collecting dust in the press box while players like Kevin Klein and Dan Girardi stumble and struggle through the year.
Despite Clendening’s consistency (54.27 5v5 Corsi For%, 58.33 Goals For%, 1.32 points/60 according to Corsica Hockey), his only shot at making the lineup is when injury strikes the lineup. Detractors will point, once again, to his turnovers as reasoning for this.
But the crux of the issue is this: every defenseman on the planet gives the puck away. Every defenseman makes mistakes from time to time.
So-called “defensive” defenseman do this, too—and unlike players like Del Zotto, Yandle, and Clendening, players like Dan Girardi and Kevin Klein rarely provide the offensive contributions to offset those mistakes.
Until the Rangers, and especially Vigneault, learn to evaluate defensemen on an even playing field, and hold all players accountable to their results, they’ll continue to struggle with consistency and competency.
Next: New York Rangers Forwards on Pace for Career Numbers
The fact of the matter is, the most talented players should be playing. If a player provides more value than another player, he should be rewarded with more playing time. If the goal of the game is to score more than the opponent, coaches should play the players who help you do that.
Let the misguided reputations be left behind, and let actual performance dictate lineups.