New York Rangers: The Power-Play Will Re-Gain Power
The New York Rangers’ power-play has been disastrous lately. Many are questioning whether or not it will ever return to form, which is a silly line of thinking. The power-play will be fine soon enough.
It happens every season, more than once a season. It happens to every team, not just the New York Rangers. Put together a quintet of Connor McDavid-Sidney Crosby-Patrick Kane-Erik Karlsson-Alexander Ovechkin and it would still happen.
Power-plays go through slumps.
However major or minor the slump, slumps happen. Teams have two minutes to get the puck in the net. Bounces don’t go their way, pucks hit posts, defenses play better than ever. There are so many factors working against teams trying to get the puck in the net in a two minute window.
The Rangers’ struggles are not unique, nor are they anything to freak out about.
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It Happens to Everyone
Think the Rangers’ power-play struggles are unique? Think again. The best teams in the league go through the same struggles on an annual basis.
Let’s start with the Rangers.
December 23, 2016– Rangers Power Play Struggles
May 5, 2015– Rangers Power Play Continues to Struggle
October 29, 2014– On the Rangers’ Anemic Power Play
We can go on and on, but the point is the Rangers have been through this before. Every time they have come out and gotten back on their feet. By nature, power-plays are streaky. It’s the same as when Rick Nash goes ten games without a goal then scores goals in five consecutive games. Hockey is a game of streaks.
Don’t believe us? Think it’s only the Rangers? Well.
February 19, 2017– Penguins Point to Power Play as Pitiful
October 29, 2015– Penguins’ Punchless Power Play Struggling
December 1, 2016-Power Play Struggles Continue for Capitals
January 29, 2014– Kings 0-18 on Power Play
We all know how that went for the Kings, don’t we? (But we wish we didn’t.)
The point is, every team goes through the same struggles. The real question is whether or not the talent is there to get out of the struggles.
The Talent Is There
Yes, the talent is there for the Rangers. New York has too many power-play options if anything. With Adam Clendening in the lineup, here are potential power-play options for the Rangers:
Adam Clendening, Kevin Hayes, Chris Kreider, Ryan McDonagh, J.T. Miller, Rick Nash, Brandon Pirri, Matt Puempel, Brady Skjei, Brendan Smith, Derek Stepan, Jimmy Vesey, Mika Zibanejad, Mats Zuccarello.
That’s 14 players for 10 spots. If you remove Pirri and Puempel, the Rangers still have 12 strong candidates for 10 spots, not including Pavel Buchnevich in the equation.
Alain Vigneault must work to find the right fits within those 12-14 options, but having 12-14 options is reason enough to be confident.
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The Rangers power-play will be fine. And when they are not fine again, give them time again. There’s no need to worry this season about the power-play.