New York Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault has received a lot of criticism this year for questionable roster moves. Amidst all this criticism, people have forgotten that Alain Vigneault is an excellent coach.
Throughout Alain Vigneault’s four seasons at the helm of the New York Rangers, he has done a lot of very good things. His record and milestones reached with the team have left a mark on the organization that shouldn’t be forgotten.
Vigneault has been on the hot seat this season because of the way he has managed the roster. He has dealt with a lot of bad press judgement.
In a broad spectrum, Vigneault hasn’t really done anything too horrible. There have been a couple of moves that have sticked out to critics.
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Clendening or Girardi/Klein?
Adam Clendening became a New York Ranger this summer. He was initially signed to fill in for injured defenseman or step up when someone needed a night off.
He has had a good year with 10 points and a +3 rating. Some people think it has been good enough that he should be playing over Dan Girardi or Kevin Klein.
Simply put, those ideas are formed because Girardi and Klein don’t pass the eye test. They have both declined in play over the last year; however they aren’t inadequate defensemen.
Girardi has 12 points and a +8 rating through 56 games, and Klein has 14 points and a +9 rating through 54 games; both are getting the job done on the stats sheet. They also both have something that Clendening does not: experience with the New York Rangers.
You can make an argument for Clendening over Girardi or Klein, but Vigneault isn’t in the wrong for going with the familiar faces that are playing a lot better than most people think.
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The Buchnevich Roller Coaster
Pavel Buchnevich was drafted in the third round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut this year and has gotten off to a great start in New York. He has eight goals and nine assists through 30 games at the NHL level.
Buchnevich has only played 30 games because of a back injury that held him out for two months and being sent to the AHL.
You can’t help Buchnevich’s back injury. Vigneault has been given a hard time about sending Buchnevich down to the AHL in recent weeks.
Sending Buchnevich down to the AHL was not a terrible idea when Vigneault did it. Buchnevich had struggled to score and it was affecting his confidence. Playing well in the AHL can do a lot to a players confidence in the NHL.
When Buchnevich was recalled after Michael Grabner and Jesper Fast got hurt, he scored in his first game back. The slap shot goal came after some hesitation with Zdeno Chara in front of him. Would he have taken that shot without that boost in confidence? Who knows.
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Tanner Glass: The ever-present debate
Most recently, Alain Vigneault called up Tanner Glass from the AHL to fill roster spots opened up by injury. Last year, Glass had just seven points and a -3 rating through 57 games. His performance did not put him at an NHL level.
Glass started this season in the AHL. He has been there until this past week when he was called up to the Rangers. A move that did not sit well among critics.
Who knows what Alain Vigneault saw in Tanner Glass, but it worked. Glass had a goal and an assist in his first game back with the Rangers against the Florida Panthers. He even received the Broadway Hat for his efforts.
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Alain Vigneault Record
Alain Vigneault has the numbers beyond this season to back up his reputation.
He has a career record of 187-102-24 with the New York Rangers. Vigneault has also won the President’s Trophy three times: once with the Rangers and twice with the Canucks. He has made the Stanley Cup Finals twice; once with the Vancouver Canucks in 2011 and once with the New York Rangers in 2014.
The 2014 Stanley Cup run was the Rangers’ first trip to the cup since they won it all in 1994. Ironically enough, against the Vancouver Canucks. That season meant a lot to the organization and the fans, despite not taking home the Stanley Cup.
Most importantly, the Rangers are currently in 6th place in the NHL. They have done so playing in the league’s most competitive division too.
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With all of that being said, the Rangers best option for head coach is Alain Vigneault, and it’s very hard to argue otherwise. He has done a great job in the past and present.