New York Rangers’ Systematic Madness Burying the Team

Ask yourself the following questions regarding the Rangers:

Do the New York Rangers have skill? Are the skill players performing below expectations? How many of them are? Are the Rangers playing Rangers hockey, or Canadiens hockey?

The answers should be: yes, the Rangers have skill. Yes, the skill players are performing below expectations. Nearly all of them are, except for perhaps Rick Nash. The Rangers are playing Montreal Canadiens hockey.

So what does that mean? If an entire team is struggling, the blame must fall on the coach. There is no way Michael Grabner, Kevin Hayes, Chris Kreider, J.T. Miller, Derek Stepan, Jimmy Vesey, Mika Zibanejad, and Mats Zuccarello all forgot how to play to the best of their ability at once.

Alain Vigneault can blame Kreider, or perhaps he can switch to a different player in regards to game three, but that doesn’t change the fact that everyone is struggling. The Rangers own far too talented of a roster for them to be shut down like this. Onto the next question.

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New York….Canadiens?

The Rangers are not playing New York Rangers hockey. Last post-season the Pittsburgh Penguins boasted a better roster than the Rangers, but the Rangers hurt themselves by playing Pittsburgh Penguins hockey. They could not match their brand, and quickly fell in the series.

This year, Alain Vigneault has proven he learned nothing from the experience. The Montreal Canadiens want to play a heavy brand of hockey that prioritizes size and hitting over speed. The New York Rangers are at their best when they use a combination of speed, skill, and depth.

Rather than pushing to play Rangers hockey, Alain Vigneault sent the players on the ice to play Montreal Canadiens hockey. New York stopped going for loose pucks, instead going for big hits. Chris Kreider’s speed has become a non-factor, as the Canadiens possess the puck far too often for the Rangers to do anything.

Alain Vigneault said the following after Game Three:

While this may appear to speak to the Rangers’ depth, it actually paints a troubling picture. The only line having success this series is the line built to play the style of hockey the Canadiens like to play. Tanner Glass-Oscar Lindberg-Jesper Fast do not prioritize skill and speed, but rather banging bodies and wreaking havoc on the opposition.

However positive those contributions are, they don’t put pucks in nets, and they don’t do anything the Canadiens can’t match. Oh, and the Canadiens also have Alexander Radulov and company to play their style and provide skill.

Possession Woes:

The Rangers managed only 21 shots on net in Game Three, including only 12 in the first two periods. There was a concerning lack of scoring chances, and the team looked lost on how to generate offense.

This all stems from the team sacrificing the way they played all season to try to beat the Canadiens at their own game. Alain Vigneault has proven he does not know how to adapt, nor does he understand how to create favorable matchups.

If you click on the tweet above, you will find that the Rangers’ players believed their performance in the third period of Game Two was fine. While New York’s stars spoke in a different tune following game three, the concern remains the same.

In addition to attempting to play a different team’s style, the Rangers believe sitting back with a lead is a successful way of maintaining that lead. New York does not have interest in pushing the pace, thus showing a disinterest in best utilizing the talent they possess.

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Henrik Lundqvist isn’t getting any younger. Henrik Lundqvist deserves better. The Rangers have the skill to make a run. They must play New York Rangers hockey. If not, expect the next few games to look all too familiar.