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New York Rangers: Top five players to disappoint in the playoffs

By Timothy Haggerty

Apr 29, 2017; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) celebrates his third goal scored in the third period of game two in the second round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Rangers at Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 29, 2017; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) celebrates his third goal scored in the third period of game two in the second round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Rangers at Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports /
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#3: Marc Staal

Dec 1, 2016; Buffalo, NY, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal (18) against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 1, 2016; Buffalo, NY, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal (18) against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports /

Marc Staal is just one part of a Rangers defense that overall suffered in the playoffs. He wasn’t the weakest link among the blueliners, but he certainly was far from the best.

Staal didn’t contribute at all on offense as he was held pointless in the playoffs. However, that is considered normal for Staal as he isn’t known to dominate the box score by any means.

Where Staal lacked was in his own end playing defense. Maybe it was his partner, maybe it was the Senators, maybe it was Alain Vigneault putting him the wrong situations, but Staal was bad a lot of the time.

Staal was a -1 for the playoffs which looks a lot better than it was. He was on the ice for some of the worst goals of the playoffs and never seemed to be in the right place.

Whether Staal couldn’t find his groove or if he is just this bad, he needed to be a lot better if the Rangers wanted a chance.

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