New York Rangers: Optimizing the opening night lines
Taking a look at how Alain Vigneault should organize the Rangers’ opening night lines.
It’s been a long offseason, but here at Blue Line Station we are happy to finally be pivoting into preseason mode. Expect a lot of preseason content in the next month, and soon enough we will be covering preseason New York Rangers games. Exciting!
With that in mind, it appears like the Rangers’ roster is set for the most part. Though the belief here is that the team still should make a move for a top six center, we will have to wait and see on that.
Moving forward under the belief that the roster will not change, let’s kick off the preseason by looking at the optimal lines for Alain Vigneault to deploy.
The Lines
Chris Kreider-Mika Zibanejad-Pavel Buchnevich
Rick Nash-Kevin Hayes-Mats Zuccarello
J.T. Miller-Lias Andersson-Jesper Fast
Michael Grabner-David Desharnais-Jimmy Vesey
The First Line
Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, and Pavel Buchnevich played together for a good portion of last season. Kreider and Zibanejad were magical together from the start, while Buchnevich served as a solid complementary piece to the pair.
As Buchnevich looks to progress as a top six player in the NHL, he will need to play with highly talented linemates. Kreider and Zibanejad provide that, and then some.
There are some defensive concerns with this line, but Zibanejad will be forced to play a more all-around game as the team’s top center anyway. Kreider is quietly a solid defensive forward, and Buchnevich can afford to watch his linemates work as he grows his own game.
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The Second Line:
Rick Nash and Kevin Hayes playing together would cause nightmares for opposing defensemen. Nash and Hayes both boast huge bodies, and Nash can help show Hayes how to use his. Of course, then there is the diminutive Mats Zuccarello joining them.
The concept is simple. Hayes needs possession studs on his wings, as well as players that can keep up with his quick playmaking skills. Nash and Zuccarello fit into the categories.
Nash can help protect Hayes until Hayes’ defensive game grows, while Zuccarello can serve as the grit of the line. The trio fits perfectly together.
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The Third Line:
Here’s where things get difficult. The Rangers will have to determine if they want to move J.T. Miller to center, place a rookie at center, or go off the board altogether. As of this moment, I’ll need to see how Lias Andersson plays in the preseason to determine if he’s the best fit.
I’m going to assume Andersson plays well enough to earn the third line spot, allowing J.T. Miller to play comfortably on the wing. Placing Jesper Fast on the opposite wing will check both Miller and Andersson defensively, ensuring the line is not a total mess in their own end. Fast’s importance cannot be understated.
The Fourth Line:
The Fourth line may honestly be more impressive than the third. David Desharnais was a fantastic two-way addition for the fourth line, while Michael Grabner scored 27 goals last season. Jimmy Vesey is a talented young player with plenty of potential.
Grabner is the defensive complement to the offensive-minded Vesey, a funny truth considering Grabner’s offensive output. Desharnais fits in the middle as the middle-ground between the two, helping to form what could be the best fourth line in hockey.
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With these four lines, the Rangers should be able to situationally mix and match, never having to over-work any of their forwards. Hopefully a center joins the fray, but for now, these are the optimal line combinations.