New York Rangers: Could the Rangers play 11 forwards, 7 defensemen?

Examining an outside-the-box idea for the New York Rangers.

The New York Rangers roster underwent an overhaul this offseason. Derek Stepan is gone, Kevin Shattenkirk is here, and suddenly the defense looks like the strength of the team. New York is struggling to put together their opening night forward corps, as it currently appears the top three centers will play in roles they never played in before, and one of Andrew Desjardins or Bobby Farnham could be in the opening night lineup.

Yikes.

However, a tweet by must-follow George E. Ays got me thinking. What if the Rangers took advantage of the fact that their defense is better than their offense?

Now, I am not examining this quite the same way George’s tweet says. Rather, I am looking at this as a way for the Rangers to avoid worrying about a lack of depth in general up front, rather than just a lack of depth at center.

The Impact on the Offense

Regardless of how the Rangers align their lineup, it’s essential that they have a third line center who can play the top six in a pinch. David Desharnais is not that guy. J.T. Miller should be that player, assuming he picks up the position fast enough. He’s played it before, and if an injury occurs, someone must step in in the top six.

Now if Miller is playing center, the wing depth suddenly suffers. However, if the Rangers played 11 forwards and 7 defensemen, that may not need to be the case. Miller can be a roving center or winger depending on the situation, while the other 10 forwards can fill their typical roles. New York will boast enough depth to not have to worry about a player bringing them down like Tanner Glass did in the past. *Cough Bobby Farnham cough*

That 12th forward spot is the top concern, and until Jesper Fast returns, filling it with a defenseman instead makes a lot of sense. So, how would it impact the defense?

Related Story: Rangers roster predictions

The Impact on the Defense

The following defensemen will battle for roster spots this preseason, with Ryan McDonagh, Kevin Shattenkirk, Brady Skjei, and Brendan Smith being guaranteed spots:

Alexei Bereglazov, Sean Day, Anthony DeAngelo, Ryan Graves, Nick Holden, Steven Kampfer, Neal Pionk, and Marc Staal.

That’s eight defensemen for at most four roster spots, and two spots in the lineup.

Should New York opt for a seven man defense, another defenseman gets valuable playing time. Now I’m not looking at the likes of Marc Staal or Nick Holden, but instead at Alexei Bereglazov, Anthony DeAngelo, Ryan Graves, and Neal Pionk.

Depending on how they play in the preseason, all four could be ready to play in the NHL immediately. While extra seasoning in the AHL can’t hurt, seasoning in the NHL could be immensely valuable as well.

How it Works

Imagine Alain Vigneault making a set second pairing of Brady Skjei and Brendan Smith, a set pairing of Ryan McDonagh and Kevin Shattenkirk in important situations, but also boasting the flexibility of playing McDonagh or Shattenkirk with one of the three young defensemen in the lineup as well.

The three can take turns playing on the third pairing, while also getting valuable ice-time with the best defensemen.

Alain Vigneault likely ruins this scenario by opting for Marc Staal and Nick Holden in this carousel, but in a perfect world it works. Sean Day and one of Ryan Graves or Neal Pionk would be demoted. One of Graves or Pionk would serve as a roving defenseman until Jesper Fast returns. Bereglazov and DeAngelo would work as the third pairing, though the two of them and Graves or Pionk would also receive time with McDonagh or Shattenkirk.

Next: Preseason preview: What to watch for

Even if Staal or Holden are involved in the group, playing 11 forwards and 7 defensemen provides greater opportunity for one more defenseman.

Considering how New York’s lineup looks today, the defense must receive priority over the offense.