New York Rangers: A list of Alain Vigneault’s lineup debacles
Everything Alain Vigneault has done wrong this season for the New York Rangers.
Before I get into this article, I want to explain that it must be in slideshow mode because it eclipses the minimum word count to be in regular article format. Yes, this article about everything Alain Vigneault is doing wrong for the New York Rangers is too long to fit into regular article format. Yikes.
While last season was an awful one for Vigneault, I went into the 2017-18 season willing to give him another chance. With Lindy Ruff now by his side, the pressure is clearly on for the Head Coach. The expectation was that with this increased scrutiny would come better decisions.
That expectation would be wrong. It’s only been four games and Alain Vigneault has already shown plenty of reason to be concerned.
While Blue Line Station will cover each concern individually, let’s hop into them one by one.
Chytilmania
The New York Rangers massively mishandled one of their top prospects, and it’s only a few games into the season. Filip Chytil made the opening night roster as the third line center, a fine decision based on his terrific play in the preseason. However, once the season started, Alain Vigneault turned heel.
Rather than placing any trust in his young centerman, he immediately began benching him for any mistakes. He also began benching him for mistakes by other players, mistakes by players from the other team, or anyone within the general vicinity of the ice breathing.
Joking aside, Vigneault stopped trusting Chytil the moment the season started, stunting the youngster’s development. Now Chytil will play for the Hartford Wolfpack, and the Rangers are essentially playing with three centers. There’s no way Vigneault could have properly evaluated Chytil in the 10 minutes of ice time he received in two games with the big club, so this only furthers the notion that Vigneault will not trust young players.
DeAngelOhNo
This one ropes together Anthony DeAngelo and Brendan Smith, both of whom have sat in the last two games. While I am not concerned about Brendan Smith sitting for the long-haul, I absolutely am worried about Anthony DeAngelo not receiving enough ice time.
It’s bad enough that Smith is being benched for career journeyman Steven Kampfer, but as I said, Smith will find his way back into the lineup. Smith is too talented of a player for this to be a concern long term, and Vigneault’s history does not show reason to believe he will bench a veteran for much action.
Similar to Chytil’s concern, however, Vigneault certainly has shown reason to worry about lack of ice time for Anthony DeAngelo. While DeAngelo has not looked fantastic thus far, he’s played in three games for the New York Rangers. He was acquired to be a powerplay quarterback and sixth defenseman, not to sit in the press box. Considering the Rangers gave up Derek Stepan to get him, he needs to play.
Yet Alain Vigneault believes Steven Kampfer and Nick Holden are more important. Yikes.
Holden Onto Kampfer
Speaking of Nick Holden and Steven Kampfer, the pair haven’t only been playing, but the pair have been playing major minutes. Though Holden was benched for the majority of the third period last night, he was one of the leaders in ice time through the first two periods. At one point he was placed on a pair with Marc Staal, a throwback to last season’s playoff debacle.
Steven Kampfer is not an NHL caliber defenseman. In fact, he is likely not even an AHL top pair defenseman. However, last night Alain Vigneault shuffled him around the lineup, playing him with Ryan McDonagh and Brady Skjei at times. In a game in which the Rangers had last change, Kampfer led the Rangers in time on ice against Vladimir Tarasenko through two periods.
Again, the Rangers had last change. Alain Vigneault not only allowed Kampfer to play against Tarasenko, but he also opted for it. That alone should leave you scratching your head so much that it begins to hurt.
Alain Vigneault’s New York Rangers believe Nick Holden and Steven Kampfer are talented defensemen, and that’s a tremendous concern.
Staaling McDonaKirk
Kevin Shattenkirk signed with the New York Rangers to play alongside Ryan McDonagh. The New York Rangers waived Dan Girardi in part so they could have a competent defenseman playing alongside Ryan McDonagh. Neal Pionk did not choose to sign with the Rangers to play behind the likes of Marc Staal, Nick Holden, and Steven Kampfer.
Yet all of these truths have already gone out the window for Alain Vigneault. It took fewer than two entire hockey games for Vigneault to break up the heralded Ryan McDonagh-Kevin Shattenkirk top pair. Now, the New York Rangers have Ryan McDonagh playing with an anchor yet again, as Marc Staal is on his left side. As McDonagh is out of position, Kevin Shattenkirk is now with Brady Skjei.
While the Skjei-Shattenkirk pair is plenty talented, it limits Skjei’s ability to jump up in the rush, one of his greatest strengths. Additionally, Marc Staal will likely be on the ice in crunch time situations, one of the most worrisome thoughts of the season thus far.
Hayes It Ain’t So
Ah, Alain Vigneault and his attempts to deploy players. Truly one of the most fascinating aspects of NHL hockey today. One of the most amazing things I have seen in my time as a New York Rangers fan is Alain Vigneault waking up one day and determining Kevin Hayes is a shutdown center in the NHL. Kevin Hayes is a defensive center is a thing that Alain Vigneault truly believes.
What a world.
While everyone whines about Hayes’ lack of production, Vigneault continues to play the offense-first centerman in a strictly defense-first role. It is Hayes who is asked to stop the opponents’ top players. It is Hayes who is expected to lead the penalty-kill, surrendering his power-play time in the process. That’s right, one of the most heralded offensive prospects in recent Rangers history is now in a purely defensive role.
So as we continue to watch Hayes struggle to produce offensively, wonder this: what on earth is he doing in a defense-first role, and when will it end?
Special Teams Personnel
Remember what I was just saying about Kevin Hayes playing in a defense-first, penalty-kill first special teams role? That also applies to Jimmy Vesey, who until last night played exclusively on the penalty-kill and not on the power-play at all. Jimmy Vesey, another heralded offensive prospect, was placed on the penalty-kill for….no reason whatsoever.
In addition to Hayes and Vesey, Brady Skjei saw his power-play ice time dwindle, despite being the savior of the power-play last season. Alain Vigeault’s refusal to “double-dip” players (i.e. play them on the power-play and penalty-kill) left some of his top players unable to receive any power-play time.
Instead, David Desharnais joined the second unit of the power-play, while Hayes, Skjei, Vesey, and even Filip Chytil sat on the bench watching. Though the power-play has worked thus far, the thinking behind the roster maneuvering is maniacal at best, and self-destructive at best.
Defensive Breakdowns and Possession Play
The New York Rangers’ first loss of the season was not a terrible affair. Henrik Lundqvist surrendered a soft third goal, and the Rangers lost to a goaltender having a hot night. However, the following two games reminded me far too much of the 2016-17 season.
On Saturday night in Toronto, the Rangers suffered defensive miscue after defensive miscue. It was a complete systematic breakdown from top to bottom, and the Rangers dealt with the consequences, losing 8-5. It’s early in the season, but considering the enhanced defense, these mistakes cannot continue to happen.
On a similar note, the Rangers were throttled in the possession game on Sunday against Montreal. New York won the game despite that, but they cannot look to the victory as a positive step in the process.
Both games displayed that despite an improved roster, the Rangers still have plenty of issues to figure out. Considering how similar the issues are to last season, it’s certainly worth wondering how many of them are on Alain Vigneault’s shoulders.
What It All Means
Switching coaches during the season is incredibly difficult, but make no mistake about it.
Any coach who believes Nick Holden and Steven Kampfer belong in the lineup over Anthony DeAngelo and Brendan Smith for even one game should not be a Head Coach in today’s NHL.
Considering that and the other complaints above, there is no option for the New York Rangers other than to fire Alain Vigneault before it’s too late. The Pittsburgh Penguins showed just a couple of years ago that a team can fire their coach during the season and still win the Stanley Cup, and there is so much time left in the season.
Next: What the Rangers should and shouldn't worry about
Rather than spending that time hoping a magical light-bulb clicks in Alain Vigneault’s head for the first time since 2014, it’s time to hand the reigns to a coach who knows what to do with this roster. Henrik Lundqvist deserves better, and the New York Rangers organiziation must believe they deserve better.