The New York Rangers are 1-5 through their first six games. The roster is struggling, the coaching has been horrific. Should we panic?
It’s October 15th and I’ve already written numerous articles about what’s gone wrong thus far for the New York Rangers. New York sits at 1-5 heading into a huge (we should not be saying matchups are huge in October) matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow night.
Though the Rangers have suffered through some predictable issues (*cough Derek Stepan leaving and not being replaced cough*), there have been some greater concerns. Alain Vigneault is off to his worst start yet as the coach of the New York Rangers, and even the top players on the roster are failing to produce.
No one can be blamed for being concerned by the poor start. Losses to the Colorado Avalanche and New Jersey Devils will never be simple to shrug off, and the Rangers do not look like a playoff team by any statistic or eye-test.
So, how much should we panic?
Don’t Panic
The 2013-14 New York Rangers started the season 3-7, including a 9-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks that ended their backup goalie’s career. Despite fans calling for drastic changes, the Rangers settled in and fixed their problems. You may recognize that team as the one that went on to the Stanley Cup Final.
If the Rangers’ 1-5 stretch happened in December, everything would be different. We would certainly be worried, but no one would be questioning the future of the team or the roster construction.
A 1-5 start does not eliminate you from playoff contention. In fact, a 1-5 start certainly bodes better than struggling later on in the season after a hot start. The poor stretch happening early means the team has to take it far more seriously. Important changes could come thanks to that awful looking record.
Perhaps we should not panic. Perhaps the poor start is just what this organization needs.
Related Story: Jimmy Vesey must not be untouchable
It’s Time To Panic
Now that we got the nice and optimistic content out of the way, let’s break down the sadness. This New York Rangers team has a gaping hole that the 2013-14 Rangers did not have. The 2017-18 Rangers possess two top nine centers, including one being grossly misused.
While Alain Vigneault pushed the correct buttons in the 2013-14 campaign, 2017-18 Alain Vigneault’s decisions provoke question marks and anger. Despite the poor start, the 2013-14 Rangers appeared to be a contender all the way. It was about getting the roster together in the optimal way, something Alain Vigneault could be trusted to do.
The 2017-18 New York Rangers should be contenders. Before the season the belief was they were, but the roster has gaping flaws. Alain Vigneault cannot be trusted to mask those flaws, and if anything we should be concerned about his amplifying them.
Filip Chytil, a player expected to fix the concerns down the middle, received no chance from Vigneault. Anthony DeAngelo, a player expected to aid the power-play and bottom pair on defense, received the same lack of respect.
Veterans such as Nick Holden, Marc Staal, and Paul Carey receive important minutes over Pavel Buchnevich and Kevin Shattenkirk because Alain Vigneault only knows “safe” hockey.
This New York Rangers team is not fit for this Head Coach. Unless Jeff Gorton’s aware of that, it’s absolutely time to panic. Henrik Lundqvist and company could weasel their way out of this mess through talent alone, but they won’t be getting by with any help from Alain Vigneault and friends.
Next: A list of Alain Vigneault's lineup debacles
Make no mistake about it. The New York Rangers are a team misunderstood by the very people running them right now. If that doesn’t change soon, even the most confident supporters will be panicking.