New York Rangers: Five overreactions to start the season
When any team experiences an early slump, it can be easy for fans to get down on them. Fans of New York sports teams can be especially harsh. Rangers fans can be even harsher.
The Rangers are off to one of their worst starts in the last decade — they currently sit at 3-7-2 through 12 games (eight points). Play has looked sloppy and inconsistent and players have not been able to gel or find any sort of consistency on their lines and in their pairings.
In any given season, there are reasons to be concerned and reasons not to be. This season, there are concerns that have been voiced. However, when fans see their teams in situations like the ones the Rangers are in currently, they can overreact.
While these overreactions have legitimate basis at their core, it is easy to overlook what lies at the heart of the problem.
Here we take a look at five things that we’ve heard about the 2017-18 New York Rangers to start to this season, and we break down what lies at the center of these emotional responses.
1) The team has no talent
The Rangers roster by no means lacks talent. Management was able to retain many of the players who made them successful last season on the offense, and, in addition, made moves that should have bolstered their lineup defensively.
The Rangers biggest issue has come with not using that the assets they have. Early this season, the Rangers have struggled because of how they have been paired. Vigneault is has constantly been shifting lines, putting out illogical pairs and not giving his strongest players ice time which has severely impact how they can use the skill each has.
When players like Nick Holden and Marc Staal are getting more ice time then Kevin Shattenkirk and Brady Skjei, it’s a problem. When David Desharnais is getting more ice time then Kevin Hayes and Pavel Buchnevich, it’s a problem.
The 2017-18 team should absolutely be competitive in the Metropolitan Division, in the Eastern Conference and should be a team that makes another run for a Stanley Cup title this year. However, if they continued to be set up in the way that they are, they will not be able to utilize this talent.
2) Henrik Lundqvist is bad
Suggesting that Henrik Lundqvist is the reason for any of the Rangers issues so far this season, and furthermore, bringing into question his ability, is ludicrous to me.
Lundqvist is just a factor in what causes goals to be scored on the ice. In Lundqvist’s first 10 appearances in net this year, his teammates barely gave him a fighting chance.
When players allow opponents to step up in holes through the neutral zone, play a halfhearted forecheck and play out of position, it is hard to live up to the expectations and stop every puck.
The heart of this issue starts with the five other players in front of Lundqvist. It seems that when Lundqvist is in the net the Rangers tend to take their foot off the gas, which leads for him to have to stand on his head because of higher shot opportunities.
The Rangers played a much more solid game in front of Ondrej Pavelec in the Rangers 5-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes. But to make the decision to start him against Montreal on October 28 (a game they lost late) is another sign that Alain Vigneault just doesn’t get it.
The Rangers have to do a better job in front of Lundqvist. It is a theme that runs in every story line from year to year, and it is the reason why The King has never been able to get the title he has been seeking.
3) Shattenkirk isn’t living up to expectations
Shattenkirk has two goals and eight assists for 10 points through 12 games. And based on how Vigneualt has been using him, this is impressive.
The 28-year-old, who was picked up as a free agent this offseason, has been a prime example of how Alain Vigneault is misusing his players in the 2017-18 season.
Shattenkirk signed with the Rangers to play on the top line with Ryan McDonagh.The reason he hasn’t made as much of an impact as many thought he would is because his talent is being wasted in the bottom two pairings.
Vigneault split up Shattenkirk and McDonagh after just one game, and has shuffled the lines so much that he has played with Nick Holden, Marc Staal and Steve Kampfer on various occasions.
Choosing to take a player and remove him from the role that he signed on to the team to be a part of and then attributing this decision to Shattenkirk’s play is absurd. Vigneault’s choice to play Shattenkirk in a position where he is set up to fail is a waste of Shattenkirk’s ability, has just been a factor in why he has not stood out and had only hurt the Rangers.
4) The only way for the Rangers to get better is for them to land a big name, number one center
So far this season, Mika Zibanejad has proved that he can handle a top line center role. But it gets harder to be consistent when the entire lineup is shifting beneath you.
Zibanejad has eight goals (five in the first four games) and added five assists for a total 13 points through 12 games. He has been solid on the faceoff (with a faceoff win percentage of 52.6) and helps drive possession (with a Corsi For of 54.1).
Zibanejad has done everything in his power to fill the hole that Derek Stepan left, and has done a good job considering the Rangers inconsistent play through the first 12 games.
If the Rangers wanted to pursue a big name center, they could. They would just have to determine what they would be willing to give up to do it. Zibanejad was so solid on the second line last season, it would be great to see him thrive in this role again.
But because he has been successful, it might be better for the Rangers to pursue options within their system.
Pulling up Boo Nieves up from Hartford has brought life to the fourth line. Reconsidering 18-year-old Filip Chytil (who has three goals and five assists for eight points in just six games for Hartford) could help the Rangers down the middle as well.
Since they already have these players available to them, utilizing youth might be a more logical option before pursuing a big name center. It means they do not have to risk losing some of their core players to attain one either.
At this point, there’s not much else they can use by taking a risk and playing their young assets.
5) The Rangers will miss the playoffs
Just because the Rangers are off to a bad start doesn’t mean they can’t turn things around between now and April. Their current situation is not atypical; the Rangers have seen slumps like this one before and still had successful seasons.
Most notably was in the 2013-14 season when they started at 3-6-0 record through the first nine games and ended up making it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals.
However, this will not just turn around on its own. The Rangers will actively have to make changes to improve their chances. They will also have to play high quality hockey every single night and need their core players to step up.
The most important figure in this is Alain Vigneault. Again, it is his decision making that has led the Rangers to be in this position in the first place. He has to make improvements to the lineups he is putting on the ice from game-to-game to make his team as dangerous as possible.
Next: Three things for the team to hit their stride
With no change and no fight the Rangers will have a hard time getting out of this hole.