After talks of firing Alain Vigneault less than 10 games into the season, the Rangers have since turned it around. However, Vigneault should not be off the hook just yet.
The Rangers look like a completely different team after starting the season 2-7-2. They continue to dominate on the power play, but now the defense and five-on-five offense have also come around. Many people were ready to get rid of Alain Vigneault after the team’s poor start. Those talks have since quieted down.
With the Rangers winning so for the time being, Vigneault is safe. Though he may deserve a break, if the Rangers fall back into the rut that everyone saw earlier in the season, Vigneault should immediately be back on the chopping block.
Related Story: Why slow start may be best for the Rangers
Player Deployment
The Rangers have certainly given their head coach time to breath, but there are plenty of reasons why Vigneault still isn’t the best fit for New York right now.
First and foremost, he still refuses to play younger players the minutes they deserve or the minutes they need to develop. Take Filip Chytil’s time in the NHL (or lack thereof). Vigneault barely played him during the course of the two games he played at the NHL level. When he was demoted there was still no sense as to if he could be an NHL player now or not.
Similarly, he has refused to give players like Jimmy Vesey, Chris Kreider, and other younger Rangers the chance to fix their problems in-game. This isn’t a problem that has occurred just this season, rather it has been throughout Vigneault’s entire tenure.
His refusal to play Brendan Smith this season has also been mindboggling. Smith has seen action in just 11 of the team’s 18 games despite being healthy. Despite low offensive numbers, Smith is still a shutdown defenseman. Because of this, he should be in the lineup every night.
Nick Holden has played more games than Smith and Steven Kampfer is closing in on his season total, all while Smith is still healthy.
Bottom Line
Vigneault’s player deployment has long plagued the Rangers, especially in last year’s playoff loss to the Ottawa Senators. It hasn’t hurt the Rangers on their current win streak, but it could still come back and bite them.
The bottom line is that Vigneault is safe for now. It is extremely tough to fire a coach when the team continues to win. However, the leash should still be short. It should be as short as it seemingly was when New York was losing.
Next: Stop worrying about Kevin Shattenkirk
The Rangers are a playoff contender who can win now. If they falter again a change needs to be made. Vigneault is here to stay, but if the Rangers struggle Vigneault should be gone.