Fansided

New York Rangers line combinations show Vigneault has lost his mind

By John Williams |
TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 02: New York Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault during an NHL game between the New York Rangers and the Tampa Bay Lightning on November 02, 2017 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. The Rangers defeated the Lightning 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 02: New York Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault during an NHL game between the New York Rangers and the Tampa Bay Lightning on November 02, 2017 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. The Rangers defeated the Lightning 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

If you saw the New York Rangers’ line combinations for tonight’s game against the Capitals and didn’t throw up, good for you.

Alain Vigneault had a little too much eggnog this Christmas. When he arrived at the New York Rangers’ Tarrytown practice facility this morning, he took a look at his roster sheet, cut out each name, put them into a hat, and pulled them out one by one. That’s the only way I can wrap my head around the atrocity that will be the New York Rangers’ line pairs tonight.

What the hell is that?

Aside from the third line, each one of the lines and pairings is awful.

First, Vigneault took apart the KZB line and separated all three of his top line players throughout the lineup. Secondly, why is Pavel Buchnevich, your second-leading scorer, on the fourth line? And Jimmy Vesey AND David Desharnais in the top six? What kind of crap is that!

Meanwhile, the Ryan McDonagh and Nick Holden pair is still the top pair which is gross in itself, but Vigneault broke up Kevin Shattenkirk and Brady Skjei. If he put Skjei with Brendan Smith and tried to reinvigorate their playoff chemistry, then fine, so be it. But he put Skjei with Marc Staal and Smith with Shattenkirk.

Vigneault did all of this while giving Ondrej Pavelec the start tonight. Pavelec needs starts and all, but why now when your team is playing one of the top teams in their division? Couldn’t Pavelec get one of the five non-divisional games in the last two weeks? And besides, Lundqvist is playing his best hockey.

If you care to hear what Vigneault said in his press conference this morning, you can listen below:

My favorite quote from this presser is this:

It’s gonna be funny when Nick Holden blows coverage in the defensive zone, directly leading to a goal and he gets off the hook immediately while Kevin Shattenkirk turns the puck over once and gets glued to the bench.

Next: Alain Vigneault is on borrowed time

The constant favoritism and downright absurdity uttered by Vigneault’s lineup card over the last few years is getting harder and harder to bear with every passing game. What is it gonna take for the Rangers to realize that they’ve been winning because of Lundqvist and nothing else? Hopefully soon, because I don’t know how much more of this I can take.

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