A recent slump has put a massive question mark around everything surrounding the New York Rangers. This team’s lack of identity could cost them a chance at Lord Stanley’s Cup.
It is just past the halfway mark fo the season for the New York Rangers. For quite some time there has been doubt as to whether this club has what it takes to compete against the league’s top competition.
Now, they are mired in one of the worst slumps of recent memory. To make matters worse, the slump is more than what their record shows. The losses they are accruing hardly equal the sad way they compete in victory or defeat. And even in their most recent win, a 4-3 affair against the Sabres, the team has looked bad.
It has become the unfortunate norm for the Rangers to present an uninspiring effort. As a team perennially seeking a playoff spot, this year’s roster seems undeserving. A lack of identity has finally caught up with them, and it could cost them in the short and long term.
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An unfortunate plateau
At the onset of the season, the Rangers looked like a young, fast, and skilled team. The additions of Kevin Shattenkirk and Tony DeAngelo gave hope for improved defensive production. Meanwhile, the continued evolution of youngsters such as Brady Skjei, Pavel Buchnevich, and Mika Zibanejad bode well for the season to come.
That core group of rising young stars has only been able to reach a fraction of their potential. Sporadic injuries and inconsistent line combinations have been a factor. However, it would be unfair to not blame the players themselves to an extent.
No one ever thought the Rangers would bully their opponents physically. Their most tenacious player is 5-foot-8 in Mats Zuccarello. Similarly, the belief that this team can outskate the opposition is long gone with consistent lackadaisical performances.
As a result, what is left is a team lacking any apparent strengths or advantages.
Of course, one constant on the roster has, and always will be, Henrik Lundqvist. The 35-year old Swedish goaltender has long been a stabilizing force for the Rangers’ quest for a Stanley Cup.
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Foresight in roster construction
This all leads to the question of whether or not this roster was constructed properly. GM Jeff Gorton received praise at different points over the offseason. Fast forward to 2018, and the perception surrounding his work has flipped completely.
For example, simple additions such as David Desharnais have fallen flat. Meanwhile, Shattenkirk, the prize of the offseason, was playing well below his contract’s value before it was announced that he had been playing with a torn miniscus since October..
The team has a head coach that is incapable of getting the most out of his roster. Looking back, this year’s team seemed destined for failure from the jump.
One aspect of the roster that was never in question was their compete level. Unfortunately, after 44 games, there has been little reason to believe in their ability to duplicate strong efforts on a game to game basis.
When a team us unable, or perhaps unwilling, to bring their A-game every night, a change in identity is required. That rebuild starts with a top-down approach.
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Making forward progress
Calls for the firing of Alain Vigneault have rung loud among Rangerstown members. However, whoever steps in in his place must be greeted with a more determined front office. One that is clear in their image for the team and how they must perform.
Without a leader in management, the coaching staff is unable to put their plan into action effectively. Also, the on-ice leadership group must do more than make empty remarks regarding their performance.
Players such as Rick Nash, Marc Staal, and Ryan McDonagh must be put on the hot seat alongside their head coach. The priority must be to make the message clear, they must be better.
It wouldn’t be like the franchise if they were to become sellers at the trade deadline. In fact, the opposite was more likely before the Shattenkirk injury. Typically, it is around this time of the season that the Rangers make a point of adding pieces they feel will put them in a better position to make that jump as contenders.
However, if those efforts fall short, it will be fair game for all players, coaches, and management involved. Teams are finding new ways every year to stand out, and this Rangers team has stalled in the worst of ways.
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A lack of identity is nothing to scoff at in a league as competitive as the NHL and creating an environment of complacency is not to be accepted for a franchise as great as the New York Rangers.