New York Rangers: Making sense of the Brendan Smith situation

The New York Rangers are in a very weird situation with defenseman Brendan Smith. With 26 games to go the veteran was sent to the AHL to find his game.

When it comes to all of the moves that General Manager Jeff Gorton made last summer, one seemed the most logical. Signing a 28-year-old Smith to a four-year extension at $4.35 million per season seemed logical last summer. The trade deadline acquisition was coming off a stellar playoff run as one half of the team’s best defensive pair. Last spring, Smith and then rookie defenseman Brady Skjei were as formidable a second pair as any in the postseason.

However, ever since the Wisconsin alumn inked an extension he has been a shadow of his former self. This year, Smith has made the press box his seat for the game on two separate occasions. Of the 55 games thus far in the Rangers season, Smith has played 44. An AHL player like Steven Kampfer being prioritized in the lineup over a free agent signing like Smith is a major cause for concern.

At the beginning of the season, it seemed like a case of not playing with the right defensive partner. After just two games, head coach Alain Vigneault broke Smith and Skjei up. Kevin

Shattenkirk and Ryan McDonagh were not well suited as the top pair in the mind of Vigneault. This made the defense a work in progress for the first month of the season where no pairs had any real chemistry with each other.

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Smith’s role with the team has been unclear all season. What made Skjei and Smith such a good pair was how well their game’s complimented each other. The pairing of Skjei’s transition game and Smith’s shot suppressing worked perfectly. But, as time passed it became painfully obvious that his partner was not the issue.

The Problem

Of course, the natural question to ask is, what happened in between the postseason and the start of this year. The biggest difference for the former Badger is that he got married over the summer. According to an interview at the beginning of the season, Smith also attended the weddings of several friends. Now, this is totally a normal thing, hockey players are human beings with friends and emotions.

The linear line of spending a summer at several weddings to a poor season seems a bit too easy of a conclusion to draw. As with most situations like this, it is probably a more nuanced problem with several compounding factors. Before accusing a player of showing up to camp out of shape it is important to note that the team as a whole has been far worse this season.

This year’s Rangers team has failed to be anything better than mediocre. This trickles down and can infect players like an illness. When things are going bad for a team it is hard not to see how it affect a player. Early on this year, the team stumbled out of the gate and were visibly pressing way too hard. Amongst those trying to make the home run every time on the ice was Smith.

Things spiraled out of control for both the organization and Smith this year. It ultimately culminated in the drastic decision of waiving the six-year veteran in hopes a team would claim him. With no takers Thursday afternoon, Smith will be riding the bus in the AHL with players as much as ten years younger than him.

The AHL does not make sense

There is very little logic for sending Smith down to the AHL for the remainder of the season. Unless the Rangers’ front office expected another club to claim him this is a pointless endeavor. As far as how a trip down to the minors will help Smith, there are two schools of thought.

Smith’s embarrassment as an NHL veteran riding the bus in the AHL with college-aged kids could snap him into coherence. There is also the possibility that playing against lesser talent allows the veteran to regain confidence in his game for an eventual return to the NHL.

Thursday’s press conference is the reason why I do not think this decision makes sense. If the Rangers are serious about tearing down the team and selling, they have nothing to lose for the remainder of the season. If Smith is going to figure it out and start playing well again wouldn’t it be more beneficial for him to play against NHL talent?

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The remainder of the Rangers’ season will be about players proving themselves. Should the team fully embrace the fire sale, it would make sense to get Smith as much ice time as possible. Since he is under contract for three more seasons after this year, it is important that he figures it out. As Thursday proved, no one in the league wanted Smith for free.