New York Rangers: Finding a second power play unit

The New York Rangers seem to have settled on their top power play unit, headlined by Mika Zibanejad and Mats Zuccarello, but the second group is still a question mark.

Nine games into the young 2018-19 season, the New York Rangers’ power play has come alive—largely due to the sniping of top center Mika Zibanejad. He’s joined on the top unit by wingers Chris Kreider, Mats Zuccarello, and (normally) Pavel Buchnevich. At the point is Kevin Shattenkirk or, lately, Neal Pionk.

But the second unit, which has yet only scored a single goal, has been a constant carousel. Jimmy Vesey, Filip Chytil, Brett Howden, Kevin Hayes, Ryan Spooner, Jesper Fast, Tony DeAngelo, Pionk, and Brady Skjei have all seen time with the man advantage.

It’s no wonder the Rangers aren’t getting production from the second unit, with such a lack of consistency in the personnel.

Assuming Shattenkirk resumes his role as quarterback of the Zibanejad unit, David Quinn will eventually need to settle on a group of five for the backup crew.

Maximizing value

In this Year of the Rebuild, the New York Rangers would be wise to take a nuanced approach to how they alot minutes on the man advantage. In other seasons, stacking the second unit with relative veterans like Kevin Hayes, Vladislav Namestnikov, and Ryan Spooner—players with proven power play production in the past—might be smart.

But this year, there are other factors to take into account. With the rebuild well underway, there is an expectation that at least a few players will be shipped out at the trade deadline. Kevin Hayes is at the top of that prospective list, along with Mats Zuccarello and perhaps even Jimmy Vesey.

That said, pumping up the numbers of a player on the trade block is always smart. Just a few years ago, the Arizona Coyotes managed to grab a first-round pick from Chicago for Antoine Vermette after he scored over a third of his points on the power play. Vermette led the Coyotes in power play time prior to the trade.

For this reason, Hayes needs to be a staple on the second unit. He didn’t see much time on the power play last season, but his offensive instincts should blossom with opportunity.

Similarly, Ryan Spooner belongs. He’s clear trade bait, and he performed well in Boston and with the Rangers last spring.

But past those two players, the Rangers need to start getting their young guns the reps they need. Filip Chytil, he of such tremendous offensive potential, is just waiting to explode. Consistent power play minutes will help him break out at the NHL level.

Along with Chytil, Brett Howden has quickly emerged as one of the most promising Rangers prospects. His work around the net has impressed in the early going, and he is a prime candidate to play that spot on the second unit.

The wild card

With four forwards slotted in already, the Rangers have only to settle on the lone defenseman for their backup group. Shattenkirk is slated for the top unit, leaving Neal Pionk as the obvious candidate to play with Hayes, Spooner, Howden, and Chytil.

But waiting in the wings is the biggest enigma on the Rangers’ roster: Tony DeAngelo.

DeAngelo has been a healthy scratch of late, but averaged over 2:30 of PP ice time during his two games this season. He recorded a power play assist in that time.

DeAngelo’s offensive talent is off the charts, as he is a creative passer and aggressively pinches to keep plays alive. On the power play, he’s an intriguing an effective piece. If he can prove to David Quinn that he deserves better than to be relegated to the press box every night, he should leapfrog Pionk for playing time on the advantage.

If DeAngelo can’t crack the roster, though—leaving the Rangers with just Lias Andersson to show for the Stepan/Raanta trade—Pionk is a more-than-serviceable substitute.