2019-20 New York Rangers report card: Libor Hajek

The New York Rangers had high hopes when they traded for Libor Hajek and this is the year for him to live up to them

We continue our series of New York Rangers report cards.  As we continue with the defensemen, we’ll look back at last season and provide some expectations for the coming season.

Libor Hajek: Grade D

When Libor Hajek was acquired at the trade deadline in 2018, he was cited by many as the crucial piece of the deal. He was the player that the Rangers really wanted and the one that Steve Yzerman didn’t want to give up.  He made everyone look good with a brief five game audition with the Rangers in the 2018-19 season before he suffered a season ending shoulder separation.

Last year was supposed to be the season he broke out, but he struggled and when he sprained his knee in December he was sent to Hartford to recuperate and ended up playing only more game in New York.

He did travel with the team to the Edmonton bubble, but didn’t play.  Now, when his name is mentioned it is always accompanied by the phrase, “The Rangers still believe he is a top prospect.”

His season

Hajek ended up playing 28 games with the Rangers.  He didn’t score a goal and added five assists.   Although he struggled, he played in each one of the first 27 games of the season.    His possession numbers were the worst by far among defensemen with a Corsi For percentage of 37.56%.  No one else was even close.  In fact, the only Ranger player with a worse rating was Micheal Haley.

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He never really found a home on any defensive combination. His possession numbers with every other blueliner were abysmal and the team’s hope that he would be able to pair with Jacob Trouba didn’t work out.

It wasn’t all bad news.  Hajek had one of the higher percentage of takeaways and blocked shots per game among defensemen,  more than Ryan Lindgren or Brendan Smith.  However, if the team was looking for physical play, only Adam Fox had fewer hits than Hajek.

It was telling that when the team traded Brady Skjei to Carolina, they chose to carry six defensemen and use Brendan Smith on the top pairing keeping Hajek in the AHL.

It’s clear that the team wanted him to regain his confidence playing in Hartford.  It didn’t really work out as his woes continuedthere.  In 23 game he scored one goal and had two assists and worst of all, was tied for the worst plus/minus rating on the defense at -10.

It was encouraging that the Rangers included him on their postseason roster, but he was the only defenseman in the organization with any NHL experience other than the starting six.

The numbers

Games:  28
Goals: 0
Assists: 5
Points: 5
Plus/Minus:  -4
PIMs: 12
Blocked shots: 44
Hits:  24
Takeaways: 8
Giveaways: 17
ATOI: 15:59
Corsi–for: 38.2%

Posteason:  Hajek  was added to the postseason roster after the pause and practiced with the team.  He traveled with them to Edmonton as the seventh defenseman, but didn’t play in a game.

Why the grade?

To be kind this grade could have also been an Incomplete, but the fact is that Hajek played almost half the season in the NHL and did not do well.  Both Hajek and Ryan Lindgren went into the season on equal footing and it was Lindgren who shined while Hajek disappointed.

Expectations

This is definitely a make or break season for Hajek.  The Rangers will have to expose one defenseman they don’t want to lose in the Seattle expansion draft and at this point it is Libor Hajek.

Hajek is going to get a full opportunity to win a starting job.  He will be competing with Brendan Smith, Tony Bitetto and K’Andre Miller for the role of Jacob Trouba’s partner.   If none of them are ready, the team may move Adam Fox or Tony DeAngelo to the left side, opening a slot on the bottom pairing for Hajek.

Hajek is still exempt from waivers so he could find himself in the AHL if he doesn’t do well in training camp.

If anyone can benefit from the tutoring of Jacques Martin, it would have to be Hajek.   Additionally, Hajek has been playing in the Czech Tipsport ELH.  So far, he has played nine games for Kometa Brno (the Brno Comets) with two assists and a minus four rating.  He is averaging 17:46 minutes per game.  He’s getting a head start on all other Ranger blueliners and that should give him an advantage.  We shall see.

Hajek turns 23 in February and if he falters again, it could greatly damage the prospects for his future with the Rangers and make the deadline deal with Tampa look even worse.  At the same time, he is still young and defensemen develop later than forwards so the Ranger brain trust has to hope that they are right in their assessment.   If he does do well, it will present the Rangers with a serious issue when it comes to who to protect in the expansion draft.

Think the grade is fair?  Feel free to weigh in.