Looking into the New York Rangers defense – and their underlying offense
Over the past month and a half, the New York Rangers have experienced a resurgence of sorts. While they were on the outside looking in at the start of December, the Blueshirts have put themselves in the thick of the Metropolitan Division and have re-established themselves as one of hockey’s best teams when they play well.
While a lot of this Rangers revival is due to their stars playing close-to-complete hockey and getting secondary scoring, there is something that sets New York apart from many other teams: defensive production. The Rangers’ defensemen, no matter who the six are, have contributed to the team’s offense as a whole. Currently, the Rangers rank _ in the league with _ points by defensemen.
While points are an indicator of how well these defensemen are doing, let’s jump into some of the advanced statistics for the Rangers’ defense, but on offense. The following numbers are provided by Moneypuck.com.
First, it is worth noting each defensemen’s expected goals versus expected goals against when on the ice. Currently, Moneypuck has the defensemen listed into four categories: Good (high goals for, low goals against), Fun (high goals for, high goals against), Boring (low goals for, low goals against), and Bad (low goals for, high goals against).
These are where the notable Rangers’ defensemen are listed, by expected goals for per 60 minutes and expected goals against per 60 minutes, as well as their category.
Adam Fox: 2.9 expected goals for, 2.11 expected goals against, “Good.”
Ryan Lindgren: 2.79 expected goals for, 2.31 expected goals against, “Good.”
K’Andre Miller: 2.36 expected goals for, 2.43 expected goals against, “Good.”
Jacob Trouba: 2.50 expected goals for, 2.66 expected goals against, “Fun”
Braden Schneider: 1.92 expected goals for, 2.45 expected goals against, “Boring.”
Ben Harpur: 1.41 expected goals for, 3.47 expected goals against, “Bad.”
These are the six defensemen who have been playing mainly for the Rangers lately. Four of them have high expected goals for when on the ice, and this contributes to their high offensive numbers. Furthermore, this makes sense, as Adam Fox and K’Andre Miller have had continued offensive production lately, and Jacob Trouba and Ryan Lindgren are their linemates.
Furthermore, the fact that Fox, Lindgren, and Miller are in the “Good” category, while Trouba is in the “fun” category, shows how they can score but are not a liability on the other end. This is a good place to be. The Rangers’ top four continue to stay here, except for Trouba, who needs to become less of a scapegoat in the second half of the season.
Moreover, the Rangers’ bottom pair has been better as of late. Braden Schneider, while listed as “Boring,” has improved offensively lately, and is second among Rangers’ defensemen in goals with five. Schneider’s partner has fluctuated all season, and Ben Harpur’s listing can be taken with a grain of salt.
This stat shows how the Rangers’ top four are producing on offense and also providing stability on defense (except Trouba sometimes). Led by Fox, the Rangers should continue to stay at the top of the league for the offense by the defense.