The Rangers’ 1-3-0 start isn’t particularly bothersome; every team is going to have multiple streaks like that this season, and that record looks very different if Semyon Varlamov and Carter Hutton have ordinary performances. However, out of the gate there are some areas of struggle. The Rangers really only have one line clicking at even strength, and have been overly reliant on getting goals from the top power play unit. They have let in 13 non-empty net goals in four games, and the penalty kill is conceding often. There is still 95 percent of the season left to play, and some of this will definitely self-correct over time. But there are some internal problems that need fixing.
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This is a convoluted way of saying that the Rangers need to add a shutdown center to the roster. This conversation is usually framed around the loss of Derek Stepan, and no doubt that his absence is a part of this void. But truthfully, this is a problem that originated before his departure.
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The Rangers had what is pretty much the ideal center structure from 2014 until 2016. Dominic Moore ate a brutal share of defensive minutes; a lot of defensive zone starts against very good players at five-on-five, and first-unit penalty kill minutes. He was very good at it. Derek Stepan took on a true two-way role, often matched against the opposition’s top line. This set things up for Kevin Hayes and Derick Brassard, who could get lots of offensive-zone starts in sheltered minutes and play on the power play. This is equilibrium. Nobody is being asked to do a job he isn’t capable of, and everyone’s minutes are optimized to reflect his skill set.
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Originally Posted by Rangers4Life
@MattCalamia New #NYR lines at practice: 61-13-36, 26-51-10, 40-28-25. Mika line same. D pairs: 27-55, 18-22, 76-42, 47-77.
