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Rangers Woeful Defense Requires Summer Boost


Phil

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To say that last season?s Rangers weren?t a very good defensive team is as strong an understatement as one could make. They gave up the fourth-most goals on the season with 263. Their 182 even-strength goals against were third-worst. Their 3.21 goals-against per game were fourth-worst. They gave up the second-most shots against per game with 35.3, trailing only their rival New York Islanders (35.6) by a slim margin. And they had the second-most losses when being outshot by their opponent (25) ? a metric led by the lowly Ottawa Senators with 28.

 

Moreover, according to Corsica, the Rangers were last in the league in Corsi for percentage (CF%) with 45.9 and in Corsi against per 60 minutes with 62.58. They were also last in expected goals-against per 60 minutes with 2.8 and expected goals-against with 186.5, and were third-worst in overall goals-against per 60 minutes with 2.25.

 

A trade might be the answer:

 

Already expected to be active on the trade front, especially at the draft, perhaps the Rangers could go back to the old Arizona well and ask John Chayka?s Coyotes about the availability of 30-year-old Niklas Hjalmarsson. The Swede, who recently played with Rangers? goalie Henrik Lundqvist during the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, is well known for his defensive, minute-crunching ability. His career 52.4 CF% sparkles next to his career 51.7 defensive zone start percentage (dZS), especially for a player averaging more than 20:00 of time on ice per game (TOI/G) over his career.

 

Tanev might be the best pure shot suppressing defenseman in the league. Like Hjalmarsson, Tanev boasts a quality 50.5 CF% yet averages an even higher dZS% of 55.3. He has also averaged shy of 20:00 per game over his eight seasons in the NHL. He won?t provide much else, though, given he?s not a very productive offensive player. But for a Rangers team bleeding shots and shot attempts, stopping the bleeding is of greater value than adding scoring for their back end, especially on a blue line expecting a fully healthy Shattenkirk next season.

 

Or on the free agent front:

 

de Haan boasts an aggregate 50.4 CF% through six seasons with the New York Islanders while playing with an average 50.3 dZS%. Up until this season, he also boasted positive CF% relative numbers that measure the even strength on-ice CF% versus off-ice CF%. Most of all, he?s a reliable-in-his-end type who skates well and can crunch big minutes. Playing with the Isles, he?s averaged more than 19:00 TOI/G, though he?s also coming off season-ending shoulder surgery as well so buyer beware.

 

https://thehockeywriters.com/rangers-defense-offseason-priority/

 

--

 

My guess is they'll need to trade to find meaningful help here, but whatever route they take, they simply have to improve. Corsi metrics aren't the be all, by any stretch, but it's incredibly important to bring along the kids in an environment in which they aren't getting shelled every night in order to sidestep creating a broken, losing culture like the Sabres and Oilers are suffering.

 

 

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I think we have to wait on a coach before anything.

 

I think a different defensive system should definitely help Skjei and Smith, and allows us to milk another solid season from Staal. A simple system can also help younger guys like Pionk, even allow Hajek and/or Lindgren to get extended time in the NHL. Adding: And maybe it will make Shattenkirk and DeAngelo look like NHL defenseman in their own zone once a month, or so.

 

Depending on coach/style, you could see them grab a dman with their first and try to get him in the NHL next season, or they might sign a stop-gap or two. I dont see them signing another "middle tier" defenseman. We dont need another 5x5 contract that kills us season after season. Go big (K/Carlson), or stop-gap (Bieska, Holden, few other UFA that had down years on 1/2 year deals)

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I think we have to wait on a coach before anything.

 

I think a different defensive system should definitely help Skjei and Smith, and allows us to milk another solid season from Staal. A simple system can also help younger guys like Pionk, even allow Hajek and/or Lindgren to get extended time in the NHL. Adding: And maybe it will make Shattenkirk and DeAngelo look like NHL defenseman in their own zone once a month, or so.

 

Depending on coach/style, you could see them grab a dman with their first and try to get him in the NHL next season, or they might sign a stop-gap or two. I dont see them signing another "middle tier" defenseman. We dont need another 5x5 contract that kills us season after season. Go big (K/Carlson), or stop-gap (Bieska, Holden, few other UFA that had down years on 1/2 year deals)

 

Completely agree here. That's a half-measure.

 

I also agree that a different defensive system can help. But it will be difficult, and hopefully it doesn't come at the cost of stifling any offensive creativity and explosiveness.

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Coaching will help in and of itself, provided they get one who doesn't subscribe to the same philosophy, but the idea of going into next season with Gilmour, DeAngelo, Shattenkirk, Kampfer, Staal, and this version of Brady Skjei and thinking a new coach is going dramatically improve their shot differentials isn't exactly inspiring.

 

 

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But I do agree a mid-range free agent signing would probably help. Certainly more than a entertaining Carlson. It's why I suggested guys like Pateryn and de Haan. There's no way they'll come with much term or with obscene AAVs.

 

Just focus on guys who protect their own end.

 

 

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I think the answer is in an RFA like Shea Theodore. I'd certainly trade a pick for someone like him. I don't want Hjalmarsson. I don't want 30+ year old players when we already have Staal back there. de Haan is part of the worst D-Corps in recent memory.

 

Hard to know really. I don't even know who we can pencil into the lineup. Shattenkirk, Skjei, Staal.... After that it's all a giant question. It would be nice if Smith could get his shit together. He could actually play a big role with this team if he gets his head out of his ass. Pionk? DeAngelo? I honestly don't know what to expect.

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I think the answer is in an RFA like Shea Theodore. I'd certainly trade a pick for someone like him. I don't want Hjalmarsson. I don't want 30+ year old players when we already have Staal back there. de Haan is part of the worst D-Corps in recent memory.

I'm not particularly interested in vets either, but Theodore is pretty unrealistic. Vegas is going to be building around him, you'd have to be sending a lot more than a pick their way.

 

In a one-for-one, he'd probably cost you Buch, but that doesn't really make sense for either team.

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I'm not particularly interested in vets either, but Theodore is pretty unrealistic. Vegas is going to be building around him, you'd have to be sending a lot more than a pick their way.

 

In a one-for-one, he'd probably cost you Buch, but that doesn't really make sense for either team.

 

Sure the idea, like I said, is someone like him. A young RFA who's already done something in the league. Not a project player.

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I think the answer is in an RFA like Shea Theodore. I'd certainly trade a pick for someone like him. I don't want Hjalmarsson. I don't want 30+ year old players when we already have Staal back there. de Haan is part of the worst D-Corps in recent memory.

 

Yet boasts some of the better possession numbers while playing nearly 20:00 a night. That suggests that on a better team, he'd be part of the solution, not the problem.

 

I also understand the reluctance behind not wanting to acquire wrong-side-of-30 players, but they're not all equally lacking value. You need to look at them as individuals to determine who still has viable years left and who doesn't.

 

Hard to know really. I don't even know who we can pencil into the lineup. Shattenkirk, Skjei, Staal.... After that it's all a giant question. It would be nice if Smith could get his shit together. He could actually play a big role with this team if he gets his head out of his ass. Pionk? DeAngelo? I honestly don't know what to expect.

 

Pionk, maybe, but his shot suppression left a lot to be desired. Albeit on a skeleton crew roster.

 

ADA is Shattenkirk-lite. He's the guy you tap to get you the goal. Not to protect the lead.

 

 

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Yet boasts some of the better possession numbers while playing nearly 20:00 a night. That suggests that on a better team, he'd be part of the solution, not the problem.

 

I also understand the reluctance behind not wanting to acquire wrong-side-of-30 players, but they're not all equally lacking value. You need to look at them as individuals to determine who still has viable years left and who doesn't.

 

 

 

Pionk, maybe, but his shot suppression left a lot to be desired. Albeit on a skeleton crew roster.

 

ADA is Shattenkirk-lite. He's the guy you tap to get you the goal. Not to protect the lead.

 

 

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I don't even know what this means. There are so many factors that go into that. I don't put much, if anything, in a stat like that especially, like you said, on a team like the one we had here last year. Pionk was good. Perhaps the brightest of the young players that made the jump all season. I'm not going to worry about his Corsi numbers 20 games into a career.

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Yet boasts some of the better possession numbers while playing nearly 20:00 a night. That suggests that on a better team, he'd be part of the solution, not the problem.

 

I also understand the reluctance behind not wanting to acquire wrong-side-of-30 players, but they're not all equally lacking value. You need to look at them as individuals to determine who still has viable years left and who doesn't.

 

 

 

Pionk, maybe, but his shot suppression left a lot to be desired. Albeit on a skeleton crew roster.

 

ADA is Shattenkirk-lite. He's the guy you tap to get you the goal. Not to protect the lead.

 

 

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I wouldn't overthink Pionk, we're not going to be contenders for a few years, IMO. He was a bright spark in a rather dismal season's end.

Let's see what he can do. The place to think hard right now is what, if anything, we do about free agency, what other kids get a chance after camp, etc. And right now,I'm not going to waste my time thinking about band aids. It may be unreasonable, but I don't want to see the David Desharnais of defense while we have prospects and picks up the yinyang.

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I wouldn't overthink Pionk, we're not going to be contenders for a few years, IMO. He was a bright spark in a rather dismal season's end.

Let's see what he can do. The place to think hard right now is what, if anything, we do about free agency, what other kids get a chance after camp, etc. And right now,I'm not going to waste my time thinking about band aids. It may be unreasonable, but I don't want to see the David Desharnais of defense while we have prospects and picks up the yinyang.

 

The problem is, you can't hang these guys out to dry every night, getting beat up and beat down. That's not how you improve. Look how bad skjei was as a second pair guy. And was worse after mcdonagh left.

 

You either get a top guy, or a stop gap to take the beatinf, shelter the young guys a bit, allow them to grow. If they aren't contending for a year or two, what's the issue signing a 31 yo vet for one or two years?

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The problem is, you can't hang these guys out to dry every night, getting beat up and beat down. That's not how you improve. Look how bad skjei was as a second pair guy. And was worse after mcdonagh left.

 

You either get a top guy, or a stop gap to take the beatinf, shelter the young guys a bit, allow them to grow. If they aren't contending for a year or two, what's the issue signing a 31 yo vet for one or two years?

I think there are very few players who are going to be willing to sign to play here for one or two years. You'd have to try and get somebody off the scrap heap, like Stralman.
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I think there are very few players who are going to be willing to sign to play here for one or two years. You'd have to try and get somebody off the scrap heap, like Stralman.

 

Only need 1.

 

And based on the coach, you never know.

 

I mentioned names, I’m not expecting Carlson to sign for 2 years at 3m. Could end up being Staal and Smith, it just can’t be Pionk, Skjei, Lindgren, etc. You can’t set them up for failure. That is key.

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I think they need to trade their RFA forwards for RFA D-men. Plenty to choose from, from teams that might be forced to take less than equal value, due to cap constraints.

 

Buyers beware though. Let's not forget a majority of this board thought addition by subtraction of Girardi was going to turn this defense around. Shattenkirk was going to be this huge turn around in this supposed direction you need to go in for your D men.... Maybe an over 30 not such a great skating D man who simply plays hard CAN fit in HERE.

 

Then again, with a different coach and a different system, maybe it's not a terrible idea to throw the kids out there on a part time basis. Have that bus traveling back and forth to Hartford. Who ever is playing exceptionally well stays. If they all stink, then the Rangers are likely in trouble for the foreseeable future, as many are riding on these prospects to be the real deal. Well at least they were when they were acquired. For all the hype and talk about some of these guys I expect one of them to be up with the Rangers by mid season.

 

I think they need to deal ADA. They don't have room for two offensive D men who are absolute disasters in their own end. Do it before they ruin his value even more by not playing him for that exact reason. I can't picture a lineup with both of them on it, that gives anyone confidence.

 

Skjei- Shattenkirk

Smith- Pionk

Staal - DeAngelo

 

? Gross. That's shit. That isn't looking good. Sorry, I'm also not that into Pionk. But, that's what they have.

 

Does adding a Dehaan make that much a difference over giving one of the newer additions a chance? At least if the kids need work or don't play well, you can send one down. You sign someone and they stink, it's just another D man you can't get rid of, making it three or possibly 4 total.

 

RFA trade or use the new kids is my newest opinion.

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I think they need to trade their RFA forwards for RFA D-men. Plenty to choose from, from teams that might be forced to take less than equal value, due to cap constraints

Hayes is the only RFA forward worth anything and there are no teams with cap constraints this offseason, especially not if the cap goes up to $80m.

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Hayes is the only RFA forward worth anything and there are no teams with cap constraints this offseason, especially not if the cap goes up to $80m.

 

I see Winnipeg as an option as a team that might not want to commit more cap space to their defense and could kind of use a top six forward /center like Names, Hayes or Spooner. Do they want to tie all their cap space into Myers, Buff, Trouba and Morrissey?

 

Is Columbus going to want to pay anything for Ryan Murray?

 

Minnesota might need a center. Are they going to pay out for Dumba?

 

Does Carolina want to commit to Hanafin? And if they do, does that make someone else available?

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I see Winnipeg as an option as a team that might not want to commit more cap space to their defense and could kind of use a top six forward /center like Names, Hayes or Spooner. Do they want to tie all their cap space into Myers, Buff, Trouba and Morrissey?

 

Is Columbus going to want to pay anything for Ryan Murray?

 

Minnesota might need a center. Are they going to pay out for Dumba?

 

Does Carolina want to commit to Hanafin? And if they do, does that make someone else available?

Whether they want to pay these guys or not, and whether there are cap constraints are different. You can go through a list of RFAs and say "well maybe the team doesn't want to pay them," but none of these guys will be forced out because of cap issues.

 

That's not to mention that none of them need a center, and Hayes is our only valuable RFA. To get a difference maker on D like the ones listed here, you're talking about the #9 pick AND Spooner or whoever, at least. Murray could be cheaper, but he's not good enough to make a difference.

 

I get the point you're making, and agree that it's a good thought, but it's just not practical. Teams aren't looking to unload RFA D, especially for middle-6 RFA forwards.

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Whether they want to pay these guys or not, and whether there are cap constraints are different. You can go through a list of RFAs and say "well maybe the team doesn't want to pay them," but none of these guys will be forced out because of cap issues.

 

That's not to mention that none of them need a center, and Hayes is our only valuable RFA. To get a difference maker on D like the ones listed here, you're talking about the #9 pick AND Spooner or whoever, at least. Murray could be cheaper, but he's not good enough to make a difference.

 

I get the point you're making, and agree that it's a good thought, but it's just not practical. Teams aren't looking to unload RFA D, especially for middle-6 RFA forwards.

 

Isn't Minnesota tight against the cap?

 

Murray is ten times better than anything the Rangers can put on the ice at the moment. Ok maybe not Skjei, but...

 

Winnipeg may want to unload a guy that's already signed. I've been saying it for two years now. Myers is pretty damn good. They may not be cap fucked, but I still don't think they go the route of the Rangers and pay every RFA right now, just because they can. It doesn't make much sense to tie up that much money into a defense. It hand cuffs them. It may take more than Hayes or Names, but not that 9th pick. Maybe a 2nd rounder.

 

Maybe Carolina would like more draft picks and clear a big contract. Maybe Faulk becomes available? I'd frikken deal pick 31 and or 26 along with Names, (whom I think they would take) for him or Hanafin.

 

I think a lot of these types of moves are going to be made this summer. Cap clearing or just ducking the next contract type of moves, like Hagelin and Talbot for the Rangers in the past, just with more forster. Like what the Rangers SHOULD have done with Girardi and Staal prior to their extensions. They didn't HAVE TO trade them because they HAD space. Right after they were signed most people realized it probably wasn't the best thought out scenario.

 

Maybe you are right though. Maybe my idea of a RFA alone is enough. Gotta throw in one of the late 1st or a 2nd to get the better players.

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1st off have you seen the list of potential 2019 UFAs? I wouldn?t take on salary at this point. ?Myers is 1 of those guys.along with Doughty, OEL, Karlsson, McD, Ellis. And that?s just the defense, I?m not getting into players like Seguin

 

As was said earlier, it?s a case of changing our defensive style. Everyone looking bad in this system. It?s like watching the all-star game where no one plays defense. Pionk just made team USA for the championships so that should say something about his ability/abilities.

 

 

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