The Rangers open up games on back-to-back nets with a contest against the Avalanche. Tomorrow night, New York faces Arizona. Who will be between the pipes and the line combinations, especially after the 1-0 loss to the Predators on Sunday, is up in the air.
Coach Gerard Gallant said post-game Sunday that he felt his
team was soft. I might agree that was the case in the first when Nashville imposed their will and were carrying play. But in the second, especially after Jacob Trouba's check, and in the third period, the Rangers were the ones doing the lion's share of the hitting. I can understand Gallant planting a seed and sending a message to his squad, but I disagree with his view.
Trouba continues to blast opponents with clean, lega checks. Luke Kunin was on the receiving end of one Sunday, resulting in Trouba becoming public enemy #1 for the Preds after the hit. My only concerns are that Trouba will get a reputation with the refs and league, leading to unwarranted penalties, or be forced to continually defend himself.
I get the view of many. If the Rangers were recipients of similar hits, even though lega, we would be up in arms. But, what is the league's mandate to remove these? If you go with the IIHF rule of no head shots, that might work, but the check on Kunin was shoulder to chest, so that hit would not have resulted in an ejection, Keep your head up and don't look for the puck at your feet is probably the wisest course forward.
Line combinations have rightly been a major focus. The Rangers had a brief spell where the offense seemed to be perking up and about to go on a roll. The last two games, meh at best. New York's bottom-six hasn't produced much, which is more concerning since the third-line of Laf-Chytil-Gauthier is set up to score as opposed to service as a checking line.
Vince Mercogliano highlighted some stats that evidence how the relatively newly constructed top trio is not producing at the level expected or desired. Those struggles resulted in changes again Sunday, to little avail. I think we all believe another forward is needed, either at center to move Filip Chytil to wing or wing to move Dryden Hunt down a line or two.
In 90:57 time on ice, the trio of Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad and Kaapo Kakko has generated only two goals. They were grouped together beginning Nov. 24, with Gallant hoping that Kakko would finally provide a worthy replacement for traded top-liner Pavel Buchnevich.
The 20-year-old was riding a four-game point streak at the time and had been clicking with Strome and Artemi Panarin, but the belief was that his strengths holding the puck, reading the ice and passing would complement two of the team's best goal-scorers. It hasn't materialized, with Kakko registering points just once in his last eight games and Zibanejad without an even-strength goal in his last 16.
In an attempt to snap the Rangers out of their funk — and perhaps a sign of things to come — Gallant shifted Kakko back on to the Panarin-Strome line in the third period. Julien Gauthier was given the opportunity to play right wing next to Kreider and Zibanejad.
That first line has been generating chances, just not scoring, which might allow that group to remain together, especially since not a ton of other options remain. Hunt is somewhat miscast on the second line, though he does provide some grit to Ryan Strome and Artemi Panarin. Gauthier may get another shot at a top-six role, but finishing is far from his forte, as we have seen.
Chytil actually was the best of the third line, but he missed the net on two prime chances and was unable to convert a third. As the season wears on, the prospects of Chytil remaining at center lessen in my eyes. I keep hoping to see more and we get snippets but not consistent enough to keep Chytil there. But that is likely spot, as I don't see Laf moving from wing to center, at least until a deal is made.
The NHL forced the Isles to play earlier this season but cancels Flames' games, so much for consistency.. The decision requiring New York clearly had to be financially driven evidenced by cancellations in similar situations. We always felt that the NHL had a screw New York button, usually though targeting the Rangers. In this case, it was the Isles.
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