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C-c-c-changes up front the name of the game for New York, Buch scratched?

October 15, 2018, 3:39 PM ET [330 Comments]
Jan Levine
New York Rangers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Coming off the 2-1 loss to Edmonton on Saturday, with a 1-4 record and including some of the comments made by coach David Quinn, changes were expected for the lineup tomorrow against Colorado. While the lines below are not final, change is the operative word, along with accountability, which has been the theme of the early season. Of course, the lack of a consistent finisher is a major driver for the poor start, but maybe the constant changes – for which I agree with most of them, at least theoretically – will prove the elixir to remove the lock on the net when New York is in the offensive zone.

The lines used at practice today were (Brett Cyrgalis):
Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Jesper Fast
Jimmy Vesey, Brett Howden, Vladislav Namestnikov
Filip Chytil, Kevin Hayes, Mats Zuccarello
Cody McLeod/Pavel Buchnevich, Ryan Spooner, Vinni Lettieri

The top line remains intact, as Fast provides a defensive ballast, provides a modicum of offense and is able to win the 1:1 battles lost by others. Chytil does move up a line and shifts from center to wing, which appeared to be a possibility and something I touched on in my blog Saturday. By moving up a line, Chytil should at a minimum see more ice, in line with what Quinn said on Saturday regardless the rookie’s lack of ice time: “I’m conscious of it,” the coach said. “He’s got to play more.” Zuccarello, whose effort hasn’t been the question, his lack of finish and slight lack of jump compared to prior years the bigger problems, should be the passing trigger on the trio with Hayes able to play the more physical role.

Vesey hasn’t done much the last few games to warrant staying on the top-nine, but Nam gets rewarded for his solid third period Saturday. Each benefit from playing with Howden, who per Quinn is the one with whom all wingers want to be the ice. The bigger surprise obvious is the potentially benching of Buchnevich, who rode the pine in the third period and his effort since the game one has been less than optimal. In addition, he is on the left not right side, which also removes him from his comfort.

If there is a silver lining, unlike under AV, I am sure Quinn has already explained to Buch why he may/will be sitting and what he has to do to get back (likely the need to shoot more and play more aggressively on the ice). Similar to what he did with Hayes and Nam and Shattenkirk. My guess is that Buchnevich will be back in Wednesday against the Capitals. Keeping this theme, when does Kreider draw pine time? The lack of scoring is a team wide issue, but where is the effort that we saw after he returned from injury last season. He is playing hard but not at the level expected from him.

For all the complaints of the changing, I repeat, this is a rebuilding year. In addition, early on it’s time for Quinn to learn the team, almost like pre-season, which had a ton of bodies in camp initially. He is making judgments based on real and not preseason games or practices. Give it two more weeks or so, at which point he should have a better sense who has and what’s lacking, beyond just a finisher or elite blue line. Quinn has established that he will bench players when needed, though the entire team can’t sit as one. As long as he remains consistent, then I have no issues with what he is doing.

Skating in a non-contact jersey today was Matt Beleskey. If he was healthy, I wonder if he and not McLeod would be the 13th forward and in the lineup when a change is needed. Having McLeod as the extra skater is a bit of a waste, but that’s an item of contention from all of us since he arrived last season. Spooner gets demoted after his so-so game Saturday, which has been a theme too often this year as well.

These are the lines I might try if switching up the trios again:
Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Jesper Fast
Filip Chytil, Kevin Hayes, Mats Zuccarello
Vladislav Namestnikov, Brett Howden, Pavel Buchnevich
Jimmy Vesey, Ryan Spooner, Vinni Lettieri

One other option is to swap Nam and Spooner. Other suggestions are to restore KZB, play Fast with Nam and Howden, Chytil-Hayes-Zucc and Vesey-Spooner-Lettieri, thereby leaving McLeod on the bench. Personally, I like Spooner on wing more than at center, but if want Nam to play more, than shifting he and Spooner in this manner makes sense.

The PP units being used at practice were (Cyrgalis):
Kevin Shattenkirk, Mika Zibanejad, Mats Zuccarello, Chris Kreider, Ryan Spooner
Kevin Hayes, Filip Chytil, Jimmy Vesey, Brett Howden with Brady Skjei and Neal Pionk rotating.

No Buch on either unit. Spooner will play from the half-boards in, if that’s the five on the first unit. Unsure why Vesey on the second unit if Howden in front, why not try Namestnikov there? If not. Go three forwards and two d-men.

Defense:

No definitive word on who is in or out, but Neal Pionk will be back in the lineup. This too is in line with Quinn’s comments the other day: “Pionk is going to play a lot of hockey for us,” Quinn said. “He and I have talked. I don’t want to reveal our lineup for our next game, but he’s a guy I like an awful lot, and he’s going to play a lot for us.”

The combinations today were (take these with a grain of salt since what we saw Friday wasn’t the duos Saturday)
Skjei-Pionk
Staal-Smith
Claesson-Shattenkirk

DeAngelo-McQuaid

Claesson was solid the two games he has played and done nothing to warrant coming out. Maybe paired with ‘Kirk, his ability to lay back, as he did when he was playing well in Ottawa, and let the better puck-rusher create with help Shattenkirk create offense. Intrigued to see Skjei-Pionk, but wonder who be the d-man that helps cover to avoid both rushing or pinching and no one getting back. Staal, who should be the next one to see the pine, and Smith is far from an ideal combination.

We knew McQuaid would draw the scratch after RNH beat him in front for the goal, continuing his average play the past few games. DeAngelo will sit for the second straight game after playing in two straight contests. This is part of the issue with eight blueliners, though I don’t see this situation changing any time soon.

With no games from Thursday until Sunday, all signs point to Henrik Lundqvist starting Tuesday against Colorado and Wednesday in Washington.

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