The New York Rangers have struggled over the past few weeks, especially in the defensive zone and allowing their opponents to get multiple high danger scoring chances over the course of a game. While they have been able to squeak out some wins thanks to brilliant goaltending from both Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick, they haven’t been able to get wins against the top teams in the league like the Winnipeg Jets and the Florida Panthers.
A major reason as to why these struggles have continued is because a majority of the top players have not played like should have so far this season. The players who have stepped out and performed this season have been from the third line and the third defensive pairing. With them playing so well and the others continuing to struggle, these players deserve more ice time since they have been carrying the load both offensively and defensively.
Rangers’ Third Line is One of the Best Lines in the Entire NHL
Last season, the Rangers’ third line was always an area of concern, especially after Filip Chytil went down with injury. The line was never able to provide consistent offense and it struggled mightily in the playoffs. Now, entering this season, with a healthy Chytil coming back with a point to prove, his return has given a spark to the third line and his linemates, Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko, have been been able to up their games from last season and they have been one of the best lines in the NHL this season.
When this trio has been on the ice, they have not allowed a goal against and have outscored their opponents 11-0. This line was the only consistent line for the Rangers in their game against the Jets and they scored two of the three goals. Cuylle got the first goal when he put in the rebound chance and then in the third period, Kakko got a goal by — once again — going to the front of the net and getting a rebound. This line plays in a way that uses all of its players’ strengths to their advantage and it has worked extremely well. They were broken up for a little while, but now they have been put back together, there is no reason to split them up again anytime soon.
Zac Jones and Braden Schneider are the Rangers’ Best Defensive Pair
One of the biggest questions the Rangers needed to answer about their defense recently was which player would get the sixth defensive spot between Zac Jones and Victor Mancini. While both had been coming in and out of the lineup earlier this season, it seems as if now, they have their answer. Jones has played in four straight games now and has been playing extremely well alongside Braden Schneider. This pairing has been the teams’ best over these past few games and they have yet to be on the ice for a goal against this season.
Related: 4 Takeaways From Rangers’ 6-3 Loss to the Jets
Jones is finally getting his chance to play consistently and he is using this time to show why he should’ve been in the lineup much earlier than he was. With Schneider, he moved around the defensive pairings and even had to play on his off side, but now, it seems that he has found the perfect partner in Jones. He is the offensive, puck mover while Schneider is the more defensively-responsible player and they complement each other extremely well. With the way they have been playing, they should be considered the team’s top defensive pairing.
Younger Players are Outplaying the Veterans
All of the players mentioned so far are 25 years old or younger. It is amazing to see them all thriving right now, but it also means that the older players have been struggling and that is not a good sign going forward. Mika Zibanejad has been awful and continues to look worse each game. Vincent Trocheck hasn’t looked like the player he was last season and with these two especially struggling, it makes Chytil’s great play even more important. One the backend, K’Andre Miller has been abysmal and his pairing with Jacob Trouba has been the team’s worst. Adam Fox has looked ok at best and Ryan Lindgren hasn’t been good at all.
With all of these veterans struggling at the same time, it gives even more reason as to why these youngsters should be playing more. They are the ones contributing the offense and playing solid defense. Until the others start getting their games back on track, the Rangers should be giving more minutes to their third line and third defensive pairing. If they continue to play well and the others can find their games, the Rangers will be an even more dangerous and deep team heading into the playoffs.
