What was looking like the beginning of a long-awaited breakout for Pavel Buchnevich ended up being put on hold. Now it’s up to the young New York Rangers forward to pick up where he left off.
The third-year player returned Friday night from a broken thumb that had sidelined him since Nov. 10, an was placed on a formidable line with Chris Kreider and Kevin Hayes in the Blueshirts’ home matchup with the Arizona Coyotes. Buchnevich certainly showed signs that he’s ready to continue his interrupted roll in the Rangers’ excruciating 4-3 overtime loss, opening the scoring in the first period with a one-timer off Filip Chytil’s power-play setup for his sixth goal of the season.
What made Buchnevich’s injury last month all the more painful was that coach David Quinn, who has made a habit of getting through to players old and young alike in his first season, appeared to have to finally done so with the third-year Russian forward. Observing lackadaisical play and a less-than-ideal attitude, Quinn employed what has been his best and most indiscriminate weapon – control of ice time – and benched Buchnevich against the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 16.
The effect was profound and more or less immediate. Buchnevich’s effort level and impact picked up thereafter, and his minutes did accordingly. After three stronger games following the healthy scratch, Buchnevich recorded three goals and three assists over a six-game stretch. In the game he was injured, a 5-4 shootout road victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, he delivered a goal and an assist for his first multi-point effort of the season.
Then came Friday, when he played nearly 17 minutes — almost three on the man advantage — and didn’t look like a player that had missed the previous 13 games.
“You don’t want to teach people it’s OK not to play hard, no matter how old you are,” Quinn said at the time of the benching. “I think the biggest things for guys as they continue to get older is changing their definition of what trying hard is. I think (Buchnevich) is not unlike any 23-year-old, he’s got to continue to work on that. And he is. He’s not consciously going out there thinking he’s not going to try hard.
“I think it’s just a process for every young player. I think it’s a major hurdle for any young player to change your definition of what hard work is.”
Quinn’s Message Was Getting Through Before Injury
Quinn’s no-nonsense approach seems to have cut through the sense of entitlement around Buchnevich, who implied during the offseason that former coach Alain Vigneault was to blame for his struggles. As it has apparently done without fail this season, Quinn’s tough love was yielding results, with a strong message wrapped in support for the player delivered.
Quinn has to be hoping now that Buchnevich didn’t forget the lesson during the five weeks off. Judging by the effort against the Coyotes, he hasn’t.
“It may take some time – we’re going to have to be patient,” Quinn said before Friday’s game of Buchnevich and Mats Zuccarello, who also made his return from a groin injury that had kept him out of 13 of the past 15 games. “They’ve both been out for a while.”
Though Buchnevich might not know it, this could be his moment when he begins to take off and start fulfilling his potential. Injury, adjustment to the North American game and a lack of perspective about the commitment level required to succeed in the NHL have led to stops and starts for him over the past two-plus seasons.
Though Quinn, as stated, plans to give Buchnevich time to round back into form, he won’t give him forever. The expectations have been made clear, and Buchnevich is starting to show that he understands them. The Rangers’ first-year coach is expecting to see Buchnevich as fully engaged in the program as he was after the benching and prior to the injury. The time, as it’s been for young and older on this roster, is now for the 2013 third-round pick.
Buchnevich Can Show He Belongs in Blueshirt
That’s because Quinn has made it clear that this season represents that time for everyone in a Blueshirt. He’ll accept nothing less.
While the veteran Zuccarello is likely auditioning for other teams, the stakes for Buchnevich are higher — he’s trying to prove that he belongs on the roster going forward and that he is a player who will continually respond to Quinn and grow into a cornerstone of this rebuilding squad along with fellow youngsters Filip Chytil, Brett Howden, Jimmy Vesey, Neal Pionk and others. Evaluation of personnel is ongoing, and Quinn and the Rangers would certainly like to see the glimpses from Buchnevich to become more prolonged views of excellence — and, more or less, now.
The Rangers need more scoring on the wing. With 14 goals and 29 assists in 74 games last season, it’s clear that the talented Buchnevich can establish himself as a consistent source of production from that spot. His chance to resume doing so got off to a good start Friday night.