Although the New York Rangers have gotten off to an 8-2-1 start to the season and are currently in first place in the Metropolitan Division, there have been some areas of concern that need to be addressed. The biggest issue in these past few games has been their poor defensive play and an overreliance on Igor Shesterkin to keep making save after save.
Over the last three games, the Rangers have allowed 124 shots against. This is not sustainable. So, with the way the defense has been playing, some questions need to be answered and in this piece, we will look at three of those questions.
Zack Jones vs. Victor Mancini
When the season began, the Rangers had eight defensemen on the roster due to injuries and although they did reduce the number down to seven, they have been rotating in both Zac Jones and Victor Mancini into the sixth defensive spot and neither have been able to stick for more than two games at a time. This method is not great for either of these players as both of them are still young and would benefit more by playing in these games than sitting in the press box. So, the question now is who should the Rangers be playing more? Should Jones get the opportunity he’s been denied over the past couple seasons or should Mancini get a longer run to see what he is truly capable of?
With Jones, he has been in the same spot for almost three seasons now. He has never gotten a true chance at playing in the lineup consistently and would only get into games when there were injuries. This season, it seemed like that would change, but with the emergence of Mancini, he still hasn’t gotten that consistent look. For Mancini, he surprised everyone with his play during training camp and he was good enough to make this team and while he has had some good moments, he has also made some mistakes, which is expected of a rookie. The Rangers can pass him through waivers with no issue, but Jones could be claimed if he were put on waivers. This might make the choice easier because if Mancini isn’t going to get consistent playing time, he should go back to the American Hockey League (AHL) and play top-pairing minutes with the Hartford Wolf Pack.
What Does the Future Hold for Ryan Lindgren?
One of the biggest pieces of news for the Rangers over the offseason was that they signed Ryan Lindgren to just a one-year deal, which means that after this season, he can become an unrestricted free agent and will be able to sign anywhere he wants. It became clear this offseason that general manager Chris Drury did not want to commit long-term to Lindgren and he has a few good reasons why. His play dropped off last season and he was not as impactful as a defensive defenseman as he had been in years past. Another big concern is his injury history. While there is no doubt that he is a warrior and can play through immense pain, that also takes a toll over time and has impacted his play. So now, we have to wonder if this will be the last season we see him in a Rangers jersey.
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The Rangers are going to have other players they need to prioritize signing next offseason over Lindgren including Shesterkin and another defenseman we will get to later on, so they aren’t going to have enough money to sign everyone. It seems that as of now, he will be the odd man out because if Drury didn’t want to commit long-term to him this past offseason, why would he want to a year from now? Lindgren already got hurt this season and so far, his play has been average at best. He will really need to step up his play if he wants to prove to management that he deserves to stay because if he doesn’t, this will be his last season with the Rangers.
K’Andre Miller’s Potential Extension
The other big defenseman the Rangers will have to sign next offseason is K’Andre Miller. He will be coming off a two-year deal that saw him making $3.872 million per season. He is going to get a raise, but the big question will be how much more and for how long will he sign. Miller has shown signs over the five seasons he has played in the NHL that he can be a top-pairing defenseman, but he has never played at that level for long periods of time and he has also struggled at many points throughout his career. So far this season, it has been much of the same. He has some very good games, but also looks terrible in others. So, how much money and how much term are the Rangers willing to commit to a player that is inconsistent, but also has all the tools to turn his game around a be a top defensive player for this team?
The most likely outcome is that he signs a five or six-year deal in the neighborhood of $5.5-6 million per season. Any higher than that and that would be a big risk for the Rangers. While he isn’t the same player as Jacob Trouba, they don’t need another overpaid defenseman on this team going forward. Miller is really going to have to step up his play and start being more reliable in the defensive zone as this is where his game lacks the most. He has so much talent and he shouldn’t have any issues in turning his game around and turning it into a pay raise and a long-term deal next offseason.
One of the Rangers’ biggest issues last season in their Eastern Conference Final loss was their poor defensive play and the reliance on Shesterkin to bail them out game after game. After 10 games this season, nothing has changed on this front and that is an issue. They need to sort out their defensive issues if they want to win a championship and they are going to need to figure out if the players they have are good enough to win it all. These three questions are just a few they need to answer about this defensive core going forward.
