By Peter Valentino
NHL Teams are divided into four groups: consistent Stanley Cup contenders (Blackhawks, Kings, Penguins), consistent playoff attendees (Canadians, Rangers, Blues, Capitals, Lightning) occasional playoff attendees (Flames, Flyers, Panthers, Stars) and rebuilding teams (Coyotes, Sabres, Hurricanes, Oilers). Everyone after the consistent playoff attendees has relatively no chance of winning the cup this year, but the consistent playoff attendees believe that they are cup contenders. For this reason, the Rangers are not Stanley Cup contenders, and therefore, they should sell players such as Michael Grabner and Rick Nash.
This current iteration of the New York Rangers’ hockey team has had glaring flaws that have remained since the end of last season. The team has no center depth, most of the defensemen are heinously underperforming, and the injuries are piling up. Head coach Alain Vigneault is stubborn, playing underperforming players like Marc Staal, and scratching the top goal producers like Pavel Buchnevich. He also neglects to make any sort of relevant adjustments in between periods and has no fire. It is clear that the team rarely is prepared to play. At first, I wanted AV fired, but after the team reported that Kevin Shattenkirk and Chris Kreider would miss an extended amount of time from injuries, it became clear that this team is heading down the route of one that will fall off a cliff after the All-Star break, especially after this West Coast road trip. Even if they are still in a playoff spot, and their players come back from injury, this team will still have an incredibly mediocre roster riddled with unintelligent, content players. Players such as Shattenkirk, Kreider and Kevin Hayes have remarkably low hockey IQs that contribute to this team’s lack of presence in most games. The main reason for this team’s success has been the Vezina-level of play by Henrik Lundqvist. This team would be basement dwellers if he wasn’t in net, considering how tough the Eastern Conference is.
Assuming this team continues to go downhill, the team would be smart to sell off rental players before the deadline in late February. As mentioned earlier, Rick Nash, who could be the single most underachieving player in Rangers history, is coming to the end of his career, and there are going to be a plethora of contenders who could give the Rangers a first round pick for him, considering the team didn’t have a first-rounder from 2013 to 2016. Vegas, Calgary or Los Angeles make up a shortlist of teams that could need Nash, who has been playing well as of late. Michael Grabner is another player who could help an offense. His mix of speed and scoring ability will come in handy to some team who needs a third or fourth-line winger.
The talk about trading more guys under contract like McDonagh and Zuccarello is probably not something they should do, considering this team still has a youth movement upon them. If Vigneault gets fired, which he should if this team does anything less than make it to the conference finals, the team could get a coach who can actually get the most out of his players, and their fortunes could change. But with the team they have right now, the New York Rangers are going nowhere.
