26-12-2

January has been terrible so far. 1-3-1. The Rangers have just hit 3 losses in a row, the worst of the season. They’re playing at what looks like 50% right now losing to the nest and the worst in the league. Of the total 14 losses so far, I think 8 have been blowout losses. It’s been concerning and it’s not getting better.

I mean, look at what’s happened this month:

Carolina and Vancouver are top of the league. Chicago is terrible so that win had to happen. Montreal isn’t much better making that OT loss bad–which the Rangers were down 0-3 in the 2nd period–and St. Louis is barely over NHL .500.

The problems, most of them old:

• Terrible defensive mistakes. Schneider and Miller are so sloppy right now it doesn’t make sense. Adam Fox hasn’t been the same since coming back from his injury. He’s been getting some assists, but goals are far and few in between, and he’s making uncharacteristic mistakes. Gustafsson has gone ice-cold points-wise. Zac Jones is looking more and more like the AHL is the peak of his hockey skill.
• With the defense being so porous (bare effort stick checking doesn’t work in the NHL much!) the goaltending has gotten ugly.
• Turnovers. Good lord the passing is bad. It’s like the David Quinn years.
• Turnovers lead to breakaway chances which is killing this team now.
• Injuries have taken their toll and the water in the luck well has run out. The 2nd line has been the only consistent production line all season. The first line scores in spurts and it’s usually only on the power play (speaking of Zibanejad and Kreider in particular). The first line is like dead right now. Vessey and Cuylle are the only bottom six forwards who are doing anything positive. The rest are slow and cannot score. When the top two lines are producing, the bottom two just need to be competent with as few mistakes as possible to win games. That has stopped. If it wasn’t for Trocheck and Panarin having career seasons, whoo boy.

So the ship is in rough seas and coach Laviolette has his work cut out for him. There are no players to call up that have the skills to make a major difference. Kaapo Kakko is about to come back from injury, possibly tomorrow against Washington. He’s needed and hopefully when he does come back he isn’t too rusty. Wheeler on the first line is a failure so let’s get Kakko back there. Hopefully, Zibanejad isn’t sick for long and it doesn’t spread through the team. The garbage passing has to stop. Most of the problems seem to be more or less from bad on ice decisions. And then there is bad puck luck…the Rangers have greatly out-shot the last 3 teams but haven’t gotten that blessed hockey god second bounce or rebound chance.

We are at the mid-point of the season and the front runners are solidifying. The point gaps are either shrinking or gone and every game matters. The Rangers had a 10 point lead in the Metro division and look at what the standings are now:

3 points. That’s it. Carolina is heating up and it’s going to be work for the Rangers to fend them off. The Islanders aren’t incredible but their OT points are still points and they’re frequent PITA opponents for the Rangers. Florida, Winnipeg, Seattle, and Edmonton are on massive win streaks. Edmonton are now playing like everyone thought they would at the start of the season and are knocking on the playoff door. They had a terrible record and have turned it around. Vancouver rarely loses. Boston and Vegas have stumbled recently which adds to the top of the leaderboard turning into a feeding frenzy.

The home and home against Washington this weekend is important. It’s going to be a gut check. The following week is a tough schedule for the Rangers and the Caps are going to be the “easiest” competition.