What the Rangers lack and why it doesn’t matter

There used to be an obsession with team toughness and in some circles people connected to the Rangers (including some in the media) bemoaned the ‘vanilla’ Rangers. Well, this year’s Rangers are the President Trophy winners who are aiming for back to back Stanley Cup Final appearances and who are far from a physically intimidating or ‘tough’ opponent.

The Rangers lack an intimidating presence but the truth is, they don’t need it; basically it’s an outdated demand placed on teams (it’s also why Tanner Glass is even more unnecessary but we digress) by some in the media who conform to old stereotypes.

If you watch the Rangers closely the Rangers don’t back down from anyone, they’re more than happy to engage with physical opponents but this Rangers team have taken a different route to success. This year the Rangers are 24^th overall in penalty minutes (699 at the last count), they are 24^th in major penalties and 24^th in fighting majors. This team isn’t a nasty team that visits the penalty box frequently but this team wins games. A lot of games.

A lot of teams near the top of the fighting majors category will be hitting their local golf courses in a few days. Buffalo, Columbus, Colorado, Dallas and Edmonton are all teams who like to fight but none of them will be coming close to a Cup winners parade anytime soon.  Amongst the fighting ‘leaders’ only Anaheim can truly be considered a team that tries to intimidate its opponents and simultaneously be successful.  Fighting just isn’t a necessary skill any more.

The Rangers have players who can fight; the likes of James Sheppard, Chris Kreider and Kevin Klein are willing to stick up for their teammates and of course there is Tanner Glass, but all it is, is these players sticking up for teammates. It’s about answering the bell when necessary that matters and it’s certainly not a weakness to lack a true desire for fighting.

We saw how the Devils went running around after the Rangers this week and we saw the Rangers stay composed and subsequently out skill, out skate and outshoot the Devils and that mindset and approach saw the Rangers sweep the Devils this season. Talent wins. Fighting, or insisting on having a nasty streak doesn’t.

The change in the Rangers approach and their subsequent success is probably the worst timing for a player such as Dylan McIlrath who was drafted because there was a belief that the Rangers needed to look after their own more and get bigger and nastier and who knows, maybe the ‘Undertaker’ will be needed eventually.

This Rangers team won’t be built in an intimidating way, in a way that doesn’t prioritise skill, anytime soon and as long as they’re winning games and competing for championships that’s how it will stay. It’s a different league now and the Rangers know this. Speed and skill are the order of the day and the Rangers have a lot of both. The Rangers lack a truly nasty streak in their line-up and looking at the standings, that’s probably fine with everyone connected to the Rangers.