Buying at the deadline won’t solve these Rangers’ issues

Photo: Bruce Bennett (Getty Images)

The New York Rangers will be buyers at the trade deadline this year. Make no mistake about it. And depending on the moves they make –assuming they land a legitimate top-six forward– they will be a better and deeper team after the deadline in the short term. It’s still the classic “all-in” scenario, but the Rangers are bluffing.

Buying at the deadline won’t fix the foundation issues that run rampant with the on-ice product. The organization still thinks they can win with a fourth line consisting of one –if not both– of Dan Paille and Tanner Glass. The coaching staff thinks that Dan Girardi and Marc Staal are their two best defenders. The staff thinks they can win playing man coverage in the defensive zone with an aging roster that is slowing down.

These are fundamental issues that go beyond any trade deadline rental.

The penalty kill stinks. Dan Paille was not the answer, nor should anyone have realistically expected him to be.

The powerplay stinks. Dan Boyle was not the answer. Keith Yandle is, but isn’t being utilized properly. Kevin Klein and his booming shot and shoot-first mentality still doesn’t get consistent time as a trigger man, even as an experiment.

The “best” players on the Rangers are being played as the “best” players, but aren’t performing as the “best” players. Girardi and Staal still dominate ice time despite horrible results. Sure, they’ve been better, but it doesn’t justify 20 minutes a night. A shakeup is needed, even something as simple as a rotation. The Klein injury throws a wrench into this, but it’s something that should have been identified and addressed months ago.

Kids are being scratched regularly for fading coach/fan favorites. This wouldn’t be an issue if the kids being scratched, notably Dylan McIlrath, were playing poorly and/or the favorites were playing well. But the kids are playing well and the favorites are fading. Something is off.

The roster is slowing down. Man coverage has been an absolute train wreck for multiple reasons. The diamond force penalty kill is leaving players open all over the ice. An aggressive zone –preferably a straight up strong size overload– will work, but the issue needs to be recognized.

These are just a few of the deep seeded issues that are killing the Rangers chances of being a legitimate Cup contender this year. A philosophical change is needed, both in talent evaluation and blind loyalty to fading favorites. A trade deadline acquisition won’t change this. The team will be better in the short term, but true holes won’t be addressed, and it will simply prolong the inevitable heartbreak of all fans.