Alain Vigneault and the illusion of accountability

Miller (Photo by Scott Levy/NHLI via Getty Images)

Accountability has been a word thrown around by many Rangers fans this year. Its meaning can be subjective. The name on the jersey can sometimes influence accountability, even if it shouldn’t. The job of a coach is to fight through subjective reasoning and enforce accountability at an objective level.

Accountability has been an issue all year for the Rangers. Veterans who have played poorly have not been benched. Heck, they haven’t even seen their ice time slashed. Kids that make rookie mistakes are scratched. Second year players are called out publicly. Others are benched mid-game.

This came to a head last night against the Islanders, as J.T. Miller was singled out by Alain Vigneault as the player who did not deserve any more playing time. This is interesting, as not only has Miller been the most consistent Ranger since Rick Nash’s injury, but he’s been arguably the best Ranger skater.

Miller didn’t have a strong first period, and this isn’t to say he did. But to single him out, out of every other Ranger that played poorly in that period. Accountability is fine, but benching Miller gives the illusion of accountability.

How about at the beginning of the season, when Dan Girardi and Marc Staal could do nothing right? Games as a healthy scratch: Zero. Games where their ice time was diminished: Zero. Accountability.

But Oscar Lindberg has a few bad penalties –and yes, they were bad penalties– and he’s a scratch. Accountability.

If a coach is to be trusted, accountability should be fair and unbiased. But it seems once you have a salary in the seven figures, you are immune to such treatment. Now the counterpoint here is that Girardi and Staal are trusted vets in the locker room, and it might send the wrong message to bench guys like them. I understand that argument, even if I don’t agree with it.

It seems most folks are in agreement that singling out Miller and benching him, despite the desperate need for goals, was a short sighted move by a coach who has had his moves questioned all season long. Instead of real accountability, we have the illusion of accountability. We have the classic, “I benched someone who was playing poorly at that moment” excuse.

Accountability begins and ends with the coaching staff. What kind of message is sent to rookies when they sit and other players, making far worse mistakes, continue playing? It’s time for the illusion of accountability to be replaced with actual accountability. The onus is on you, AV.