A new approach to building depth on defense is just one of the changes we've seen this summer

A new approach to building depth on defense is just one of the changes we’ve seen this summer

– I have no idea where Brandon Pirri fits into the puzzle, but that’s not stopping me from being very pleased by the signing. There’s loads of evidence that Pirri is truly an elite goal scorer, and while he leaves a lot to be desired with his two-way play, being able to put the puck in the net at the rate Pirri does is truly a rare trait.

– The Pirri signing is the latest in a string of moves by the front office that show increasing reliance on #fancystats and sound economical decision-making. Part of the change is due to the team’s tricky cap situation entering the summer, but all of Pirri, Michael Grabner, Josh Jooris and Nathan Gerbe are under-the-radar depth signings that extend the lineup and could turn a mediocre possession team into a good one  – if the Blueshirts could fix the defense.

– Remember when everyone briefly panicked about the reports that New York was going to offer Maxim Lapierre a PTO? That seems like a distant memory. He’s probably near 20th on the forward depth chart now.

– Another shift in thinking by the front office has been evident with how the Blueshirts have assembled their defensive depth in Hartford. Whereas in past summers the Rangers acquired the likes of Michael Kostka, Danny Syvret and Matt Gilroy to play in the minors and be available in case of emergency, this year they brought in Michael Paliotta, Adam Clendening and John Gilmour. There’s nothing wrong with having a couple veterans in Hartford to show the way, but finding those AHL lifers shouldn’t be overly difficult, or a priority. Adding real talent like the Blueshirts did this summer – three guys that all still have a legitimate chance to make it to the NHL – is a much wiser approach.

– I remain convinced a trade for defensive help is coming for a few reasons beyond the obvious logjam of bodies:

  1. With the shift by the front office towards more analytical thinking, I simply can’t accept that Jeff Gorton and co. are willing to go to war with the existing blueline.
  2. Though it doesn’t sound like Jimmy Vesey was guaranteed anything, there’s also no way he would have signed with New York if there wasn’t a very real chance of him making the team. So the Rangers signed Vesey – then brought in yet another bona fide NHL forward less than a week later in Pirri? That makes no sense, unless one or more of the guys above them on the depth chart is on the way out.
  3. James Wisniewski, a righty D-man that can quarterback the power play, agreed to a PTO with the Lightning a few weeks back. Going back to my first point – he’s far too good of a player for the Rangers to just ignore unless they had a better plan in place. Wisniewski is coming off a major injury, but the Blueshirts had plenty of cap room to bring Wisniewski in on a one-year deal, or at the very least, offer Wiz a PTO with a much easier path to playing time than he’ll have in Tampa Bay.

– The Vesey sweepstakes were yet another reminder of how lucky we are to be fans of this team. It seems like every time a coveted player becomes available, the Rangers are on the short list of desirable locations – and it’s no longer just because they offer the most money. Vesey, Kevin Hayes, Eric Staal, Keith Yandle, Martin St. Louis – the list could go and on, but these are players most teams would love to have that either directly pushed their way to New York or chose to play in Broadway over other appealing options. The formula hasn’t always yielded tremendous results, but it’s still a privilege to root for a team that is always in position to land top talent.

– The other day on Twitter Patrick Kearns half-jokingly suggested that Alain Vigneault should solve the lineup problem by playing four forwards and a defenseman. During the preseason, that’s really not such a bad idea for an experiment. The game is changing and there’s a very strong case to be made that puck possession is the best defense. So why not try rolling out four talented guys that know how to be responsible with the puck with a defender that’s fast enough to cover up for their mistakes like Ryan McDonagh? It’s probably not a viable solution, but why not see what it looks like when the games don’t matter?


Question time:
1) Which Ranger free agent signing are you most excited for and why?
2) Do you see a trade on the horizon?
3) How much do you attribute the new approach to Jeff Gorton?

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