Is the Rangers youth movement a failure? After all, only 3 forwards will be under 30 this season.

In a rebuild year, there are very few expectations. Heading into the season, we expected an up and down year with the Rangers on the outside of the playoffs looking in. So far, those expectations were in line with reality. However a different expectation was ensuring proper growth and development for the kids. So far, the kids that have earned more ice time have been “lost on the bench” or didn’t play much because of “a mistake” according to the Rangers coaches. It’s an excuse heard more than once. This is a problem.

While most of the focus has been on Brett Howden’s extremely long leash, let’s focus on three players that have a significant impact on the future of the Rangers. Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko, and Alexis Lafreniere are the immediate and (likely) long term future of the Rangers. Their development is directly correlated to any success the Rangers have coming out of the rebuild. Yet as recently as last game, these kids aren’t getting ice time. Kris Knoblauch called that a mistake:

No one is perfect. People make mistakes. However this is a pretty big mistake, and it’s becoming a theme more than a mistake. Looking solely at even strength ice time per game, Chytil has had two games with under ten minutes ice time in the last four. Lafreniere had one, but it was an inexcusable 7:52 TOI. Kakko seems to be less of an issue.

All three, while struggling to put up points, are still putting up good to decent metrics. It’s showing good process, while the shooting balances itself out. The trio itself, when paired together, is actually pretty good.

The thing is, they only have 39 minutes of even strength time together. Most of that is due to Chytil’s injury, but now that he’s back there’s no reason to keep separating and/or “losing them on the bench.” While this is specifically in response to an article, this isn’t the only time I’ve seen that viewpoint expressed. This doesn’t even account for the baseless “Chytil doesn’t pass” take.

The best course forward is to keep that line together and to actually let them play. Don’t lose them on the bench. Don’t play the fourth line over them. Just let them play. It will work itself out. Chemistry matters. This trio’s development matters. At this point, it’s on the coaches to let them play and put them in a position to succeed. So far, they’ve been adequate at best in this regard. This ‘losing kids on the bench” mistake is going to haunt the Rangers coaches if they continue.

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