Panic mode Gallant is bad for the NY Rangers

Gerard Gallant is in panic mode, or it at least appears to be that way. With the confirmed news that Alexis Lafreniere is a healthy scratch, and other questionable lineup decisions leading to this point, the Rangers are in a state of disarray. Panic mode Gallant has entered the chat, as his questionable lineup decisions and apparent reliance on what worked in prior years is potentially clouding his judgment on what will work for the Rangers.

Panic mode Gallant falls back on old reliable

With panic mode Gallant firmly in control of the Rangers for at least a little bit longer, he will rely on players like Barclay Goodrow to provide leadership and balance to the force lineup, specifically in the top six. At the risk of beating a dead horse, we all know that isn’t the long term solution.

The Rangers are clearly trying to win now, and possibly at the extent of long term development of their #1 overall pick from 2020. It’s been fairly clear from multiple people that James Dolan is the source of this change in course, starting at the end of the 2021 season with the abrupt firings of Jeff Gorton and John Davidson. When it comes to panic mode Gallant, the call is coming from inside the house.

Goodrow will continue to get top six minutes in the interim. Sammy Blais, who we’ve established is he 13F at this point, will get fourth line minutes. The Rangers will struggle to produce consistent 5v5 offensive pressure, and rely on Igor Shesterkin to carry them. Lafreniere’s future would certainly be in question as well.

It didn’t work for Henrik Lundqvist, so it should work for Shesterkin, right?

This will be painful

If there is one thing we know, having gone through stuff like this with Alain Vigneault, David Quinn, and now Gallant, is that this will be incredibly painful. Growth isn’t linear, and hopefully this is the kick in the behind that Lafreniere needs to get his game in order. He hasn’t improved on any of the issues identified last season, which is a major concern for his attitude. His skating is a mess, and he makes lazy and bad reads.

But if, and that is a big IF at this point, this is a wakeup call for him, perhaps it lights a fire under him. The Rangers need him to be the #1 overall pick, and Gallant needs him to start being what they think he should be. Otherwise, panic mode Gallant will continue to scratch him, or worse, put him in positions where he possibly cannot succeed.

We can argue top line/PP1 time until the cows come home. That will impact his point totals for sure, but it won’t impact the subtle changes in his game that Lafreniere needs to make. As of now, he’s looking more like Nail Yakupov than even Kaapo Kakko. Gallant deserves to be questioned for many decisions he’s made, not just the recent decision to scratch Lafreniere. But this isn’t all on him, and blame is usually never a one-way street.

But this is also on Gallant, who as a head coach is supposed to be a personality manager. He’s failing here, and in many other aspects. Panic mode Gallant isn’t the answer, that we know simply based on lineup decisions. But is he the actual answer? To quote the magic 8-ball, signs point to no.