We know big changes are coming for the Rangers. It’s all but guaranteed, unfortunately, Chris Kreider is traded in the offseason. Mika Zibanejad, though seeing a nice resurgence on the wing, is likely traded as well. Yes, he has value and we’ve heard some rumblings he’s open to it. But moving two players to address roster holes isn’t enough. Even with the overhauled defense, the Rangers system must change to better fit the next roster and the current blue line.

Even if the blue line is subject to more changes in the offseason, it won’t be too dramatic. Only Carson Soucy, Zac Jones, and K’Andre Miller are guys I can see being moved. For all intents and purposes, we will see something similar to these pairs, likely with an upgrade at 1LD and shifting Urho Vaakanainen down in the lineup. With at least four of the current starters returning, we know the current system doesn’t work, thus the Rangers system must change.

Current system is demanding but can be effective, just not for this team

Peter Laviolette has a very similar system to many coaches around the NHL. For the sake of this post, we are focusing solely on the defensive zone system, which is an evolution of some of the more basic systems we’ve seen in years past. The Rangers play a hybrid man/zone system in the defensive zone, and for those with good memories, it’s very similar to the defensive zone system that Alain Vigneault ran.

Vigneault had the Rangers playing a hybrid man/zone system, which gave the defense added responsibility while leaning on the center to fill in the gaps. The defense played man, but released at the faceoff dots. It required excellent skating and quick thinking with the puck. It was something some players were fine with, but as they got older or injured, it didn’t work. This is one of the core reasons why we saw Dan Girardi and Marc Staal fade as quickly as they did. The system didn’t fit them.

Laviolette plays a similar style in the defensive zone, though giving the defense more freedom to chase beyond the dots, but for the most part releasing by the tops of the circles. It’s demanding, and while most of the defense has the skating ability to keep up, it’s the quick decisions with the puck that makes them vulnerable to teams like Calgary.

Given the current crop of defensemen, and how it’s unlikely to see more significant changes in the offseason, the Rangers system must change to bring out the best of what they have.

Rangers system must change even if Laviolette stays

It’s no guarantee that Peter Laviolette is going to be fired after this season. He has one year left on his contract, and a lot of this year is on the players and their inability to show up and execute. The system is the biggest issue right now–I’d pick on lineup decisions, but every single NHL coach makes the same decisions so we would just be yelling at clouds–and the easiest thing to fix.

Given their issues making quick decisions with the puck, a more conservative zone system like a box+1 would be a better fit. This is something The Suit has been pushing for all season. This aligns more with how the penalty kill looks, and though it’s apples to oranges, the theory sounds fine. The Rangers system must change, and though a box+1 or similar style zone system would be the polar opposite of what we see today, it is likely to bring out a more efficient and stable defensive structure.

This is also critical in whichever coach the Rangers bring in to replace Laviolette, should he be fired. Pure speculation, but if Pittsburgh lets Mike Sullivan go, then he will be back with the Rangers before the ink dries on his departure from Pittsburgh. Otherwise, it’s a lot of the same thing that Chris Drury clearly isn’t a fan of. After all, Laviolette wasn’t even his top choice in the offseason.

Since the Rangers system must change, a part of the hiring process should be about what the system will look like. Some teams can handle a more aggressive style of play. The Rangers, at this moment, can’t. It’s tough to change a system midseason, so this is something that needs to be addressed in the offseason.

It’s more than just the defensive zone system

We can talk about how the Rangers system must change until the end of time, but it doesn’t matter if the roster isn’t engaged. Just look at this season. Laviolette is not without fault, same with Phil Housley, Michael Peca, and Dan Muse, but there’s only so much a coach can do if the players have essentially given up. It appears they have and the loss to Calgary proved it.

Part of the issue is beyond the defensive zone system. The forecheck was nonexistent, and that came with some rather illuminating quotes from the coach. Laviolette preaches north-south play, and it seems many on the roster default to east-west. Something about teaching an old dog new tricks. When they are engaged with the system, they execute, but if not, they default to passive hockey.

Unlike the defensive zone system, it’s tough to pinpoint the exact issue with this. Some guys are just wired to play a certain way. Laviolette prefers the Rangers play a 2-1-2 forecheck, and we’ve seen how effective it is when the Rangers buy into it. It’s when they default to the 1-3-1, which is used sparingly and mostly to protect leads or during line changes, that the issue persists. Aggressive play is needed, and ceding half the ice is not a recipe for success. I can assure you no coach in the NHL wants their team to cede half the ice.

The Rangers system must change, and while we are focusing on the defensive zone structure, a lot of this is also on the forecheck. Perhaps a less aggressive 1-2-2 system, again similar to how AV had the Rangers playing, fits this roster better. That particular system can be used both aggressively and passively, based on the positioning of F1 and the reads F2 and F3 make.

The Rangers system must change to fit the roster. Most coaches just ram a system down a team’s throat. Coaches like Sullivan and, believe it or not, John Tortorella have been known to make adjustments to their systems to better fit the roster. They still have a baseline system, but make small tweaks, the way Torts allowed Zach Werenski to roam free, which led to his breakout.

Even with all the roster moves we are expecting, and hopefully will come to fruition over the summer, it will be for naught if it’s just status quo with deployment and tactics. The Rangers system must change for the Blueshirts to be better and become more than a sum of their parts. The defensive zone system is the focus, but the forecheck and neutral zone system plays a role. If Lavi stays or if there’s a new coach, the first item is focusing on the changes needed on the ice.

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