For the last five years, one of the few consistencies with the Rangers was their powerplay personnel. In that five year span, there were no Rangers powerplay changes to their personnel, save for replacing Ryan Strome with Vincent Trocheck. Now with Chris Kreider gone, a need to get Alexis Lafreniere PP1 time, and a need to load balance a bit better, head coach Mike Sullivan is implementing a few Rangers powerplay changes, and most are for the better.

1. It’s not that Rangers powerplay changes were always in the works. They became a necessity with Kreider gone, JT Miller in the mix, a need to get Lafreniere on that top unit, among other smaller things that crept up. Last year’s issues that resulted in a bottom-five unit were, to me, a blip that wasn’t going to repeat itself. Even running back the exact same unit with Kreider would likely have netted at least top-15 powerplay results, which is passable, but probably closer to top-10 results.

That said, the time for Rangers powerplay changes has come.

2. First and foremost, getting Lafreniere powerplay time is critical. The question is where. He’s likely best on his off-wing, as net-front isn’t his style and while he’d be a good bumper, it’s rare to see a lefty in that role and even rarer to see a younger kid in that role. Inserting Laf on his off-wing alongside one of Mika Zibanejad or Artemi Panarin gives the Rangers a secondary one-timer option, something they’ve lacked but haven’t necessarily needed since they were, for the most part, firing on all cylinders until last season.

3. It’s likely the Rangers powerplay changes wind up shifting Panarin and Zibanejad to the other off-wing, with the other serving as the bumper. Both are fine in either role, and honestly it would make more sense to have them continually rotate to keep penalty killers moving and guessing. JT Miller or Vincent Trocheck would wind up as the net-front guy, with Adam Fox still running point.

Whichever of Miller or Trocheck wind up on PP1, the other will wind up on PP2.

4. Load balancing is another key cog in the Rangers powerplay changes. The top-five from last year played almost the full two minutes, usually ceding just 30-45 to PP2. PP2 naturally had a tough time getting things going, both due to limited time and a rotating cast of character thanks to multiple roster moves last season. This year, the Rangers have some guys that can actually play PP2, which hopefully means PP1 can take a bit of a break here and there.

A break from PP1 means the penalty killers also see a different look, which means less of an opportunity for things to go stale for an extended period of time.

5. As for PP2, let’s assume Trocheck is the guy who leads that unit in the bumper role. Matt Rempe or Adam Edstrom appears to have a role as the net front presence on that unit, with Rempe getting that look in preseason games already. Depending on who makes the Rangers, and with 15 forwards a possibility anything can happen, we may see a rotation of kids and veterans while the rest of the roster falls into place.

Brennan Othmann has a great shot that is tailor made for a powerplay. Gabe Perreault and Noah Laba can complement that shot, but Laba as a righty could provide that off-wing support. Scott Morrow can be the PP2 quarterback if he makes the team, otherwise that role may be Braden Schneider’s to lose. Conor Sheary is a wild card and has played powerplay minutes this preseason.

PP2 already generated goal from Othmann due to Rempe’s screen in front. Worth noting, though it’s tough to guess the PP2 makeup right now. In fact, we will likely see a rotation until the roster dust settles.

6. Sometimes going with ole reliable is a good thing. The Rangers going back to the well last year with that unit was fine, and there really wasn’t a right answer to address all the issues last season. Throwing Lafreniere into the mix while morale was in the dumpster was just a recipe for disaster. This year is different, and with all the roster turnover, some Rangers powerplay changes were inevitable. This is the perfect time to try something new.

7. Regarding PP1, it is a bad idea to have Miller, Zibanejad, and Trocheck on the same unit. These are the only true centers–Laba notwithstanding–that have the talent for powerplay time. PP2 needs a center, and it’ll likely be one of Zibanejad or Trocheck, since Miller wasn’t brought in to play PP2 minutes.

It’s likely that decision will depend on the rest of PP2’s makeup. If they need a shooter, then Zibanejad is the best guy to shift. If they need a bumper, then Trocheck is the best guy for that role. No matter what, one of them should be on PP2, and it should not be viewed as a “demotion.” This is critical load balancing to create depth throughout the lineup and on special teams.

8. If everything goes to plan, some of the fallout of these Rangers powerplay changes will be some muted powerplay numbers from prior powerhouses. A more even split of time gives the team a more well rounded look at the expense of individual stats, which no one on the Rangers will mind.

The first few months of the season will be a bit bumpy, and special teams won’t be any different. Expect growing pains, flashes of brilliance, dry spells, and rotating units as Sully and the rest of the coaching staff figure things out.

More About: