The New York Rangers are watching their season dwindle away day by day. Soon, the season will be over, with nothing to show for it besides some decent development of a few players, and a likely high draft pick. Still, there’s no reason the Rangers can’t learn some lessons from their second consecutive lost season. Let’s go through some lessons the Rangers must learn.
If you are willing and able to support neuroblastoma research, a rare type of childhood cancer, please do so by clicking here to donate. BSB will be presenting the MVP Awards for both Play Like A Pro Charity Games at MSG this coming Monday. A $500 donation has been made to Band of Parents. To those who have donated and pushed us past our $1,200 goal, thank you very much.
1. Empower the right players
JT Miller does not need to be empowered. Taylor Raddysh does not need to be empowered. Heck, Jonathan Quick does not need to be empowered. The Rangers must learn that the young players who will make up the future of the organization are the players who need to be empowered.
That means giving Alexis Lafreniere and Gabe Perreault key ice time. That means giving Dylan Garand starts in net. That means letting players like Adam Edstrom make mistakes so he can learn the necessary lessons.
Young players need ice time and the opportunity to feel empowered to make mistakes and learn from them.
2. Puck hogs create problems
This is not a criticism of Artemi Panarin, although I’m sure it sounds like one. Panarin and Miller played a lot of the season trying to create their own offense, preventing players like Lafreniere and Perreault from honing their own playmaking skills. The Rangers will be tempted to find a Panarin replacement, but the best fit for this organization is someone who complements the young stars on the team.
3. Character matters, but the right character matters more
I’ve never been a huge proponent of intangibles and character, but if there’s ever been a team that needs a locker room presence, it’s the Rangers. The player doesn’t have to be a guy who can’t play, too. Find a player who’s both good on the ice and in the locker room, and have him make a difference. It will help the Rangers handle the ups and downs that they have so far let define them.
Unfortunately, Chris Drury thought he was acquiring that kind of player in JT Miller, who instead proceeded to whine, lack effort, and throw the fans under the bus. Which leads us to…
4. Find some way, any way, to fix the J.T. Miller problem
I quite honestly could not name a Ranger in history who has been less rootable for than JT Miller in his second stint with the Rangers. Miller has pouted, been rude to the media, been rude to the fans, lacked effort, and been the primary reason the Rangers have lost numerous games. He is barely playing like a player worth half his salary.
Worst of all, Miller is the captain.
The Rangers must find a way to rectify this, whether it be through trading Miller, removing his captaincy, or sitting him down and giving him some sort of an ultimatum.
Make no mistake about it, the current iteration of JT Miller is a plague on this organization. That must be fixed.
More About:Musings