With the Rangers (and their fans mental health) enjoying lengthy time off thanks to their bye week and the All-Star Break, it feels like a good time to take stock of the team and the season. The vibe around the team has been more than a bit negative of late but I still believe that this year’s team can be dangerous in the spring, with some added help that is. I think the fan base has gotten a bit too caught up in the negative and lost sight of what is still in front of them. Sure, the team needs to be more consistent and individuals in the lineup could stand to improve their play, but we say this with the added of benefit of still holding first place in the metro.

They have also gained the unexpected gift of additional cap room due to Filip Chytil’s unfortunate injury set back, which gives the front office the room to add needed depth to this team. While I agree with those that say GM Chris Drury needs to operate judiciously, I think he absolutely should seek to improve this team and give it the chance to win in the spring. Afterall, when you have won one championship since 1940, sitting on your hands doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

Solving this team’s issues begins and ends with getting them solid players that can just do a job akin to the 2022 trade deadline, no matter their stature or name recognition. Drury has the ability to just add to this roster, but I would still remain open to moving members off of it in the right deal, especially if it mitigates the asset cost in what seems to be a seller’s trade market with players available that have term through next season. Let’s dive into some of what I think needs to happen here.

What Needs to Change

While a lot of things could stand to improve on the ice, most of them won’t matter if Igor Shesterkin doesn’t regain anything close to his usually brilliant form in net. Number 31 is coming off his worst month yet in the NHL, playing the pipes at an .870 save %, putting him near the bottom of the league rankings in that stretch. While he is on his way to the All-Star game, I hope that the week off has done Igor some good as he clears his head and prepares for a big second half. If Shesterkin can get his game back this team can hang onto first place and enhance the impact that any deadline additions they will make, but without any talk of a deep run is foolish. There are examples of teams making it to the playoffs without their number one rolling, like the Capitals in 2018 and Blackhawks in 2015, but in the end the starter regained their best form and helped carry the team.

As we work from the net out, if there is a member of the Rangers defense that needs to step their game up its K’Andre Miller. I sound like a broken record saying that as we have talked about number 79’s struggles quite a bit, but he is playing well beneath his ability. While I am sensitive to the personal struggles that Miller has openly talked about, the constant defensive mistakes have to get out of his game. They have been there since the stretch run and playoffs last season, as he was maybe the Rangers worst D-man in the opening round loss to Jersey. His name has been in a lot of “trade rumors” (mostly fan created) for the last few weeks, which I am sure does not make some of his off ice struggles any easier. As for the rumors themselves, I would be open to a Miller trade, for the right kind of player coming in return, someone who can play his role but in a different, more physical style. I suspect Miller is safe though given the increased cap space the Rangers now have, and hopefully he can play a cleaner, more physical game in the second half this year as the team heads towards the playoffs. If he doesn’t, he may not be so safe come the summer.

As we move from the defense to the forwards, the Rangers need more consistent play from best friends forever Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. To be fair to both of them, they have put up near point per game production (power play points or not), but they both have another gear they can summon at even strength. While I feel a lot of their 5 v 5 struggles can be attributed to their lack of a consistent linemate, they need to be more aggressive when driving play, and take on defenders. I think, and hope for that matter, that they will benefit from an outside addition at this deadline, perhaps in the form of a reunion with a former linemate.

The Lightning Rod

As I continue to evaluate this group, we hit the player who is becoming a major point of contention for the Ranger fan base. Kaapo Kakko’s time on Broadway has always left fans wanting more, particularly on offense as his goal scoring has never quite come along. Some argue he doesn’t quite have the “it” factor, while others feel he’s never been given the top line opportunity they feel he deserves. While there are clear positives to Kakko’s game like his work on the puck and responsible defensive work, he’s never given an offensive output befitting of his draft slot.

Even Peter Laviolette, who came into the season giving number 24 top line minutes off of a strong preseason and re-inserted him to that spot after his injury, seems to have lost confidence in his ability to help drive play as he has now demoted him for the second time this season. All of this is a long-winded way of saying I feel Kakko is in need of a change of scenery and the Rangers should use that to their advantage in a trade at this deadline. While I don’t want to declare him an outright “bust,” I think we have to stop banking on potential and bring in some immediate help for this team, especially if that help is under contract through next season. He is a pending RFA, meaning Drury will likely have to extend him again, and he frankly has not done enough to warrant another extension in a league where the cap is tight, and assets are at a premium. Much of the discourse surrounding him reminds me of Yankee fans constant debate about Gary Sanchez. “Just wait until Gary proves you all wrong, you will be sorry when he is gone.” Two seasons later and that is far from the case. In Kakko’s case we’re five seasons, two GM’s and three coaches who have given him the opportunity to prove his metal in all situations, it’s been time to come good, and it still hasn’t happened. Maybe now is the time to cut the cord.

For whatever its worth I think much like K’Andre Miller, Kakko may well be here after the trade deadline given the added cap space the team is operating with. If he is here after March 8th, I would like to see him and Will Cuylle centered by a new veteran addition to create a solid matchup line that can play a physical and responsible game in all three zones. No matter what happens, I don’t expect things to be uneventful when it comes to number 24.

The Shopping List

As the NHL trade deadline approaches, there is a host of names that are on the block. The above players were a handful I selected based on a few criteria. The first thing I was looking for was a player that plays a physical, two-way game. The second were some stats beyond the typical goals and assists, like faceoff percentages given the newfound premium the team has placed on this. The third and final criteria was cap hit and term, as there are some players out there that the Rangers can add and keep going forward. Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan checked two of these boxes and were on the list, before being acquired this week by the Canucks and Jets.

You’ve no doubt seen talk of Adam Henrique being near the top of the list, along with familiar faces like Frank Vatrano and Vladimir Tarasenko coming back into the fold, but I think there are some other solid names to look at, especially if salary is retained in the deal. That’s not to say I wouldn’t be happy to see these guys brought back, but a deeper dive is warranted. Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman has been a favorite pick of mine for a while as he plays a hardnosed game while still packing an offensive punch. He was also previously acquired by a Peter Laviolette coached team, when he was brought in by Nashville at the deadline, so keep that in mind. Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner could also be a nice fit as his big frame and solid work in the faceoff circle would help the third line.

If the Rangers seek to add defensive help as well, keep an eye on flyers blue liners Sean Walker and Nick Seeler as well as the Wild’s Jacob Middleton. Chris Tanev from the Calgary Flames is also an attractive option, but he presents some tricky fits on the pairs as he is yet another right shot D-man. All these players would make this team harder to play against, something they have not been often enough over the years. Moves like these would serve a similar purpose to the deals Chris Drury made at the 2022 deadline. I’m excited to see which direction the brass takes this team in over the weeks ahead.

Wrapping Up

As we wrap things up here, I wanted to take a moment to share our latest collaboration with The Rangers Ed Podcast. I joined them this past week for episode 111 of their show and we really had a lot of fun talking Blueshirts. On this episode we covered many of the same topics you read about above and had some laughs along the way. We will have a special interview with them releasing next week and we will continue to work together going forward. Thanks to them for having me on the show and I hope you enjoy listening to the episode as much as we enjoyed doing it together.

Once the bye is over the Rangers will return to action against the Avalanche Monday night at the Garden, which will be a stiff test for the Blueshirts as they will have to deal with MVP candidate Nathan MacKinnon. Following that win they will take on longtime nemesis, the Tampa Bay Lightning, who roll into town with fellow MVP candidate Nikita Kucherov. Hopefully the time off has done this team some good and they can hit the ground running.

You can find me on Twitter @YNWA9623 and subscribe to the site by hitting the follow button in the bottom right corner and entering your email address. Also, check out our new Instagram feed @thebroadwaybreakdownsports for special gameday and promotional content. We have a lot of exciting developments ahead and we look forward to sharing them with you. We’ll be back with more soon!