The Current State of the New York Rangers Defensive Pairings

Rangers Defensive Pairings: Familiarity and Structure

Although the “next man up” mentality is nice, it must be nice for a squad to be fully healthy. Your heart skips a beat now when you see someone hit the ice. Along with Filip Chytil‘s injury, the one that probably startled fans the most was Fox’s injury back in November against Carolina. A month without arguably your best defenceman is noticeable. Now, with the Stanley Cup Playoffs in sight, all six starters are healthy once again. Shesterkin and Quick now have their “Original Six” in front of them who are tasked to clear the front of the net, allowing these two to see the puck.

At this point in the season, familiarity is an all-time positive. The Rangers sit with 106 points and find themselves at the top of the Metropolitan Division. It is only fair for a team to embark on the ride with the guys that got you there in the first place. Sure, there might be a few obstacles along the way. The playoffs are known for being a physical couple of months. It is normal for guys to play through injuries, go and look back at the 2015 injury report post-elimination courtesy of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Also, some of New York’s defencemen are currently playing their best hockey all season long. One name that has to be mentioned is Braden Schneider who is slowly, yet surely, turning into a two-way threat. As mentioned before, he is implementing more and more pinching into his offensive play. The game of hockey continues to evolve, and offence is always on the rise. Another name that was missed dearly was the fearless warrior Ryan Lindgren himself. It is hard to replace a player who plays with his heart on his sleeve night in and night out.

Rangers Defensive Pairings: Putting a Stop To Some Momentum

The “next man up” mentality has been exemplified by Zac Jones to a T. A player who rode the pine for the majority of the season had finally earned a chance to prove himself. With the ongoing injuries, Jones played alongside the previously mentioned Schneider. The two youngsters showcased an intriguing combination of both skill and physicality. For a moment, the two brought some stability to the Rangers defensive pairings.

As starters begin to heal, Jones is likely heading back to healthy scratch status. It is a shame to see a player who has generated all of this momentum, head back to the press box to watch his team fight for a division title. In fact, Jones is currently playing better hockey than a player who recently returned from injury.

Before anything else is said, it is great to have your captain back in the lineup. The shot-blocking from Jacob Trouba was dearly missed. Yet, if Monday tells you anything, this second pair with him and K’Andre Miller needs a stern talking to. The pair combined for a minus-six rating on Monday, an alarming stat to say the least. Miller let his aggression out Wednesday night, as he found himself duking it out with New Jersey’s John Marino.

Line Brawl aside, who led all defencemen in plus-minus in a 5-2 loss on Monday against Pittsburgh? The answer is Zac Jones, who put up a plus two. Enough said.

Original Six Hockey In The Motor City

The Rangers are back in action on Friday in an Original Six showdown when they take on the Detroit Red Wings. Puck drop is scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m. EST from Little Caesars Arena.