Rangers assistant captain Vincent Trocheck is right and changes are needed

The New York Rangers need wins now. The margin in the East is evaporating, and Vincent Trocheck made it clear after the 3-2 win over the the St. Louis Blues on Monday.

"We need wins. The East is so tight right now. Any win, you jump four spots, and a loss, you drop four spots. We needed this one," he said. "There is no cushion, and every point carries weight like in April."

Vincent Trocheck is right and the plan must start on the bench

Trocheck is correct because the competitive context can turn any stumble into a slide. The Rangers schedule is full of teams that will make you pay for any slip-up. Counting on a hot streak is a gamble. What they need is an identity — a system that works just as well on a tired Tuesday as it does on a Saturday night. This is where head coach Mike Sullivan comes in. His task is to fortify the team so that variance does not dictate the standings.

They need to cut down on forced stretch passes and provide more short support with an active weak side to avoid turnovers at the blue line. 

Another key is to give hard minutes to forwards who win puck battles and a center capable of controlling critical faceoffs, reserving the play-drivers for response shifts after goals against.

The power play will require less east-west play in the slot and more quick-strike from the bumper; on the penalty kill, early pressure on entries with control and active sticks in the middle lane to negate the royal road. 

In addition, when the opponent pushes, they'll need to use high flips to safe zones and quick changes to reset; when the opponent is tired, attack with a double-wave rush.

And lastly, a work ethos that rewards the repetition of good habits — disciplined line changes, the first five minutes of each period with smart, simple hockey and closing out games with a 1-1-3 forecheck. If Sullivan can ingrain these habits, the wins will pile up and the conversation will stop being about tanking and return to being about the playoffs.