The One Move That Can Fix The Rangers Power Play
0-34! That’s the streak the Rangers power play is on right now. It’s a staggering number and one that has NY behind in this series. In game 3, Alain Vigneault scratched John Moore for Raphael Diaz. The move did not yield any results as the PP went 0-5. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Pens scores both their goals within seconds of successful kills for a 2-0 win.
The definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result. Raphael Diaz replacing John Moore or Ryan McDonagh on the PP was not bold enough.
There is one move Alain Vigneault and the staff have yet to make and it’s the only real one that can save them. It isn’t Chris Kreider coming back either. Sure, his 6 power play goals scored during the regular season will help, but there were 9 power play goals by another Ranger, and none of them were scored for NY!
Marty St. Louis had 9 goals and 9 assists on Tampa Bay’s power play before being traded. Many of those points came from being the quarterback of the top unit. Yes, MSL must replace Brad Richards at the point on the power play.
Richards has done a serviceable job this year, but is too slow for a power play that simply doesn’t move enough to begin with. MSL has equal if not better Richard’s vision and twice as hard a shot. Given the added bonus of his speed, it makes total sense for him to rush the puck up ice as well.
This season Richards has 19 points on the power play to MSL’s 21. So I am not asking for him to be taken off the unit. Actually, it should be Derek Stepan that needs to sit. Brad Richards should take the center spot, flanked by Nash and Kreider to form a bigger and faster top unit. One that would give the Rangers power play a whole new look and higher chance of success.
So if anyone in the Rangers organization is reading this, pass the info along and call me tomorrow. I’ll be available.
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