Why Rangers must turn to struggling Chris Kreider to save power play, possibly playoff berth
Though they’re back home and coming off a convincing 6-1 win against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday, the New York Rangers still have a power-play problem. They carried it with them out to California and are back home in New York with the same issues.
The Rangers took three of six points on the trip and most definitely should have had four and could’ve had more if the power-play was better. Instead, the Rangers blew one point against the Anaheim Ducks and missed out on a chance to upset the Los Angeles Kings in a close contest, while the power play limped along at a 1-for-12 clip out west.
Of course, the power-play woes are a constant all season after it was among the League’s elite the past three seasons. The biggest difference being the decrease in looks for net-front expert Chris Kreider. If the Rangers want to create some momentum out of the man-advantage, it’s time to activate the 33-year-old forward.
The consistency and swagger of the Rangers power play has long been the ability to create something out of nothing. Generally how that looks against even the League’s strongest penalty kills is working the puck along the perimeter until someone has a lane to fire it at any elevation toward the net, anywhere in Kreider’s vicinity.
No one in the NHL changes the puck’s trajectory around the crease like Kreider does, especially on the power play. His ability to do it in different ways while standing at 6-foot 3 and 230-pounds puts the opposition, especially goalies, in a pretzel. It’s a lost art that can break a team’s back, or in the Carolina Hurricanes case in the 2024 playoffs, end their season. Seems like a long time ago, doesn’t it …
In any case, this season Kreider has six power-play goals and seems to be playing more away from the crease. Perhaps that’s due to the back issues we’ve heard a lot about. But if Kreider’s going to be out there on the man advantage, he needs to set up more consistently in front of the opposing goalie and get his stick on shots.
The Rangers are 27th in the NHL on the power play (17.7 percent) and in a massive funk. They’re 1-for 22 in their past nine games, and 2-for-37 since March 3.
Without it, as well as many other things, the Rangers continue to find ways to eliminate momentum and lose to teams toward the bottom of league standings, like the Ducks.
It appeared that the Rangers power play might be poised for a breakout despite going 0-for-3 in a 3-1 loss to the Kings last Tuesday. Going up against two of the worst penalty kills in the NHL the next two games certainly played into that. The box score from the nightmare loss to the Ducks tells a different story.
The 5-4 overtime defeat came after surrendering multiple two-goal leads, when the Rangers failed to add on with numerous chances on the power play. Instead, they finished 1-for-7 and failed on four separate power plays in the third period, including a two-man advantage.
Though they scored their first power-play goal in nine games, the Rangers surrendered a first-period short-handed goal as well as the tying goal with 1:45 remaining in regulation just as their final power play ended. Not only did the power play not score and put the game away, it generated zero momentum, and likely cost them a valuable point in the standings when they lost in overtime.
“Our unit (PP2) basically gave them the game a little bit today,” J.T. Miller said, taking blame for the brutal loss. “Scored basically twice against us, so that stings. It’s on us”.
Miller’s not wrong with what he said. But the second power-play unit is less at fault than the top unit in the big picture, simply because of the TOI discrepancy. PP1 must lean into Kreider’s skill set, a simpler, less fancy way to get the job done.
Related: Rangers sign top prospect Gabe Perreault to entry-level contract
Chris Kreider could be the key to unlocking Rangers power-play woes
In 2020-21, Kreider scored a whopping 26 power-play goals in his terrific 52-goal campaign. The Rangers power -play clicked at 25.2 percent that season. The next season, he had eight power-play goals and the Rangers were again excellent maximizing opportunities at 24.1 percent. Last season, Kreider jumped back up to 18 power-play goals and the Rangers rolled along at 26.4 percent.
The Rangers and Kreider have fallen off a cliff on the power play this season.
Ending March with three points in 12 games, none on the power play, isn’t a recipe to build confidence for Kreider. And his 19 goals and 24 points in 60 games justifies general manager Chris Drury’s desire to offload Kreider’s contract that pays him $6.5 million annually through 2026-27.
But as long as he is still with the Rangers, they should maximize what they have in him, especially on the power play.
Seeing the lethal Mika Zibanejad one timer register a power-play goal against the Ducks was a breath of fresh air. Artemi Panarin firing at will for a gifted pass- first player certainly will work here and there. Lately those plays seem like something the Rangers are forcing too much at times with the man advantage, either missing the net or getting shots blocked for a clearing attempt to the opposition.
Making a concerted effort to find the open man to take shots that Kreider can influence in front of the net is simple, basic Rangers hockey. More of it, please.
There are eight games to get it right. The Rangers are percentage points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card in the East. A rejuvenated power play could be the difference in making the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a fourth straight season or not.
They need to send Sam Rosen into retirement with as many legendary ‘It’s a power-play goal!” calls as possible.
Time to activate Chris Kreider.
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