Rangers 4th line needs attention in this rebuild
Fast with the Puck (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Rangers fourth line needs some serious attention. In today’s NHL, rolling for solid lines is essential to success. Ability to skate with the puck, or being a bunch of grinders that put pressure on the other team through forecheck and body checking is what the Rangers need there. Right now, it is sorely lacking.
Carey
Paul Carey is the standout on this line. He has shown ability to score in his 57 games with the Rangers this season. He has collected six goals and helped out on seven others. Carey has been able to grind behind the net to get the puck out to a teammate and also capitalize on prime scoring chances. He should be brought back, as his contract expires at the end of this season.
Should the Rangers be able to make the right moves at draft day, Paul Carey and Jesper Fast on a 4th line with Vinni Lettieri could be a nice unit.
Note the pass by Peter Holland. Not spectacular, but great timing beating the defenseman to the punch. 3-1 #NYR after Paul Carey collects the team's first shorty of the campaign. pic.twitter.com/YTbsVVNATe
— ESNY (@EliteSportsNY) January 17, 2018
Holland
Peter Holland is the only player on this line that is under contract next season. He hasn’t shown anything special and is certainly not a long term solution to the fourth line. His performance at the faceoff dot has been the biggest contribution so far, with having a winning 47.7% of draws. Holland has also scored a goal this season while being on this pitiful fourth line, so I guess that can be considered a plus.
PETER HOLLAND SCORES HIS FIRST AS A RANGER AND IT'S KNOTTED UP AT 4! pic.twitter.com/fbBYwub9ZJ
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) February 18, 2018
McLeod
Cody McLeod is a fighter and instigator, I get that, but his presence on the ice is invisible and unseen. Even when his “duty” calls and he needs to scrap, he hasn’t even been able to do that right. He has played 23 games for the Blueshirts and amassed two points. Granted he is only on the ice for eight minutes a game, but he doesn’t bring enough to remain in NY.
WATCH: Adam McQuaid and Cody McLeod with their second fight of the night. #NHLBruins #NYR
— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) February 8, 2018
The rebuild is coming and on the laundry list of things for the Rangers to fix and take care of, this line needs to be on it. The fourth line gets the least amount of minutes on the team, and in that time, they must make the most of it. It is important to have your forward lines balanced, from one to four, if you want to be successful.
Looking at the current lineup, the call ups of Andersson and Chytil should bump McLeod and Holland out. Both could be worked into the game and get regular shifts on the 3rd and 4th lines to show what they can do. However, they are not 4th liners and need to be utilized properly next season.
The way it stands now, the 4th line needs attention and must be fixed this summer.
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