The New York Rangers’ energy play is off to a gradual begin by their requirements and it’d make sense to present the highest unit a tweak. The title that instantly involves thoughts for a possibility is Alexis Lafreniere, who lately signed a seven-year extension with the group.
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Whereas the ability play has been removed from an issue for the beginning of 2024-25, the 25 p.c success charge is a tick beneath final season’s 26.1 p.c. You possibly can see why head coach Peter Laviolette would wish to stick along with his high weapons and never shake issues up simply but after eight video games.
“I believe you may have the take a look at the PP unit and the blokes which have been on the ice for the previous few years and the speed that they work at. It’s a excessive proportion and one of many tops within the league,” he mentioned. “It’s about messing with that and inserting any individual else. I’m not saying that’s not gonna occur, there’s an opportunity it may sooner or later. We simply decided to start out the 12 months the way in which that we completed final 12 months.”
The Draw back of Going With Lafreniere
Plus, selling Lafreniere to the primary unit doesn’t come with out its flaws. Any person must come off the man-advantage. Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox clearly gained’t get demoted. You possibly can’t take Chris Kreider off the highest unit attributable to his elite net-front presence, and placing Lafreniere in Vincent Trocheck’s bumper spot doesn’t actually make sense, given the 2020 first-overall choose’s playmaking capability.
The one viable choice is taking off Mika Zibanejad, who serves as the ability play’s triggerman. However there are two issues to think about if Laviolette decides to ultimately go that route.
First, the Rangers should change the setup of their energy play. Presently, for probably the most half, Panarin with possession within the offensive zone works the fitting aspect of the ice. He has the choice to both shoot the puck or lure defenders in and discover an open lane for a cross-ice go. Taking off Zibanejad, along with his elite shot, eliminates that risk. That will imply Panarin must shift over to the left circle if the Rangers need the one-time choice nonetheless in play. Generally with how the Rangers rotate on the ice, Panarin is on the left circle anyway. But when Zibanejad is taken off – rotating and discovering taking pictures threats will likely be more durable.
The Upside With Lafreniere
Whereas it comes with negatives, a case may be made by placing Lafreniere on the highest unit. Final season, he was second on the group in five-on-five scoring for forty third within the NHL. That alone tells you that he would possible see a big increase in factors with a promotion to the primary energy play unit.
Extra importantly, placing him on the fitting aspect of the ice (as a left-handed participant) opens up one other taking pictures risk. When working in your off-side within the offensive zone, it’s simpler to deal with passes and may enable for faster cross-ice passes. Plus, Lafreniere will be capable to be in a taking pictures place if he decides to crash right into a slot coming in from the fitting aspect, which isn’t one thing Panarin can actually do.
Total, the change would give opposing groups one thing else to consider for an influence play that’s already powerful sufficient to defend.
Whereas extra choices don’t damage, Rangers followers ought to give the teaching employees the good thing about the doubt. It’s early within the season and the playoffs are months away. There’s loads of time to determine it out and take the primary energy play unit to a different gear. However the Rangers shouldn’t hesitate to no less than rotate Lafreniere on the primary unit with Zibanejad. If it really works, it would give the coaches extra choices come playoff time. Lafreniere will get extra expertise. However typically it’s essential to be sensible to the previous adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t repair it.” And the Rangers energy play is much from reaching the lows seen within the John Tortorella period.
