{"id":22592,"date":"2018-01-30T21:10:20","date_gmt":"2018-01-31T02:10:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=22592"},"modified":"2018-01-30T21:10:20","modified_gmt":"2018-01-31T02:10:20","slug":"judgement-day-nears-failing-new-york-rangers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2018\/01\/30\/judgement-day-nears-failing-new-york-rangers\/","title":{"rendered":"Judgement Day Nears for Failing New York Rangers"},"content":{"rendered":"

The New York Rangers<\/a> kicked-off 2018 with an exciting Winter Classic win against the Buffalo Sabres<\/a>. That was about it. The month of January was abysmal for the Broadway Blueshirts, reminding many of the bleak October we thought was in the past.<\/span><\/p>\n

Judgement Day Nears for Floundering New York Rangers<\/h1>\n

With a mere five wins over the course of 12 games, the Rangers are in serious trouble. If the playoffs started tomorrow, they would be golfing. They sit a point behind the Philadelphia Flyers, who hold the second wild-card spot in the Metropolitan Division.<\/span><\/p>\n

A King Without Men<\/h3>\n

The positive aspects of the team are few and far between. Luckily, Henrik Lundqvist<\/a><\/strong> remains a consistent hope for New York. Unfortunately for the Swedish King, Alain Vigneault<\/a><\/strong> has ridden him into the ground due to Ondrej Pavelec<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s own inconsistencies. Pavelec got the start against the San Jose Sharks<\/a>, probably thanks to Hank\u2019s complete fatigue after starting 10 games in January. Even though the Rangers earned a regulation win against the Sharks, it was no thanks to Pavelec who\u2019s save percentage was a poor .821 percent in the 6-5 win.<\/span><\/p>\n

No Light in this Lamp<\/h3>\n

Scoring has also been a complete disaster for the Rangers. Michael Grabner<\/a><\/strong> and J.T. Miller<\/a><\/strong> virtually disappeared. Miller was even benched after the first period in Anaheim due to his sloppy turnovers turning into golden chances for the Ducks. Surprisingly it was Rick Nash<\/a><\/strong>, snake-bitten all season, that put the Rangers on the scoreboard. He scored 4 goals on their woeful West Coast road trip, including two against the Ducks. <\/span><\/p>\n

Ryan McDonagh<\/a><\/strong> scored his first two goals against San Jose, but that doesn\u2019t make him a winner in the slightest. As the captain, McDonagh continues to sit back and make the same excuses loss-after-loss. His concern with the Rangers struggles is minimal. Thursday\u2019s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs<\/a> must be a turning point to salvage the rest of this season.<\/span><\/p>\n

Coaching Conundrum<\/h3>\n

The coaching staff has also continued to be a rampant issue. Adding to the big book of grievances against Vigneault this season, Kevin Shattenkirk<\/a><\/strong> revealed he has been playing with a torn meniscus in his knee all season. Shattenkirk was the blockbuster story of the off-season, there\u2019s no question about that. However, Shattenkirk\u2019s personal yearning to not disappoint \u201ca lot of people,\u201d snowballed thanks to Vigneault\u2019s berating of his play to the press. The mismanagement of Shattenkirk\u2019s injury is a massive issue and shines a light on the questionable treatment of professional athletes health.<\/span><\/p>\n

Injury Issues Increase<\/h3>\n

Injuries plagued the Rangers throughout the month. With Kevin Hayes<\/a><\/strong> sidelined with a lower-body injury and Chris Kreider<\/a><\/strong> still out indefinitely, the Broadway Blueshirts were unfamiliar in January. The boys were comprised of mostly new faces from the Hartford Wolf Pack. Peter Holland<\/a><\/strong>, Vinni Lettieri<\/a>,<\/strong> and Anthony DeAngelo<\/a><\/strong> played extensively throughout the latest road trip. Holland and DeAngelo will even return to the Rangers for Thursday\u2019s tilt. While these are skilled players, there\u2019s still a large difference between AHL play and NHL play. Sadly, from what\u2019s been observed, the faster pace has proved to be too much for most. Especially DeAngelo.<\/span><\/p>\n

What’s Next<\/h3>\n

Sitting now at 25-20-5 on the season, the Rangers are facing some tough decisions as the Feb. 26th trade deadline approaches. Rumors of McDonagh, Nash, and Mats Zuccarello<\/a><\/strong> being on the trading block have been circulating for weeks. Vigneault\u2019s coaching abilities still remain a complete wild card and the future of this $1.5 billion franchise is in question. It\u2019s also important to note that Lundqvist\u2019s window is, sad to say, closing. At almost 36 years-old, he can\u2019t\u00a0 play as many games as he has been. While he may have two more seasons under his belt, the need for an adequate backup has never been stronger. <\/span><\/p>\n

With 32 games left on the horizon, all Rangerstown can do is pop a cold one and wait for a miracle.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Main Photo:
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>