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My take on the JT Miller trade and weekend games for the Rangers |
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The Rangers had an eventful weekend. Friday, New York completed the long rumored JT Miller trade. Saturday, with Miler, who scored twice, in the lineup, their defensive issues once again came to the fore in the 6-3 loss to Boston. Sunday, the Blueshirts ended a three-game losing streak thanks to the efforts of Jonathan Quick, who notched career win #400.
Miller trade:
First, thanks for all the comments on the prior blog. What’s clear is that there is divergent views on this deal. Not necessarily regarding the value of the player brought in but was it the right time, does the increase and length of the additional cap hit make sense and was the outlay the wisest. What I ask, and continue to do so, is if you disagree, he respectful. Everyone wants the Rangers to be good and be trending to winning a Cup, we just differ in the best path to do so.
Miller coming back to the Rangers was a fair accompli. The only questions were timing and for what return. Miller only would waive his No Trade Clause to return to the Big Apple. That put a kind of handcuffs on Vancouver GM Patrick Allvin similar to Steve Yzerman in Tampa with the Martin St. Louis deal. Like Yzerman, Alvin extracted a little more than I expected to go, but certainly less than what might have been full value in the open market.
Filip Chytil, signed for two more years after this one at $4.4 mil per season, Victor Mancini and a top-13 protected first round pick went for Miller, Erik Brannstrom and Jackson Dorrington. If you ask Canucks fans, many think the return was not enough. In addition, some feel the wrong center went. Though if Alvin dealt a 25-year-old Elias Pettersson instead of a 32-year-old Miler in a deal like this, he might have be hung in effigy.
I am a huge Chytil fan as you all know. He was the team’s most creative and complete center. His line with Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere was by the far the squad’s best trio in the 2022 run to the ECF. The main issue with Chytil was health. Concerns over another passable concussion dominated everything. Any absence, head related or not, created massive handwringing over whether his career would be over. His absence this year was viewed to not be concussion related, though that did not diminish the anxiety created by it. That is the only reason why he was included in the trade.
In full disclosure, I hated NY giving up Chytil. That is made especially so if the team is going to use Mika Zibanejad at right wing. The original expectation was to have a 1-3 down the middle of Miller, Vincent Trocheck and Zib with Sam Carrick as the 4th line center. Now, with Zib as wing, a move made to kickstart his game and remove some pressure from him, Jonny Brodzinski has been the 3c the last two games. New York will have to find a third line center in the trade market as no one is in the pipeline to fill that spot.but I also understand you haven’t give to get, and even though Alvin was over a barrel, he had to receive talent back. If Chytil stays healthy, he will explode with the additional ice time as the 2C in Vancouver.
Mancini had a cup of coffee this season. Rising from a fifth round pick, 159 overall in 2022, to making the club out of training camp, Mancini showed flashes of being a solid second or third pairing blue liner. With Braden Schneider, who originally was the Canucks target, as well as Will Borgen and likely K’Andre Miller in front of him, Mancini had his path blocked somewhat. Personally, I would have much rather seen GM Chris Drury try and move Matthew Robertson, who really has no place in NY anymore, in the deal but Allvin likely had little interest in him. I wanted to see Mancini get a chance to play opposite Adam Fox or even Miller to see if that pairing could work. I expect Mancini to be a solid third pairing blue liner and maybe a tick higher d-man out West.
The pick is fine, not ideal. At least it’s top-13 protected if the Rangers fail to mark the playoffs, but becomes unprotected next year. Drury has traded several picks but had recouped some in the Jacob Trouba and Kakko deals. By dealing another first rounder, New York doesn’t have a first or second this year and no second rounder each of the next three years, limiting what can be done in the market place. By adding Miller’s $8 mil salary for the next five years, the team has $25 mil tied up in Miller, Zib and Vincent Trocheck long term.
Trocheck was a big reason why Miller is here. Drury spoke to Trochek, who has been friends with Miller since they were kids in Pittsburgh, evidencing that Trocheck is a pretty good bet to be the next captain of the Rangers. Miller wore out his welcome on Broadway initially, leading to his including in the Ryan McDonagh deal. He then had a resurgence in Tampa before landing on the fourth line and getting dealt to Vancouver. As a Canuck, he exploded for 103 points and helped - along with Pettersson - push the Oilers to Game 7 in the second round. It all fell apart this season. The two players have had issues reportedly for years, yet both were signed long term. The animosity between the duo forced a separation, the only question is which one will go. Miller got the door but wanted to return to New York.
Miller can be a true first line center. The caveat there is he can fill that role offensively. Defensively, he is lacking. If Mika remains on the line with Miller and Artemi Panarin, he will have to be the defensive ballast. But late in games I expect mixing and matching to to get Trocheck on as well as maybe Carrick to preserve a lead. Miller brings a bite and edge lacking on this team. Drury wants more sandpaper and north-south for this squad, Miller certainly brings that and more. Adding him certainly improves the lineup, whether the cost was too much remains to be seen.
Brannstrom has offensive talent but he has yet to stick in two places, so I am not expecting much. Dorrington is a prospect flier. Those two are add ons and maybe one pans out even slightly.
New York gets a B or B+ grade for the deal. That also will depend on if they make the playoffs and future impact on the roster. Vancouver a C+. But if Chytil stays healthy and becomes a solid second center, up that grade.
Weekend games:
Rather than tacking each game individually, grouping boy together. Positive signs were evident in both contests, the same with negative ones. A split was likely the most probable occurrence, even though the style of play in each varied.
JT Miller certainly made his presence known with tie goals against Boston and a pair of assists versus the Knights. Mika looked rejuvenated, especially in the Vegas game, while Artemi Panarin also had a little jump in his step. The newly constructed top line is learning on the fly. Zibanejad reference this in his post game comments Sunday, praising Miller for his volume of communication to accelerate that learning curve.
Alexis Lafreniere finally lit the lamp. His former Kid Line line mates didn’t want him to have all the glory to himself, as Kaapo Kakko continued his resurgence in Seattle by scoring. Filip Chytil joined in on the fun in his first contest as a member of the Canucks. What once was a heck of a third line now has been dissipated to parts West. Good for Kakko and Chytil and I hope they have sustained future success. I wonder if we see Laf move back to left wing with Will Cuylle, who has been slumping, moving up to the second line or possibly Chris Kreider, who clearly is limited by his back, slides up.
Jonny Brodzinski is likely not a long term answer as the 3C. Pairing him with Kreider and Cuylle is fine short term. If he played well, that buys more time until the trade deadline. We will see what the post 4 Nations Faceoff works brings.
The fourth line was very good Sunday. Adam Edström was injured Saturday, missing the match up with Vegas. Jimmy Vesey, who was quite vocal about his disappointment in sitting daily and expressing how disconnected he felt, stepped in ably. Matt Rempe was noticeable as was Carrick.
If forwards don’t cover the slot, which was the issue in several goals, including the one where Adam Fix was muscled off the puck behind the net, an improved offense won’t matter. This has been a problem for years. I am not if it’s the defensive structure or just a brain cramp each shift, but this issue continues to repeat game after game. Find a way to fix it, staple the forward to the slot and tell him not to chase the puck behind the net.
On D, Fox and Ryan Lindgren were brutal Saturday. Fox needs to be much strong in his 1:1 battles and slow down forwards coming in on the forecheck instead of just allowing them through. Cale Makar is not a hulk but he can be physical when needed. Brian Leetch was the same way. I miss the Fox that stepped up when needed to lay a hit. He needs to get back to being that player. Lindgren is a shell of his former self.
The second pairing has been solid, K’Andre Miller and Will Borgen has settled in nicely. Urho Vaakanainen and Braden Schneider have shown signs of what they can be, though that has been seen way too inconsistently. I want to see the Schneider from the 2002 stretch run and playoffs. If he becomes that again, then New York is in much better shape. If not, then the D is weaker than we thought.
Quick deserves all the accolades and bouquets thrown his way. The first US goalie and 15th overall to notch 400 wins. What’s even better is how self-deprecating and deflecting he is of the praises that come his ways in addition, listening to K’Andre post-game, Quick is beloved in that locker room.
Cuylle completely blew up Alex Pietrangelo. The hit was a tick late as Pietrangelo was admiring his pass. I don’t think the hit warranted Nicholas Hague going after him and forcing Cuylle to fight. But Cuylle knew what was coming and dropped the gloves immediately. The Rangers need more hits like that and we all know Rempe would have been suspended for games if he had made that hit.
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