The New York Rangers scored a total of 65 power-play goals last season while earning a respectable 26.4% success rate on the man advantage. While there isn’t much to critique from the Blueshirts’ first power play unit, their second struggled to produce all season long. This is a problem that needs to be addressed rather quickly by Peter Laviolette if New York intends to remain a serious Stanley Cup contender moving forward.
The Rangers evenly distribute their top stars across both power-play units
The reason the Blueshirts’ first power play unit was as successful as it was is because it consisted of their top five point producers from last season– Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, Chris Kreider, Adam Fox, and Mika Zibanejad. This left little star power available to play on the second, excluding breakout phenomenon Alexis Lafreniere.
If the Rangers want to find success from both of their special teams units, it could benefit them to share some elite scorers between both groups. Mika Zibanejad found the most struggles playing with the top group, making him a prime candidate to try to generate success with a new set of linemates. It would surely make the first power play unit slightly less dominant, but could also bring a more even balance between two polar opposite groups of players.
Jacob Trouba needs to be replaced as the second unit’s defenseman
Following the standard layout of a power play unit, the Rangers utilize four forwards and one defenseman when on the man advantage. They have a superstar in Fox on the first, but currently have Captain Jacob Trouba on the second. After struggling immensely last year both offensively and defensively, it might be time for Trouba to take a step back and let a new defenseman join the second power-play unit.
K’Andre Miller is a younger option who will undoubtedly be looking for a larger role in the last year of his current contract. He outscored Trouba in both goals and total points last season, and had a better +/- by a large margin. The Rangers need an offensive boost from their defensemen on the second power-play unit, and utilizing a more dominant offensive defenseman would be the simplest way of achieving that goal.
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Reilly Smith could be a welcomed addition to the power play
Earlier this offseason, the Rangers acquired Stanley Cup-winning winger Reilly Smith from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Smith has proven to be a solid power-play contributor throughout his career, and could be a nice fit to join New York’s struggling second unit. His offensive stats took a bit of a dip last year in Pittsburgh, but he played on a lackluster Penguins roster that failed to produce all around.
Adding Smith to the Rangers’ power play could bring some life back into this second forward group. He’s a veteran player who knows what it takes to succeed, and could serve as a sort of mentor on a group filled with mostly younger players. Joining a championship-level franchise will likely revitalize Smith’s offensive production again, and could be what it takes to give the Rangers one of the most lethal special teams groups in the entire NHL.
Two young forwards need to stay healthy this season to maintain consistency
While completely out of the Rangers’ control, having their players remain healthy throughout the season is vital for success. Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko are both currently slotted to play on the second power-play unit, and both experienced brutal injuries last year. Chytil spent the majority of the season out with a concussion, and Kakko missed significant time with a lower-body injury.
If this second power-play unit is to improve, both of these key players must stay healthy to build chemistry and consistency throughout the season. Both Kakko and Chytil have immense potential, but have failed to live up to expectations for the duration of their careers. This opportunity could be the spark that leads them to breakout seasons, and possibly be the catalyst for elite success on the power play.
