The New York Rangers have been without defender Ryan Lindgren to start the season. It seemed like the Blueshirts would struggle because of this early injury with Lindgren being one of the better defensemen on the roster. But after making changes to the lineup to account for this, Peter Laviolette may have found new combinations that are better overall for the team. This creates an interesting problem that will need to be solved when Lindgren is ready to return.
The Rangers’ top-four has looked elite to start the season
With Lindgren out, the Blueshirts have created some new defensive pairings to start the season. K’Andre Miller has joined Adam Fox on the top pairing. Braden Schneider and Jacob Trouba serve as the second. Lastly, Chad Ruhwedel and Zac Jones have taken turns playing with rookie sensation Victor Mancini on the third pairing.
All three defensive units have been solid to start the year, but the top four have been elite. Miller and Fox was a hit-or-miss combination, putting two offensive-minded players together. But Fox has continued to serve as a Norris Trophy-level defenseman, and Miller is proving that he deserves a full-time role on a top pairing.
Schneider and Trouba have also dominated, with Trouba having an incredible bounce-back season after last year’s struggles. This pairing had a hard time against the Maple Leafs Saturday night, but has looked great in every other contest. It will be hard to break up either of these pairings when Lindgren returns.
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What should the Rangers do once Lindgren is ready to return?
It would be hard to place Lindgren anywhere other than the top four once he is healthy. But breaking up the Miller-Fox and Schneider-Trouba pairings would also be a tough decision. This creates a bit of a problem for Peter Laviolette.
Realistically, the defensive pairings will go back to normal when Lindgren returns. Mancini will likely be sent down to the AHL, and Lindgren will take his spot back with Fox. But should the Rangers make that decision?
What if Lindgren could play on the third pairing with Mancini? The top four could continue to produce elite defensive performances, while Mancini could earn some great experience playing with a top defenseman like Lindgren. It would be strange to see Lindgren receiving such little ice time, but that might be in the best interest of the Rangers to maintain the chemistry that has been building early in the season.
