The defense: Is it purely a personnel problem or does it go beyond that (system/coaching, play style, buy in and synergy from forwards etc.)

[Crease]

It’s a combination of things but having two players who physically cannot skate the puck out is a problem

 

[mandiblesofdoom]

It's partly a management thing. They don't recognize or value puck-moving. It's been this way for a while.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I think it's a combination of two things:

First, Rangers do not play "team" defense. That would go a long way to solving some problems. While I agree with others here that we have a big deficiency regarding getting the puck out of our own end, it would certainly help if the d-men actually had someone to pass to. Far too many times I've seen a dman with the puck looking for a play or someone to pass to and the only people available are the defense partner (who is also being pressured) or Shesty. There isn't a forward in sight.

However, my biggest problems with our d-corps though is their insistence on backing into the zone and giving up the blue line. That's a recipe for disaster every time (as we have seen on too many occasions. The other is their refusal to do anything but poke/stick check opposing players (most of whom just skate around them with any form of impediment).

If not for Igor and Henrik, who knows where the franchise would have been.

 

[CasusBelli]

Low IQ from Miller and Trouba
Poor skating from Trouba and Fox
Zero offense from Trouba and Lindgren
Inconsistent concentration from Gus and Schneids

You can beat Fox, Lindgren or a Trouba on the ice with a dump-and-chase. You can count on a dumb pinch from Trouba, Miller, Schneider or Gus to create an odd-man rush. You can count on Miller or Trouba to regularly be out of position while defending in the defensive zone.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

The defense is fine in the regular season but our forwards and defense are not built well for some harder hitting playoffs. Our forwards did not do a good job helping our defense in the Florida series. They could have helped slow down Florida's forwards so our Dmen were not sitting ducks waiting to get pounded. They also could have gone lower to help them. With that said Florida had a much more physical defense than we did.

Fox is undersized and not a hitter.
Lindy hits but is undersized.
Kam is not a hitter.
Schneider was able to make/take hits and still able to skate.
Trouba was clearly playing on a bad ankle that exposed him.
Gus is not a hitter but was able to take hits better than some.

We had the bigger names on defense but Florida had the more effective players imo.

Its a lot of this

Overall they are a talented group that most teams around the league would trade their D for.

But like you said, once the playoffs start they get exposed. I also think when you reach a conf finals/final level you need that one dominant pair to shut down the other team and the depth needs to be strong the rest of the way.

That shouldve been Trouba Miller, they've had moments at that level but its never been sustained and Trouba took a giant leap backwards. The Fox Lindgren pairing also was off. The top 4 was operating at about 70% when compared to the best play weve seen from them.

And even if they were 100%, you have the warts of each player that is more pronounced in the playoffs. So, they need help and that has to come from the 12 forwards

Before the playoffs started I thought this team would top out at a conf final and thats exactly what happened. To me, since the core of this team is set and youll likely wont be able to change things too much id focus on limiting Fox's minutes down the stretch and reinforcing the offense, specifically the wingers with players who can take the body effectively. Build a bottom 6 that you can roll with a purpose.

Its not about putting a guy through the glass, its playing a sturdier brand of hockey thats done intelligently and with a purpose. Angling and knocking the opposition off their routes. If the Rangers on a whole did a better job of finishing checks in that series against the Panthers, there would have been more room for the skill to show, including the defense.

Fox, Miller, Schneider and Gus can all activate and pinch up but they were gassed and buried in their own end too often because they were relentlessly pressured and worn down both by the Canes and the Cats. There was too much defending and not enough attacking and a big reason why they took home the Pres Trophy was because it was the other way around, or at least more of a balance in that regard.

There needs to be a larger commitment to team defense or that team structure through finishing checks in the playoffs. The battle level was there, but there was way too much pulling up and turning away from finishing checks. At it was mostly everyone, stars or otherwise. One more check here and there and you have a Panther trapped down the ice or too far off to one side of the rink and a stretch pass or a player like Panarin has a second more finding its way through. Again, its just body contact to break down the other teams system to open space. Thats the effectiveness you are talking about.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Its a lot of this

Overall they are a talented group that most teams around the league would trade their D for.

But like you said, once the playoffs start they get exposed. I also think when you reach a conf finals/final level you need that one dominant pair to shut down the other team and the depth needs to be strong the rest of the way.

That shouldve been Trouba Miller, they've had moments at that level but its never been sustained and Trouba took a giant leap backwards. The Fox Lindgren pairing also was off. The top 4 was operating at about 70% when compared to the best play weve seen from them.

And even if they were 100%, you have the warts of each player that is more pronounced in the playoffs. So, they need help and that has to come from the 12 forwards

Before the playoffs started I thought this team would top out at a conf final and thats exactly what happened. To me, since the core of this team is set and youll likely wont be able to change things too much id focus on limiting Fox's minutes down the stretch and reinforcing the offense, specifically the wingers with players who can take the body effectively. Build a bottom 6 that you can roll with a purpose.

Its not about putting a guy through the glass, its playing a sturdier brand of hockey thats done intelligently and with a purpose. Angling and knocking the opposition off their routes. If the Rangers on a whole did a better job of finishing checks in that series against the Panthers, there would have been more room for the skill to show, including the defense.

Fox, Miller, Schneider and Gus can all activate and pinch up but they were gassed and buried in their own end too often because they were relentlessly pressured and worn down both by the Canes and the Cats. There was too much defending and not enough attacking and a big reason why they took home the Pres Trophy was because it was the other way around, or at least more of a balance in that regard.

There needs to be a larger commitment to team defense or that team structure through finishing checks in the playoffs. The battle level was there, but there was way too much pulling up and turning away from finishing checks. At it was mostly everyone, stars or otherwise. One more check here and there and you have a Panther trapped down the ice or too far off to one side of the rink and a stretch pass or a player like Panarin has a second more finding its way through. Again, its just body contact to break down the other teams system to open space. Thats the effectiveness you are talking about.

I do not see Fox nor Lindy as ever being a true shut down pair deep in the playoffs. I think both give up too much in size. We really need to get 1-2 monsters back there. Florida did a great job getting Kulli, Ekblad, Forsling.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I do not see Fox nor Lindy as ever being a true shut down pair deep in the playoffs. I think both give up too much in size. We really need to get 1-2 monsters back there. Florida did a great job getting Kulli, Ekblad, Forsling.

We definitely need defenders who will take the body.

 

[NickyFotiu]

We definitely need defenders who will take the body.

I agree....plus can also take a hit while making a play. I do wish our forwards would have tried to protect our Dmen by slowing down Florida. If I was exposed to guys repeatedly taking runs at me I would accidently leverage my stick on the endboards where my butt end was accidently sticking out and accidently in a place where the Florida forwards ran right in to it.

 

[mrmovies779]

Best way to beat heavy forechecking teams isn't bigger tough defensemen but great puck movers-which is something this team has been lacking for many years.Take a healthy Fox out of the lineup and you have the making of a beer league group as far as moving the puck goes​

 

[Atax]

Best way to beat heavy forechecking teams isn't bigger tough defensemen but great puck movers-which is something this team has been lacking for many years.Take a healthy Fox out of the lineup and you have the making of a beer league group as far as moving the puck goes​

Yeah I mean I get wanting bigger players who can handle physical play. But it means nothing if they cant pass the puck and make a play. Miller/Trouba/Schneider are all pretty big dudes. What did that get us? Hemmed in our zone the entire Florida series.