How Rangers May Enhance Their Penalty Killing In 2023
As demonstrated by the previous season, it is abundantly evident that the effectiveness of the special teams strongly affects the team’s success.
The New York Rangers had significant defensive issues throughout the 2022–2023 regular season. The Blueshirts needed their special teams to do a lot of heavy lifting to finish as high in the standings as they did.
As one of the best in the NHL, the power play had great success. Though rather average during the year, the penalty kills. Both of the Rangers’ special teams units must be at their peak performance levels if they want to increase their chances of winning the Stanley Cup, given their shaky 5v5 play.
The Rangers’ penalty kick last year was only adequate
The Rangers’ penalty kill efficiency reached 81.17% towards the end of the 2022–2023 regular season. They were a respectable 13th overall in the league based on this statistic. The Rangers had an 83.33% overall record on the penalty kill during the 2023 playoffs despite only participating in seven games.
There is no place on a team’s roster for mediocrity if they want to win the Stanley Cup. When your unit struggles to score while the opposition is pretty evenly matched on the ice, there must be more to it than just finishing in the middle of the league rankings and surrendering five shorthanded goals during the season to make a significant postseason run.
As demonstrated by the previous season, it is abundantly evident that the effectiveness of the special teams strongly affects the team’s success.
The PK must benefit from new offseason additions
Nick Bonino ranks among the Rangers’ undervalued offseason acquisitions from this season. Bonino won’t score many points while playing on the fourth line, but his primary contributions will probably be on defense. This new addition fills Tyler Motte‘s former position as a Ranger now that he is no longer a Ranger.
Bonino will take a position on the second Rangers PK unit because the first one is vital. He is reputed to possess sharp defensive skills, so his addition should be a tremendous boost in efforts to turn a good team into a winning one. The fragile bunch should become more dependable with the addition of Barclay Goodrow, a solid penalty-killer.
Defensemen on the Rangers’ offense need to adopt a different attitude
Two of the four defensemen on the Rangers’ two penalty kill units are seen as having a more offensive orientation. Even though Adam Fox and K’Andre Miller frequently turn their attention to the offensive zone, Ryan Lindgren and Jacob Trouba play excellent defense.
Despite having an attacking attitude, Fox thrives on defense, but while trying to kill off a penalty, he must focus only on security. Despite Miller’s lackluster defensive abilities, he should be able to deflect several pucks with his bulk and a long stick.
The Rangers scoring on the power play is always exciting to watch, but at times last season, it appeared like the penalty kill units had forgotten their primary aim for the shift.
