A team can only go so long and so far in spite of a dysfunctional power play. The Rangers went as long as seven straight victories and 10-3-3 before losing 4-0 in Montreal on Saturday night for myriad reasons, including a power play that was even more abysmal than usual in amassing a measly one shot on net while going 0-for-3 in 6 minutes against the Canadiens.
It’s difficult to fathom how a power play featuring a quarterback as renowned as Brad Richards at one point with a sniper as close to the top of his game as Marian Gaborik in the circle could rank 27th overall in the NHL at 12.9 percent.
The Rangers don’t have a bomber across from Richards, true enough, but the unit that has gone 4-for-35 in the last eight games not only appears to be lacking the big shot, but creativity, as well. Players are stagnant. The puck either moves too slowly or doesn’t move at all. The set-up only occasionally features a man in front.
Every here and there the PP will produce, in coach John Tortorella’s sanguine analysis, “good looks.”
Hurrah.
A year ago, the Rangers ranked 18th at 16.9 percent. Somehow they’re worse this year even after adding Richards and even with Gaborik having a bounce-back season. The Rangers have scored nine power play goals on 70 advantages overall; only the Flames, Coyotes (eight apiece) and the Coyotes (six) have fewer.
Richards has been on the ice for six PPGs in 79:49 of man-advantage time. Michael Del Zotto has been on for seven in 76:06. Gaborik has been on for five in 67:24. Ryan Callahan has been on for seven in 67:14. Derek Stepan has been on for four in 53:42.
Brandon Dubinsky has been on for four in 43:35. Dan Girardi has been on for four in 41:16. Ruslan Fedotenko has been on for three in 16:40. Ryan McDonagh has been on for one in 13:42. Brian Boyle has been on for one in 14:21. Erik Christensen has been on for one (a five-on-three) in 21:02.
And a year ago, Mats Zuccarello was on the ice for 12 power play goals in 106:42, one per 8:53, a better rate than any player on the Rangers’ roster.
Tortorella last year talked about Zuccarello’s ability to conceive and make plays that no one else on the club could. What’s changed, other than the fact that the Norwegian seems to have taken up permanent residence in Hartford?
It’s difficult to believe that Zuccarello, either at the point or working the half-wall, isn’t worth a look at this stage. It’s difficult to believe his creativity would not be an asset.
It’s also difficult to believe that Zuccarello on a line with Christensen and Sean Avery wouldn’t be more productive than a line with Christensen, Andre Deveaux and either Avery, Brandon Prust or Brian Boyle on the other wing.
Christensen is not a useless player. But he is all but useless as he is being used on a fourth-line that gets the most limited time imaginable and has no real purpose other than to fill time.
It would be interesting to see Christensen taking a regular turn with a talented winger in Zuccarello on one side and a forechecking, physical winger in Avery on the other side. And it would be interesting to see a power play with Zuccarello on it after 17 games of watching a power play that isn’t interesting in the least.