N.Y. Rangers: Far From a Happy New Year

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

Bring on the Bruins;

Not like things can get any worse.

New York Rangers: What a Sad State of Affairs ...

So how do the Rangers follow up Saturday's embarrassing display at Nashville?  With another lame loss against the Stars at Dallas.

That makes ten losses in their last fifteen games.  Said another way, they've lost twice as many games as they've won since New Year's Day.  And I'm not talking overtime losses, or the shoot-out variety - at least there are potential points to be earned for such losses.

The Rangers lost these ten games outright - no points.  Moreover,  they got outscored over those ten losses by an alarming 16-46 margin.  That translates into 1.6 goals for, and 4.6  goals against - a full three goal disparity.

I reject the notion injury is solely to blame.  Then how does one explain their poor play back in October?

Let's not be naive about this situation.  The Rangers have been suffering the same recycling deficiencies and inefficiencies long before injuries to Chris Krieider, Kevin Hayes, Jimmy Vesey, Marc Staal, Kevin Shattenkirk, or anyone else who has missed time this season.

I've been saying this ever since Alain Vigneault arrived off-Broadway, and at this point, there's only so many times I can repeat myself: the Rangers are too small, and are one of the league's weakest teams up the middle.  They play with an embarrassing and woeful lack of physicality.  Teams, therefore, know taking liberties against the Rangers comes free of repercussions (aside from NHL discipline, that is).

Look no further than the Nashville Predators game.  At the very least, Alain Vigneault should have been ejected for littering the ice with sticks, pucks, water bottles, gloves, clipboards, rolls of tape, and anything else he could have gotten his hands on.

Throw a shoe at the ref ... something!!

But in response to Nashville's dirty deeds levied upon Marc Staal and Jimmy Vesey, Vigneault did nothing.

That goes back to something else I've said many times - Alain Vigneault's system gets players hurt.

Nothing ...

On Monday, he watched Henrik face another 41-shots against the Stars at Dallas.  But, again, I refuse to put all that on playing shorthanded.  That's simply called not taking the body and protecting the ice between the dots.

I don't need someone making $8.5 million to ensure my goalie is being protected.  Just someone who makes the opposition think twice about their intentions, and isn't afraid to knock rambunctious forwards off the puck, or on their ass.

Just saying ...

The Rangers have 29 games left in the regular season.  They're in last place of the Metropolitan Division, and presently three points out of the playoff picture.

As a great football coach once said, "You are what your record says you are."  That means the Rangers (25-23-5) are presently a sub par team.

I'll take that a step further and say they're the ninth worst team in the NHL.

The trade deadline is fast approaching.  Jeff Gorton already asked Rick Nash to submit a list of teams for which he'd approve a trade.

That sounds promising, but moving him should only be scratching the surface.  Jeff Gorton better be hot on the phone with other GMs looking to reduce this pedestrian population we call the New York Rangers.

And can we finally fire Glen Sather?

Please?