Marc Staal / Dan Girardi
Is it easy to blame these two? Yes. Do they deserve it? Yes.
Some have been saying that Marc Staal is in decline, but I believe it is all in his head. Staal will often overcompensate for blown coverage, leaving opponents open in front of the net:
This does not excuse him for his lack of physical play though, as he has no presence in front of the net.
Dan Girardi has become the go-to goat for Ranger fans, but it is tough to diagnose players mistakes when they are injured.
Girardi is a warrior, but he shouldn’t be playing with a cracked kneecap. The injury is obviously inhibiting his play and the last thing the Rangers need is a defenseman playing at 75%.
Alain Vigneault should insert Dylan McIlrath into the lineup, who has proven that he can be a solid defender.
That brings us to our next guilty party:
