McIlrath Should Replace Boyle, Not McDonagh
This isn’t the time when Dylan McIlrath’s name should be hot – not for McDonagh’s spot.
Dan Boyle is the guy who’s been in McIlrath’s spot the entire season. He’s the right-handed defenseman who doesn’t fit the lineup as well as McIlrath would.
I’ve been one of the pro-McIlrath writers for quite some time now, even near the beginning of the season. There are too many reasons to even count. Despite McIlrath’s poor skating and finding himself in certain situations that’ll see him entirely out of position, his toughness, attitude and overall grit fits this Rangers roster and blueline so much more nicely than Boyle does.
This squad is Charmin-soft in front of Henrik Lundqvist. It’s laughable most of the time and will only get worse once the the sheer physicality of the tournament comes along.
McIlrath’s presence changes all of that. There’s no need for Boyle and Keith Yandle, whose respective games mirror each other so closely, to both play on the same blueline together.
And besides, just look at the sheer numbers. McIlrath’s +/- destroys Boyle’s even though the veteran has had the great opportunity all season to rack up plus numbers on the power-play.
- McIlrath: 31 GP, +6, 2 G, 1 A
- Boyle: 72 GP, Even +/-, 9 G, 14 A
Boyle is in McIlrath’s spot, and will continue to be as this team struggles in all areas physical.
As far as Ryan McDonagh’s spot in concerned, that’s all Brady Skjei.
