Our 2015-16 New York Rangers report cards continue today with the most controversial players on the team: the defenseman.
By Chris Wengert
It’s ironic too, because for the past five years the organization’s success was built around strong defense.
Maybe it was all of those blocked shots in conjunction with the long grinding playoff series the Rangers have played over past seasons.
Whatever the reason may be, the Rangers defense aged before our eyes this season.
Rangers 2015-16 Report Cards: Forwards
Many fans were hoping that Alain Vigneault and Jeff Gorton would make changes to the suspect defense at the trade deadline, but to no avail.
Bad contracts that were forged by Glen Sather have now come back to bite the organization, with no relief in sight.
What fans witnessed this season was simply the result of no movement and trade clauses, partnered with brutally overpriced contracts.
The New York Rangers forwards had their day in court and now it’s time for the defenseman to take their lumps.
This might turn out to be an ugly affair folks…
Brady Skjei
It’s not really fair to give Skjei a grade due to a very small sample size, but he did play in all five playoff games, so why not?
Skjei was thrown into the lineup after Ryan McDonagh injured his hand, and he showed some promise.
Skjei was light on his feet and wasn’t afraid to hop into the offensive side of play. He also tallied two assists in five playoff games.
Skjei was a (is a) young player who was forced into a position that he wasn’t really prepared for, so his often frantic play and blown coverage was to be expected.
At times, Skjei was the only Rangers defenseman who was willing and/or capable of moving opponents out of Henrik Lundqvist’s crease.
Well, I guess it was technically Antti Raanta’s crease for three of those five playoff games too, but that discussion is for another time…
For a rookie defenseman who was called up to a bleeding club in a high pressure situation, Skjei performed about as well as could be expected.
Grade: B
Dyan McIlrath
The former first round draft pick seemed like a lost cause following the 2014-15 season, but a determined McIlrath set his focus on changing that narrative this year.
However in only 34 games, McIlrath was awarded 64 penalty minutes, only two minutes less than Tanner Glass, who was first overall in PIM.
McIlrath shaped his reputation as a grinder and enforcer on the team, going toe-to-toe with anyone willing to drop the gloves.
As far as production goes, McIlrath tallied two goals and two assists in the regular season.
If McIlrath wants to fill the defensive enforcer roll effectively he will need to learn when to fight and when to let his game talk for itself.
Or perhaps that is his only game?
Alain Vigneault didn’t give McIlrath consistent ice time, and I’m curious to see what his true potential would be over the span of a full 82 game schedule.
Overall, McIlrath took a plethora of untimely penalties, many of which hurt his team.
While he demonstrated that he can be effective in specific situations, he needs to round his game out so that he be effective against any given team, and not just the physical match-ups.
Grade: C
Kevin Klein
Klein was easily the most consistent defenseman for the Rangers.
Klein defends well and has quietly added some offensive flair to his game over the past couple of seasons. In fact, he matched his career-high numbers from last season with 9 goals and 17 assists.
While it wouldn’t affect his grade, Klein has proven to be injury-prone, but that is a result of his willingness to block just about any shot.
Unfortunately, his 2015-16 story is not all cherries and roses.
Klein’s broken thumb, partnered with increased minutes as a result of Ryan McDonagh’s injuries, would eventually catch up with him.
Klein was basically invisible for the last quarter of the season. Strong defensive positioning was slowly replaced by blown coverage and a blatant lack of production when the team needed it most.
Grade: B
Marc Staal
The 2011-12 lockout season aside, Marc Staal posted the worst possession numbers of his career (CF 44.8%), and it showed.
The once brick-wall defenseman is now a liability.
Staal’s reputation for being a crease clearing defensive-defenseman has now been replaced by a that of a stick-checking player that often allows his opponents to stand in front of the Ranger goalie unabated.
If I had to guess, I would say that John Tortorella’s grinding and shot-blocking style has finally caught up with Staal, who has seemed to age before our very eyes.
Yes, Staal hasn’t been able to train over the past few summer due to copious injuries, and while it’s possible he may be more effective next year, I just don’t see it happening.
Staal has been a large part of the Rangers’ core for the past nine seasons, and while his play improved marginally towards the end of the season, it was much too little and far too late.
Grade: D
Keith Yandle
Yandle earned fifth overall in points this season, with five goals and 42 assists.
He is also one of only two players (J.T. Miller) who played in every single game this season.
It’s also amazing to think that Yandle tallied 20 power play assists even though he was on the second unit for half of the season.
While Yandle was an essential piece of the power play and overall offensive production, his defensive play was often equally as abysmal.
We’ll all remember his playoff collision with line mate Dan Boyle, which lead to a Pittsburgh Penguin goal and was arguably the turning point in that series.
As good as Yandle could be on shift, his boneheaded-ness would eventually catch up to him.
If it wasn’t bad checking, then it was a pass that led to a turnover, or no net presence.
While Yandle never received much support from his line mates, his errors would often cost the Rangers games.
Grade: B
Dan Boyle
Oh Danny boy, the pipes are most certainly calling.
I never like it when an athlete announces that he will “possibly retire” at the end of a season, much less when said announcement takes place at the very beginning of the season.
In a similar fashion to Yandle, what made Boyle’s game so great for so many years was his ability to move the puck.
However, in order to effectively move the puck around the ice, you need to be mobile, which is something what waived bye-bye to Boyle when he was traded to the Rangers.
Different player, same narrative.
And to be honest, Boyle’s numbers weren’t awful this season like you might expect.
But when you give Boyle the good ole’ fashioned eye test, his game becomes a comedy of errors.
No strength, lame checking, blown coverage, you name it.
If there was a way to play poor defense, Dan Boyle accomplished it ad nauseam this season.
It’s sad too, because you would sometimes witness a glimpse of the player he once was.
But to be honest, I don’t believe in unicorns.
Grade: D
Dan Girardi
Girardi was the hockey equivalent of a beaten war hero who has returned from a great battle, only to be sent right back to the front lines.
If you have been a New York Rangers fan for a while, then you can respect what Girardi has given for his team.
I would go as far to say that you would be hard-pressed finding a player that has more guts and has sacrificed more for his team than Dan Girardi has throughout his career.
Listen, Girardi was horrible this season. He had the worst possession numbers on the team and was a complete tire fire whenever he was on the ice.
It was sad watching the un-doing of the once proud Ranger warrior this season.
Grade: F
Ryan McDonagh
When McDonagh was sitting out with an injury prior to the playoffs, many analysts were saying how the Rangers “wouldn’t go anywhere in the playoffs without Ryan McDonagh”.
To be honest, I think McDonagh’s value is very overrated.
For whatever reason, be it the bright lights or media pressure, McDonagh just hasn’t been the same ever since that “C” was stitched onto his jersey.
While you can certainly blame some of his lack of ferocity on injuries, he just isn’t the same player that he was during that 2013-14 run.
For a player that is often considered an “elite”, his defending abilities were atrocious this season.
I would need a few more hands to count the number of times that McDonagh failed to cover his assignment in the defensive zone.
While many blamed the uninspired play that became a staple of the Rangers’ game on AV, some of that load must be carried by the captain.
Not good enough Mr. McDonagh.