Regarding the Rangers, second in the Metropolitan Division, third in the Eastern Conference and seventh overall in the NHL at 27-17-5 as they get a jump on the NHL All-Star break that begins league-wide following Wednesday’s games:
1. Keith Yandle’s immediate future will be the dominant issue through the Feb. 29 trade deadline. But it is not an independent matter, for it interlocks with decisions regarding both Dan Boyle and Dylan McIlrath.
At this point, even allowing for Alain Vigneault’s well-documented respect for veterans, the coach’s enduring faith in Boyle is mystifying.
The fact is, Boyle — who sat out Monday’s 6-3 victory over the Sabres — has not been on the ice for a power-play goal since Dec. 22. He has not been on for a five-on-four power-play goal since Dec. 20. He has not recorded an even-strength point since Dec. 30, and he has the fewest number of five-on-five points (two goals, two assists, four points) of the Blueshirts’ six regular defensemen, just one more than McIlrath (two goals, one assist, three points) in nearly 400 more minutes of even-strength ice time.
And running the power play and generating offense from the back end are supposed to be Boyle’s strengths.
Look, this isn’t meant to demean or run down Boyle, who has had an estimable career. But the 39-year-old is not getting it done at either end of the ice. Furthermore, he takes minutes away from both Yandle and McIlrath whenever he dresses.
That lends kind of an alternative meaning to “killing two birds with one stone,” doesn’t it?
The Rangers are a better team with McIlrath in the lineup and they had better find out before the deadline whether — and how much — better they are with Yandle on the first power-play unit.
Because, again, if No. 93 is regarded and used as a third-pair defenseman who cannot kill penalties and simply gets leftover second power-play unit time, then the Rangers (a) have no reason not to deal Yandle as a rental property, while (b) they are diminishing his value on the market.
If the Blueshirts believe they cannot afford to trade Yandle in their chase for the Stanley Cup, then isn’t he deserving of a feature, rather than supporting, role?
2. The Coyotes were able to get a first-rounder and a young defenseman from the Blackhawks for pending free-agent forward Antoine Vermette at last season’s deadline, so any suggestion the Blueshirts will have to sell low on Yandle is nonsensical.
It would seem as if Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton could spark a bidding war for Yandle among Western powers Chicago and Los Angeles, if not Dallas, San Jose and Minnesota, as well. Keep in mind neither the Kings nor the Sharks have a 2016 first-rounder available.
By the way, if the Rangers could somehow get Andrew Shaw out of Chicago in a deal for Yandle, that could be the ultimate.
3. The only way the Rangers can justify trading a first-rounder to bolster this season’s club is if they receive a first-rounder in return for Yandle.
Because that window you keep hearing about? It not only would slam shut, but also remain shut like a tomb for the foreseeable future if the Blueshirts dare to go what would be five straight years (2013 through 2017) without a No. 1 if they deal one again.
That means as enticing as it would be to acquire power winger Andrew Ladd — exactly the size-and-strength winger the Rangers have lacked in the past two playoff runs — from the Jets as a rental, they can’t yield a first-rounder in order to get him.
Nor can they sacrifice either Pavel Buchnevich or Brady Skjei.
That would represent the type of myopic behavior that dooms franchises.
4. Of course, J.T. Miller, very much a byproduct of his own growth and maturity and of Vigneault’s brand of tough love, could be that playoff winger with an edge, too.
5. There is no question the Rangers have been committed to more of a straight-line, meat-and-potatoes brand of greasy (I don’t know what I dislike more, that term or the fact that I used it) hockey over the past month.
That goes, notably, for Kevin Hayes, a different player since he took in consecutive games as a civilian in the final match of 2015 and the first of 2016.
6. You do have to acknowledge, respect and admire the fabric of this group and of this core for being able to maintain its equanimity through the December crash.
Sometimes you take it for granted. Well, I guess sometimes I do.