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Rangers Analysis: Should Chris Higgins see 1st line duty?

New York Rangers' Christopher Higgins (21) skates with the puck toward Boston Bruins' Jeff Penner (62) during the second period of an NHL exhibition hockey game at Madison Square Garden in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul J. Bereswill)

Paul J. Bereswill - AP

4 months ago: New York Rangers' Christopher Higgins (21) skates with the puck toward Boston Bruins' Jeff Penner (62) during the second period of an NHL exhibition hockey game at Madison Square Garden in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul J. Bereswill)

If there ever was a silver lining when injuries pop up it's that you get to see how the team responds to them. Players who are generally relegated to lower line duties sometimes get to come up and showcase their skills.

When the Rangers acquired Chris Higgins there was not much debate over the type of player they were getting. Higgins was a grinding, hard working, chippy player who scores a reasonable amount of goals. He had played on the top line before in Montreal but to be honest the Rangers were not acquiring a top flight winger.


Thus far this season we have seen just about every type of Chris Higgins there is to see. We have seen the good, the bad, the ugly, the amazing and the dismal play of a winger who seems to be just trying to find his stride. Recently he seems to have found some of that swagger, scoring two goals (including his first of the season) on this three game Western road trip. 

Now to put things into perspective, being an NHL head coach is kinda like being a mad scientist. You have all sorts of different components at your disposal. You have 20 different players, 12 of which needed to be sorted into four forward lines, 6 which need to be sorted out into three different defensive lines, and two which need to be placed in either a "starter" or "backup" role. Then you need to find out who will play on the two power play units and who will play on the two penalty kill unites. Once that is figured out you need to see who would work where and why, how does one guy play on the 3rd line see substantial time on the first power play unit; and other things of that nature. Yes, it's confusing.

Join me after the jump for my point.

Star-divide

Okay onto the point of all this.

John Tortorella currently has access to a weapon that few other coaches in the NHL have, a top-5 player. Marian Gaborik has made a huge difference with this team, and has truly made the Rangers more dangerous all around. Many times this season Tortorella has put players on the top line to help bolster their performance.

Enver Lisin saw top line duty and he immediately saw dividends of a goal and two assists. So did Artem Anisimov who recorded an assist during the one game (more like half a game) when he was centering Gaborik. Vaclav Prospal is currently leading the league in assists and is on pace to have a career year. Ales Kotalik is looking at having a career year as well, seeing tons of ice time with Gaborik on the power play. But most importantly the Rangers are seeing their young, highly touted, defenseman Michael Del Zotto flourish during his playing time with Marian Gaborik.

So here is my point. Maybe with the injury of Brandon Dubinsky, who is normally the center on that first line, Chris Higgins can replace him. Obviously Prospal would have to move to center to make this work. Since Higgins is already starting to get hot maybe this move can help him keep momentum and continue to contribute. Then, once Dubinsky is back, Higgins can move back down to the second line and continue his hot play.  

To be honest Higgins was one of the many player we tagged here at the Banter to be a 20+ goal scorer. The others were Ryan Callahan, Chris Drury, Ales Kotalik, Marian Gaborik and Vaclav Prospal. Maybe this jump starts Higgins game and gets him to where he wants to be.

Just something to think about. Let me know what you think in the comments. And as always you can follow us on twitter:

My twitter account is: @joe_fortunato

Jim's is: @Blueshirtbanter

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i like how we are talking about putting him on the first line after about a week ago we wanted to bench him

by ImaMoose on Nov 12, 2009 9:33 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

thats what a goal and two injuries will do

Blueshirt Banter: Covering the New York Rangers the only NHL team with three home arenas.

by Joe Fortunato on Nov 12, 2009 9:48 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

You could also make a case

for putting Avery at center and leaving Prospal on the wing with Gaborik.

You’re likely to see a whole lot of different combinations tonight and maybe even for the next couple of games.

I think Higgins should be used on the PP – if he’s on his game he’s an effective screen in front of the opposing keeper. Use him, Avery and/or Byers in that role. Create traffic while the wingers weave and look for the opening.

Next couple of games will give us some ideas as to what the coaching staff is thinking for the longer term. If nobody steps up, you’re sure to see some moves. What they will be is idle speculation – but they will come.

by dbmaven on Nov 12, 2009 9:47 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

Go with what we got??

Torts says go with what we got?? What? How about starting a 5 game losing streak. Why not bring up some guys and give them a shot. The team can’t score goals now (big surprise) and without Duby and Drury, things don’t look so good. I know that neither one scores, but…throw the fans a bone and give us a look at some guys from Harford, what have you got to lose? Maybe, dare I say it, they actually show some energy and scoring.
Gilroy and Del Zotto worked out OK. What ever happened to Torts and “I’m not afraid to play the young guys”? Same old, same old.

by brad_park on Nov 12, 2009 11:07 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

id like to see anisimov infront of the net on the PP.

with gaborik and prospal on the wings and mdz and kotalik at the points.

anisimov is a very big ansd skilled player than weve seen the damage he can do infront of the net.

personally id like to see avery get 1st line duty

LET'S GO RANGERS!!!

by Moshe52792 on Nov 12, 2009 2:55 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Kotalik?

He has already meshed well with Gaborik on the PP, he might not do poorly on the first line.

by Rangers Bleed Blue on Nov 12, 2009 6:45 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

The truth of the matter is that we are in trouble. We are losing games to teams we shouldn’t lose against…Isles, Minn. um the impending loss to the Thrashers. The Rangers are a dangerous team, they are fast, they forecheck, they can bang. But aside from Gaborik, they are not scary good. We are a team of one amazing player and the rest pretty much averqage players, some of whom occassionally shine. I used to really like rozy……its time for him to go. Drury too.

by earthworm on Nov 12, 2009 9:02 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

We don't match up well...

We don’t match up well with any team in the league. Every team we play looks much better that us, period. The team as constucted by AH Sather is not going to make the playoffs. I have been a fan for over 40 years, but except for us winning the cup, it’s been rough. Now, it’s brutal, Sather couldn’t put a winning pee wee team together, as long as he’s GM we are doomed to failure. The list of his mistakes would take up two pages. Oh well, at least we will get a good draft pick, but then again Sather will be picking…OH NO!!

by brad_park on Nov 13, 2009 12:27 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

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