MTPS: Because the Rangers’ Center of Attention Still Isn’t a Center
With Mika shifting to the wing, the Rangers’ center depth is suddenly in question. Aand that means it’s time for another trade proposal that sucks.
Recently, NHL.com's Dan Rosen sat down with Rangers' head coach Mike Sullivan. Among the topics discussed was the future for Mika Zibanejad. Sullivan said that the plan heading into camp is for Mika to open as the right wing on the line centered by J.T. Miller.
First thing's first, this all makes sense. Both the eye test and the data showed that Miller and Mika had instant chemistry and Mika played better with Miller than he had in the season-and-a-half prior. Mika is a player who is capable of scoring 90 points in a season and, given his contract ,the Rangers are right to try whatever they can to get him back to being that player.
The problem is the trickle down effect that this has on the rest of the roster.
With Mika out of the mix at ccenter, that leaves Vincent Trocheck as the presumptive 2C with Jusso Parssinen, Sam Carrick, and Jonny Brodzinski (all hail Jonny Brodzinski) vying for the two remaining center spots. To be clear, I'm fairly confident that those three can handle that job. My problem is squarely with Vincent Trocheck at the 2C.
I've talked about this problem a few times, like here, here, and here. Vincent Trocheck is not a good 2C. He's a solid third line center who should be used to drive opponents crazy. That's what he was signed to do, but injuries to Filip Chytil and ineffectiveness from Mika pressed him into service as a top six forward. But he's as miscast there as Russell Crowe was as Javert in the musical version of Les Misérables. With that being the case, what the heck are the Rangers to do?
