Second Thoughts About the Second Line

A high priority for the Rangers this off-season was to build a second line that could take some of the offensive load off Jaromir Jagr's line. While the acquisition of Brendan Shanahan seems to meet that goal, we're not so sure at this time what to expect scoring-wise from the second line as currently constituted -- we seem to have a unit that could come through or could disappear. In other words: high risk, high reward.

The trade for Adam Hall, barring further moves, injuries, and unexpected training camp performances, sets up a second line at even strength of Matt Cullen centering Shanahan on the left and Hall on the right. Until the trade for Hall, we had Petr Prucha as #2 right wing, but the positional re-balancing resulting from the Hall trade strongly suggests that Prucha will reprise his role from last season -- scoring threat "hidden" on the third line at even strength, alongside Betts and Ward, and power play specialist, all in an attempt to maximize his skill while minimizing wear and tear.

Hall meanwhile doesn't slot anywhere other than second line right wing -- Jagr is obviously #1, and Ward and Ortmeyer are three and four, with little prospect of moving up. Hall rotated between the second and third line in Nashville last season, ending up with second line minutes, and was obviously not obtained to replace Ward or Ortmeyer. No one is going to look good for trading for Hall for the minimal return he will bring as a checking winger -- the best hope for Hall is to have a break-out season on the second line.

The only real alternative to this alignment is to switch Hall and Prucha, taking both of them off their best side. But the ice time factor will rule -- Tom Renney strongly believes that players do best with ice time that is optimal for them, and Prucha's optimal ice time is less than Hall's.

All of this changes when the team goes on the man advantage. Shanahan will almost certainly be on the first unit with Jagr and Nylander, with Straka probably dropping back to point (or to second unit if Cullen gets the first unit point). That unit will surely command 60-75% of power play time. The second unit will then be Hall and Prucha flanking Straka or Cullen -- this unit better hope it finds a balance between Prucha's shot, Straka or Cullen's playmaking, and Hall's presence in front of the net [see photo above].

Given this rationale, what can we expect from a second line of Cullen between Shanahan and Hall? The upside will come from the same set of qualities we laid out for the second power play unit, with Shanahan the shooter. Cullen builds on his break-out season last season, Hall has his break-out season this season, and Shanahan continues to be productive even at age 37 going on 38.

The downside? Shanahan said when he signed that he has become more of an in-front player and less of the shooter he was when he was younger -- if he and Hall both try to fill that role, who will get the puck to the net? Cullen can't do it alone. Also, Shanahan's numbers last season were helped by playing with a dynamic pair of linemates in Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg -- no one will mistake Cullen and Hall for those two.

As for Cullen and Hall, neither has been a full-time second liner, althought their ice time profile for their prior teams match the Rangers' second line ice time profile behind Jagr's minute-munching unit. So we can expect them to be able to handle the ice time, but will they be able to produce? Cullen did well in that role in parts of last season, but he did so as a surprise goal scorer. He has a history as a set-up man, but not (statistically) at a level that can support a second line. Hall did not do well at all at even strength, at least not statistically -- he will have to prove that he is someone who was held back by a lesser role in Nashville, not someone who could not step into that role when injuries opened it up for him.

All in all, we appear to be in a situation where we are hoping that Cullen can build on his career season and step up in responsibility level as he approaches age 30, that Hall can emerge from a stalled development cycle and step up in responsibility level as he approaches his prime, and that Shanahan can remain an elite goal scoring and physical threat as he approaches age 38. All of this, sad to say, sounds too frightfully familiar to me.

With Hall on board, the Ranger roster is all but set. All four lines are set at wing, with Colton Orr and Marcel Hossa providing depth on each side -- unless one or both of those guys are moved out, the depth chart appears closed off to left winger Nigel Dawes and right winger Greg Moore. The top three centers are set. All that is left is to replace Dominic Moore at fourth line center, with Jarkko Immonen the current frontrunner and Brandon Dubinsky his most likely challenger in training camp -- and after a season of doing for the Rangers what Dominic Moore did in a defensive role in limited minutes, what will be their fate a year from now?

Not much by way of news today. The only really tangible story is a Petr Sykora interview out of the Czech Republic translated by Hockey Rodent in which the right winger laments not getting a free agent offer from the Rangers. There is more on the Islander mess, but we're going to forego that this time around.

Comments

[Lurker Kev]

Dominic Moore stinks. Adam Hall is the greatest. Discuss.

;)

[rangerbill94]

Good insights, all this means we are going to have a heck of a training camp. I think the final lineup will look like this:
Nylander between Straka and Jagr
Cullen between Shanahan and Prucha
Immonen between Dawes and Hall
Betts between Hollwig and Ortmeyer
With eight defensemen (all should be rated as 2nd pair D's), it will be a crap shoot. I look for a trade to move one or two of our D's. I think Malik will be moved. That leaves:
Kaspar, Tyutin, Rozsoval, Rachunek, Ward, Pock and Richter. I think Richter will put a lot of pressure on everybody else. That will cause the Malik trade, most likely for a youngster or a draft pick.

[Bob Merchant]

Regarding Malik, his circus shot gave him national fame but it also seemed to ignite the Garden. Call it folklore or whatever but the fans just love this guy. The fans also loved Moore and that did not prevent a trade, I am aware or that fact.
I do think Rachunek is on thin ice as he had made his comments about really not wanting to play in NY. Granted that may have been some time ago but NY fans are not ones to soon forget. If this guys heart is not into playing here, if he is only here because the Rangers own his rights, well, you see where I'm going. This if true will show up on the ice and in the locker room. I say he is more likely to go than Malik but that's just me. The whole contract length and money may kill my logic. How long and how much for both players? Anyone have that info handy?

[Fish]

When I look at Hall and Cullen I see some of the same things you do...basically that the Rangers are looking for them to exceed their performances so far in their careers. The Cullen deal bothered me more, mainly due to the length, but I'm not as concerned about Hall at this stage (pending notice of a deal and salary).

Ultimately, while the Rangers may very well be looking to these two to perform as second liners, they also have some potential other options for guys to step up. Prucha could very well end up with the 2nd line wing spot, and they appear to be willing to give Hossa another chance.

Perhaps the more interesting position though at the moment is the center one. Currently the Rangers have an empty spot at center ice...and that could move up or down in terms of the line depending on who performs.

Additionally in Cullen, Straka and Prucha, they have guys who can play multiple positions, and if I'm not mistaken, Shanahan can play both wings. That gives you additional flexibility to create lines.

While Hall is not a home-run hit by any stretch, it does allow the Rangers some flexibility to adjust if a prospect manages to find his way into the line-up, and does not commit the Rangers to too much (pending a deal being written).

[throwaway]

Though Dubi and I had a small disagreement re. Rozsival's +/- at the end of the last thread, I must confess that I find it extremely difficult to quarrel with a man who can come back this afternoon with a phrase like "Jagr's minute-munching unit." This on the heals of the recent phrase, "Petro's peripatetic season." The guy is a wordsmith.

[Jess]

Lurker Kev is one of those trouble making fellas who lurk at websites looking to start issues while wearing dresses DISCUSS

;-P

[Leetch3]

so hall isn't as good as moore, but he's now better than prucha??

[rangerbill94]

Bob Merchant; Rachunek didn't want to play with what he thought was a last place team. Don't blame him, especially when no one was sure what the Rangers were up to. As last season unfolded we all were pleasantly suprised to see that the management REALLY was committed to changing the direction and composition of the Rangers. Rachunik called to tell Sather that he was interested in coming back. Guys who want to be associated with a winner and not just collect a big NYR salery are just the guys I want on this team. I'm not saying Malik doesn't want to be here, but in my opinion he is the D'man with the lowest skill set of all the defensemen. If Richter doesn't impress, and I mean big time, then Malik stays and Richter goes to Hartford.

[Ralph]

if the rangers can get another guy who can put about 30+ goals in the net they will be the best team in the league malik is not going anywhere

jagr-nylander-sraka malik-rozsival
shanahan-cullen-prucha kasperitis-tyutin
hall-immonen-ward ward-rachunek
ortmeyer-betts-hollweg
lundqvist-montoya

[Bob Merchant]

"if the rangers can get another guy who can put about 30+ goals in the net they will be the best team in the league malik is not going anywhere"

Ralph, you mean like Sykora? :)

[Dubi]

leetch3, Please explain to me where you see me say that Hall is better than Prucha? If it's because I see him on the second line and Prucha on the third line, that's not the right answer -- I'm just trying to project how the coaching staff is likely to manage their minutes. I thought that was crystal clear.

[Matty]

Personally I doubt that it is set in stone that Hall is already guaranteed a spot on the team at the beginning of the season ... In fact I think that he will have to work hard to prove that he deserves to be here over some of the other kids that are in the minors .... Just because the team traded for him doesn't mean that they did so with the thought that he was a shoe-in to be on the team ... I am sure that they hope that he continues to develop and improve as he has every year that he's played in the league but again ... I think this trade was more that Moore filed for Arbitration and the team didn't like that, since I am sure they made him an offer and he refused it, so if he won the arbitration they would either be forced to pay him or let him go as a UFA(unless I read it wrong, that's what happens if teams don't match the award of their players) so trading him now was easier than trading him later if he got the $$$ he was after, whatever that is ... again this is all speculation .. but then again it is also speculation as to where the team plans to play Hall ...

[Ralph]

yea Bob sykora it will be great if they can re-sign him the team will be crazy im so PUMPED up i cant wait till the season starts

[jas]

Ralph

Sykora's not coming back.

[Bob Merchant]

Jas, my Sykora thing was said in jest as we have all seen the stories. It's too bad, I think he would have fit nicely. Still, I'm not sure if the whole issue is 100 percent dead.

[HDH]

Matty:

The NHLPA website lists Hall as receiving $975,000 this year versus the $600,000 he was paid in 2005-06. That tells us he probably reached agreement with the Rangers, and has already earned his spot at just about a million dollars.

I can't see anyone making this team at the forward other than Immonen.

[phild]

Personally, I’d like to see Cullen center the third line. IMO, stylistically, he fits better there, any thoughts on this? of course this would still bring up the need for a second line center with second line skill, which while I understand is asking a lot of a rookie, I’m hoping Immonen can fill.

If it works out this way, we could be looking at Shanahan--Immonen--Prucha on the second line. Putting the smart, tough, north-south veteran Shannahan with two young guys might just work. Even better, it would allow Cullen to center hall and Ward or perhaps Dawes on a solid third line with some scoring punch and really balance out the team. While there's probably little to no chance of it working out this way, I'd like to see it tried. In the end, I'm just hoping Immonen and Dawes get a real shot at this team.

Keeping things in perspective, we're still a couple of years from competing for the cup, so why not continue to work rookies into the lineup and give them the ice time that will afford them a real chance to develop? It might mean taking a step back in the standings next season, but it could mean building more consistent, long term success.

[jas]

Bob

I got it. I'm not sure Ralph did. I'm not sure people are seeing that the Rangers are clearly going in a different direction from last year's team. They putting together a team they feel could be more capable of moving forward in the POs. I don't doubt for one second that Betts' play in the POs gave him an edge over Moore.

[Jess]

I for one seriously doubt the 2nd line winds up being Cullen/Shanny/Hall as Cullen has been used mainly as a winger last season and is a better winger than center.

Shanny needs creative setup people to work with and I for one tend to believe he is more than likely going to wind up in a role like he has been used with the Wings and that means with younger creative players like a Prucha and perhaps an Immonen (of course that means the Rangers would be doing the smart thing.

Hall is basically an upgrade on Jason Ward and that is where he winds up on the 3rd line along with Cullen.

The Rangers are far from done making moves and there is still a lot of time left before training camp. I for one think their next move just might be a rather big move.

[Jess]

Phild

LOL I missed your comments as I do agree with what you said as seen by my own post.

I will share the beer Throwaway owes me with you