The Rangers’ 263 goals allowed this past season were the fourth-worst in the NHL and 37 more than they scored. That’s a problem. Of course, it isn’t just the defensemen who have to play defense, and the team’s playing style under coach Alain Vigneault was more focused on offense, and therefore was always going to leave the team vulnerable at the back end. But still, the Rangers’ defensemen did not distinguish themselves in 2017-18.
Injuries — and the team’s decision to give up on the present and focus instead on building for the future — left the Rangers playing with a mostly AHL-caliber defense by the end of the season.