[text_output]Rebuilds can be a funny thing.

Almost every team’s attempt to rebuild is different from attempts made previously. There’s no strict blueprint that needs to be followed, no formula that must be obeyed, no rules of the road.

The way the Rangers have gone about their rebuild so far has been clear. If we include the Derek Stepan trade in this process, Jeff Gorton’s regime has prioritized adding pieces that can help immediately while also restocking a farm system left barren by the team’s attempt to win a cup with their last core.

Stepan (and Antii Raanta) brought back one right now piece (Tony DeAngelo) plus a top prospect (Lias Andersson). Nick Holden brought back the same, albeit on a much lesser scale (Rob O’Gara right now, 3rd round draft pick). Go down the line, and it’s all there. Rick Nash (Spooner now, Lindgren + first rounder down the line), Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller (Namestnikov now, Howden, Hajek + first rounder(s) down the line) have all followed the same formula.

When you’re following that formula, it puts the team in a funny situation. Obviously, if the Rangers don’t fancy themselves serious cup contenders (and they don’t), it benefits the long-term outlook for the team to drop more games than they win. If New York can find itself in the top five of this year’s draft, their growing prospect pool will have a new franchise piece at the front of the line.

However, there’s also players on this roster playing for long-term roles on the squad. Management needs to see everything guys like Ryan Spooner and Vladdy Namestnikov can offer as both players head to restricted free agency after this season. Kevin Hayes is being given a premium role for the first time and seeing more ice time than ever as he, also, heads to restricted free agency. Pavel Buchnevich has zero hurdles between him and top line minutes for the final 16 games of this season. The kids on defense (John Gilmour, Neal Pionk, Tony DeAngelo) all need to prove to management that they can be part of the long-term solution, and prove that they deserve ice time out of the gate next season. And it doesn’t need mentioning, but Henrik Lundqvist isn’t rolling over for anyone.

Almost everyone on the team right now would benefit from the Rangers remaining competitive this season. This roster isn’t built to throw games away between now and mid-April. Wins still matter, even if it hurts the Rangers draft positioning.

Part of the perk about the Rangers now having three first round picks – if there’s a guy in the top five they really like, they have the pieces to trade up. Sure, it’s easier and less complicated for the Rangers to lose themselves into the spot in the draft they want to be. If the team gets a top five pick and has two more additional first rounders, that opens up multiple doors. But, it’s not imperative. Part of this process was about reloading the cupboards to allow the front office to make a move on draft day. They’ve done that. That mission has been accomplished. The Rangers can move anywhere they want to now to get in the spot they feel necessary (short of the first overall pick, since who would trade away the opportunity to draft Dahlin?).

So, I’m not at all worried if the Rangers stay hot and, somehow, find themselves in a Wild Card spot come playoff time. That’s not my concern.

My concern, however, is what this hot stretch may mean for Alain Vigneault’s future.[/text_output][image type=”circle” float=”none” src=”2305″ alt=”” href=”” title=”” info_content=”” lightbox_caption=”” id=”” class=”aligncenter” style=””][text_output]Here’s the thing about how the Rangers are playing, and have played for the last two years under Alain Vigneault:

The results are hiding the performance.

Gilmour, Pionk and DeAngelo have looked encouraging since being given additional ice time. Individually, each have added elements to the Rangers the team lacked earlier this year.

The problem, however, is still the system they play in.

Yes, the Rangers have won three-straight. But in that stretch, Henrik Lundqvist became the first goalie in modern history to stop 50+ shots in back-to-back wins. That’s absurd.

We as sports fans (myself very much included, I’m not trying to preach on anyone) overrated a coach’s impact on both bad stretches and good stretches. We overlook flaws when a team is hot, and exaggerate shortcomings when a team is ice cold. In reality, a coach’s performance is truly somewhere in the middle of the two extremes, and we often forget that.

However, we know what the middle is for Alain Vigneault, and it’s not good enough. His defensive system, his player evaluation, his line-up machinations, we’ve seen it all over the years, and it’s more clear than ever that the Rangers need to move on. A new coach needs to be given the opportunity to put his thumbprint on this new core being assembled by Jeff Gorton and Co.

We’ve seen the dance. We can predict with near certainty what will transpire if Alain Vigneault is given another year. Honestly, he hasn’t earned it. His time has come, and it has left him months (in my opinion, years) ago.

If the Rangers make the playoffs, it’s not the end of the world. Honestly, a strong argument can be made that a surprise playoff berth is a best-case scenario for a very young roster trying to build its own foundation at Madison Square Garden.

The only thing that makes making the playoffs a potential doomsday scenario is what it means for Alain Vigneault.

The Rangers need a new coach. This hot stretch shouldn’t change that mindset. No hot stretch should change that mindset.

But I’m terrified that’s exactly what it could do.[/text_output]

Author: Greg Kaplan

Greg Kaplan is a man of mystery. Did he write this? No. Was he asked to write this? Yes. But did he write this article? Maybe, do you like it?