The No. 1 line for the Rangers, Straka/Dubinsky/Jagr is now a collective -21 for the last three games. And yet, Coach Renney saw fit to give them the most ice time tonight.  Why?

I understand that Renney may feel that his number one line was his best hope to score when they got behind. But, the reason the Rangers were behind in the first place was because of the inability of their top line to commit to team defense.

What I have seen in these last three games is the inability and/or refusal of Jaromir Jagr to move his feet. He is not incapable of playing defensively. This line was defensively responsible against the Islanders and the Senators last week. In those two games Jagr and Straka had 3 points each and Dubinsky 2 points. Then, along come the Hurricanes on Monday night and Straka/Dubinsky/Jagr are a collective -11 in that game. This disease has continued Thursday night against Toronto and again tonight against Atlanta.

When one of the most positive Ranger fans I know, my friend Scott (RedlightNYR), was prompted Monday to characterize Jagr as “the laziest Captain in the NHL”, that’s pretty sad. Jagr displays no sense of urgency. He refuses to cycle. He refuses to forecheck. The most gauling thing of all is that Jagr was laughing his ass off when poor Dubinsky tried to kick the puck into the net in a desparate attempt to get a goal. That’s a fine example to set for a younger player. Maybe if Jagr tried to attack the net a little more and take more shots, some pucks might go in. The kid wouldn’t be trying to kick them in.

And I don’t want to hear the BS that Jagr’s numbers are down because Dubinsky is his center. If he would skate and play a north/south game and cycle and forecheck like the coaching staff is begging him to do, he wouldn’t be -7 in the last three game and have only 7 shots on goal. That’s right. Jagr has only seven shots in three games. These numbers are unacceptable.  Jaromir Jagr only plays when HE wants to play. Jagr doesn’t skate, he doesn’t forecheck and he doesn’t shoot the puck except when he thinks the result will be a highlight reel goal.

Committing to team defense means taking the time, space and puck away from your opponent. The more time your team is in possession of the puck, the less likely that the other team will score. Jagr gets stripped of the puck so often now, his very presence on the ice is becoming a liability. 

Win, lose or draw, I want to see players out on the ice who play with some spirit and passion. Prucha, Drury and Callahan brought it tonight. Hossa, Gomez and Shanahan did too. The fourth line brings it all the time but couldn’t score in a whorehouse.

Renney feels compelled to use Jagr because he thinks Jagr is his “go to guy”. Renney should think again. If Jagr doesn’t buck up, Renney should do whatever it takes to wake Jagr up. Sit Jagr. Waive Jagr, for all I care. Who would pick him up at his salary?

Jagr, to me, is now a pre-fire sale Ranger. And that is just about the worst thing you could say about any Ranger player in the post lockout era.