For an unprecendented second time in a fortnight, I left the game early to catch my train home. It was the 7:16 to Ronkonkoma this time. When I did it the night of the Carolina game, I had hoped it would be a one off and not happen again this season. Deep down, I felt that it wouldn’t be. Right now, the Rangers are a train wreck. They are 2-4-1 in their last seven games. I didn’t even watch Wednesday’s game. I skated on Wednesday night. The Rangers didn’t. 

Tonight, half the arena left after the second period when the Coyotes went up 5-0. People have plenty of things to do with Christmas a week away. Sitting and watching the Rangers get spanked by the Coyotes isn’t one of them. While Renney must bear some of the responsibility for tonight’s debacle, I tend to agree with those that ask “who else is out there who could turn this team around”? There really isn’t anyone. Renney reminds me of the guy from the “Plate Spinning Act” on the old Ed Sullivan Show. Lately, his plates have been crashing.

What needs to be done? Calling up Dawes and Moore and THEN letting them play was a start. Unfortunately, the players that sat so Dawes and Moore could play are not the root cause of the Rangers problem right now. Hossa and Hollweg don’t score goals. They do forecheck, kill penalties effectively and buy in to the defensive system. Lack of talent is not something Hossa and Hollweg have any control over. You either have scoring talent or you don’t and they don’t.

The problem is that the Rangers have no powerplay. Their goal scorers aren’t scoring because they do not shoot, whether on the powerplay or at even strength. They haven’t had a consistant powerplay all season. Then, when the “premium” players stop buying into overall team defense, their lack of scoring becomes more pronounced.

A trade might be the answer. Who should go? Malik, Hossa, Hollweg, (insert a name) for prospects and picks. Management should just openly acknowledge that they cannot make a Cup run with their present personnel, regardless of what their roster looks like on paper. Paper doesn’t play and neither did the Rangers tonight or most nights recently.

Once again, it is that time in the season when people scream for management to bring up the kids and management yells back, “They’re not ready”. Last year, when injuries started sidelining veterans, management had no other choice but to bring up some kids. Girardi and Callahan did just fine. They should bring up Dawes, Baranka, maybe Anisimov and get on with the rebuild.  

I hope you noticed that I am still going with a “musical” theme in my titles. Tonight, it’s The Clash. Next game, it might be Walk Away by U2  though I sincerely hope it’s Stay by Jackson Browne. I hope it never gets to Just Walk Away Renne(y) by The Left Banke.