SUNRISE, Fla. — Having left Manhattan with their Eastern Conference finals series against the Panthers tied at 1-1, the Rangers arrived in the Sunshine State facing new obstacles to start the best-of-five series.
The importance of having additional forward options became abundantly clear on Friday night when a hard hit from Florida’s temperamental forward Ryan Lomberg struck Jimmy Vesey in the shoulder, forcing him to miss the remainder of Game 2.
“He’s going to be evaluated week to week,” head coach Peter Laviolette said.
Laviolette only had to make some key personnel and lineup decisions late in the second round and through the first two games of the third round, but now they’re here and the pressure is on.
There are several candidates who are not only healthy but have also performed as regular skaters all year long, giving coach Laviolette the option to choose from.
Behind the first door is Blake Wheeler, a big, power wing who only recently became an option after suffering a season-ending lower-body injury on Feb. 15.
Laviolette previously had a gut feeling that he would bring in Filip Chytil (who will miss most of the 2023-24 season with a suspected concussion) in Game 3 of the second round against Carolina with a 2-0 series lead, so if this is the ultimate plan, now might be a good time to bring in Wheeler.
What has kept Wheeler fired up for the past three-plus months is the Rangers’ chances of making the playoffs. The Stanley Cup Finals is the closest the 37-year-old has come since the Jets lost 4-1 to the Golden Knights in the 2018 conference finals.
Wheeler, who has played more NHL games than any other Rangers player, is still searching for his first championship.
Like Chytil, Laviolette must ask himself whether Wheeler’s unexpectedly quick recovery will allow him to play in the playoffs.
Also, will the lineup be better with Wheeler in it?
Wheeler appeared in 54 games for the Blueshirts this season, primarily playing on the right side of the top line alongside Chris Kreider and Mika Zibandjed.
He scored nine goals and had 12 assists but averaged a career-low 12 minutes, 43 seconds of ice time per game.
After appearing to be a step behind this season, Wheeler will bring size to the first unit and a more rugged feel that could come in handy against a cutthroat Panthers team.
It’s also impossible to quantify the impact Wheeler’s presence will have on his teammates, who have watched him fight his way back.
Behind the second door is Johnny Brodzinski, who played a career-high 57 NHL games this season and appeared in Games 4 and 6 of the second round for the Rangers.
The bottom six skaters have speed no matter what line they play on.
Brodzinski, who set career highs with six goals and 13 assists this season, has already played in more postseason games than any other player to date and is a useful replacement.
And Door No. 3 was Finland wing Kaapo Kakko, who filled in for him on Friday night after the Spaniard was suspended for medical reasons for the second time in three years in the conference finals.
The 23-year-old hasn’t necessarily had a bad postseason, recording goals and assists, but he hasn’t been particularly impactful either.
Kako has played on the right sideline alongside Alex Wennberg and Will Caille, but has struggled to generate any offensive threat despite his natural ability to hold onto the puck and sustain zone pressure.
They were so unlucky that in the second leg on Friday night, coach Laviolette removed Jack Roslovic from the first line and replaced him with Kako, with Chytil moving up the order.
Wennberg is a necessity at center, Quill plays a linear, hard-edged game and provides value, but Kako has failed to stand out.
It would say a lot if Kako isn’t the next person to step up in this situation.
