Chris Kreider, the longest-tenured player on the New York Rangers, was a healthy scratch on Monday against the New Jersey Devils. The move, made by head coach Peter Laviolette in an attempt to shake up the lineup, backfired as the Rangers were shut out 5-0 at the Prudential Center. After the game, Laviolette explained his decision, saying it was simply “a lineup decision” and that the team needed more overall production. Kreider’s scratch marked the first time since the 2013-14 season that he has been benched while healthy, according to Josh Erickson.
Laviolette also emphasized the team’s need to improve its overall play, stating, “At the end of the day, we’re not playing a brand that we need to play in order to be successful.” He acknowledged Kreider as a player the team relies on for that improvement, but insisted the decision was necessary. The benching comes amid trade rumors and a down season for Kreider, who has just 11 goals and one assist in 30 games, on pace for his lowest points total since the 2012-13 lockout-shortened season.
Kreider’s absence was felt as the Rangers struggled in a dismal loss to the Devils, who dominated the game, going 2-for-4 on the power play and shutting out New York, who went 0-for-4 on their own power plays. The defeat marked another setback for the Rangers, who have now lost 13 of their last 17 games. At the holiday break, New York sits at 16-17-1, second-worst in the Metropolitan Division, just ahead of the 13-15-7 New York Islanders.
Leave a Reply