Rangers previously elite line a shell of itself this season

Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere were the most productive line at five-on-five in the NHL last season. Not only were they the most utilized unit while logging 863:10 of total ice time, but they lead all lines with at least 500 minutes with 54 goals, according to Natural Stat Trick, in addition to posting a second-best expected goals for per 60 of 3.13. The trio, which wasn’t forged until Game 11 of the 2023-24 campaign after Filip Chytil went down, has not been nearly as explosive this season. Lining up alongside one another in 38 of 46 games so far this season, they have been on the ice for 27 Rangers goals and 21 against in 482:13, per Natural Stat Trick.The games apart were either due to Panarin’s two-game absence in mid-December or head coach Peter Laviolette’s need to change things up amid the team’s downward spiral. The production is where the unit is severely lacking, especially as of late. Panarin has just one five-on-five goal in the last 11 games, plus an empty netter during six-on-five play.

That’s on top of only two five-on-five scores over the past 16 and four over the past 22. On the other hand, Trocheck has just two in the past 14 contests and three over the past 21. And since signing his seven-year extension on Oct.25, Lafreniere has eight goals and 11 assists with a minus-13 rating over 39 games.

He snapped a five-game streak without a five-on-five goal Sunday night, but only has three over the past 17 and four over the past 25. This is a line that obviously needs the puck in order to be successful, but the Rangers have struggled mightily at times with possession. The Rangers begin a four-game homestand on Tuesday against the Senators. Their season-best point streak of eight games (5-0-3) is the longest since a 10-game stretch from Jan.27-Feb.

24, 2024.They’ve also won four of their past six games, in addition to picking up points in nine of their past 10 (7-1-2). Over this stretch, the Rangers have h...