At the 2014 NHL trade deadline, the New York Rangers acquired defender Raphael Diaz from the Vancouver Canucks, and since that point, he has only traveled and practiced with the team. Diaz is a depth defender, but he was acquired for a reason.
Diaz has shown that he can be an average offensive defender, and that is something the Blueshirts could use on the back end. The Rangers have been in a state of flux over the past few games, and shaking things up could be just what the team needs.
Alain Vigneault needs to make decisions that can help his team win, so when should he give Diaz a shot in the lineup?
There is only one defender that Diaz could realistically replace, and that is Anton Stralman. The Rangers' other defenders have all carried their weight, but Stralman has been struggling as of late. Earlier this season, Stralman was an anchor that helped steady the waters during the Blueshirts' early struggles, but he hasn't been himself lately.
Stralman has been caught out of position, he has made costly turnovers and he has blown some assignments that have led to goals or quality scoring chances. I ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Tom Urtz Jr.
When Should Alain Vigneault Insert Raphael Diaz into Rangers Lineup?
March 20th, 2014 by Tom Urtz Jr. Leave a reply »
Advertisement