Hartnett: Rookie Brady Skjei Proving To Be Reliable Option For Rangers
By Sean Hartnett
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Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei is having a very strong rookie season without a great deal of fanfare.
Perhaps, this season's rookie class is so rich that the 22-year-old has been somewhat overshadowed. Despite not garnering the same attention as some of his rookie counterparts across the league, it's crystal clear that Skjei is integral to the Blueshirts' future.
A trait that separates Skjei from some of the most illuminating rookies is that he thrives on pressure. Head coach Alain Vigneault opted to pair Skjei with captain Ryan McDonagh on the top defensive pairing in Wednesday's showdown in Philadelphia. The duo proceeded to keep the Flyers' stars quiet throughout the impressive 5-2 road victory.
Skjei recorded an assist and finished with a career-high plus-three rating in 19:44 TOI. Fixing the troublesome right side of the defense is top priority for the Rangers and No. 76 gave a good account of himself in a tough building against the likes of Wayne Simmonds, Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek and Brayden Schenn. Each of Voracek's goals came while Skjei wasn't on the ice.
All season long, Vigneault has been searching for a reliable mix of top-four defensemen. Marc Staal and Nick Holden have held up their end of the bargain by forming a rock-solid pairing. The big issue has always been who should skate on the right side of McDonagh, and is it worth breaking up Staal and Holden to find the solution? Considering the way Skjei performed in Philly, it appears he's deserving of a long look on the top pair.
Oddly, Vigneault has been hesitant to trust the former 28th overall pick. Skjei ranks last among the Blueshirts' six regular defensemen with 16:40 TOI/GP. His 15:02 even-strength TOI/GP also is sixth-best. Vigneault has traditionally held rookies to tough standards, but the evidence is beginning to strongly point to Skjei being the best bet for Vigneault to pair up with McDonagh.
Smooth skating and confidence with the puck on his stick have been consistent elements of Skjei's game this season. He's always been projected to develop into a complete, minute-eating defenseman similar to McDonagh. Maybe his leap toward becoming more reliable on the defensive side of the puck has finally satisfied Vigneault.
Skjei's offensive contributions have been outstanding given his slender minutes. He ranks second among Rangers defensemen in assists (16) and even-strength assists (13) this season. Skjei is the first Rangers rookie to record at least 16 assists in the first 41 games of a season since Brian Leetch during his Calder Trophy-winning season of 1988-89.
One stat that leaps off the page is how well he compares to defensemen around the league in assists per 60 minutes. His 1.44 average is even with Chicago Blackhawks alternate captain Duncan Keith for seventh best in the NHL among defensemen. Only Victor Hedmen, Andrei Markov, Kris Letang, fellow rookie Zach Werenski, Erik Karlsson and Justin Schultz have fared better among defensemen to skate in at least 10 games.
Can Skjei save the day by fixing the biggest crack in Vigneault's lineup? Well, he seems to be capable of easily exceeding veterans Dan Girardi and Kevin Klein, who have been overmatched in top-pairing minutes. Holden has been reliable in the spurts he's played alongside McDonagh, but Skjei's upside is enormous. If the Rangers can get two dynamite combinations in McDonagh-Skjei and Staal-Holden, they will be in great shape in the second half.
Follow Sean on Twitter at @HartnettHockey
