Pretty exciting to me how much the NYR play improved at 5v5 recently. Saying they are "poor at 5v5", looking at the season on the whole, is an incomplete narrative.
Over the last month, they are 11th at 5v5 expected goals %. Even in the last 9 games since Trouba returned, they are actually even better - 6th overall.
If they can be even average at ES, with Igor on his game, and special teams continuing to be really good...that is definitely an exciting combination.
At the exact halfway point of the season, this was the team's lines:
Kreider-Zibanejad-Cuylle
Panarin-Trocheck-Lafreniere
Vesey-Goodrow-Wheeler
Leschyshyn-Bonino-Brodzinski
Yet people say the team overall stinks at 5v5. Well of course, you've got guys that wouldn't make the roster of non-playoff teams playing roles at that point.
Yes, they had better combos before and after this game, but you've got 3 guys in the bottom 6 that are nowhere near the active roster. The 3rd line is basically the 4th now and Cuylle could be getting bumped down to the 4th line as well if Chytil is back in the mix.
Since this point, the team added Kakko, Wennberg and Roslovic as mainstays and Rempe as a rotational forward. Basically an entire 3rd line and a piece for the 4th line.
On top of that, what I've seen from Mika the last few games is the best version of him in a long time. I think he knows it's time to ramp up and time to be a difference-maker.