It's Time for Changes to This Roster.

I'm going to spare you all the same old speeches and clichés we've read and heard after every Ranger loss this season. "No heart, no grit, blah blah blah." We all know this.

However, last night's no-show against the arch-rival Devils exposed this team's true fatal flaw.

Yes, Rick Nash and Ryan Callahan are hurt, and Carl Hagelin hasn't played yet. This does not excuse the remainder of the roster playing as if they have dinner plans at 9:30 PM. Also, I don't want to hear any more excuses about adjusting to AV's new system. They have played 7 games now. The time for "adjustments" is over.

We can point fingers all day at Henrik Lundqvist, who had arguably the worst game of his career last night. We can point fingers at Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi, who have played like the 3rd defensive pair of a high school hockey team so far.

But, the sad truth about this team is that this roster, as constructed, will not make the playoffs, much less contend for a Cup. The absence of three of this team's top six forwards exposes a glaring lack of depth and renders the team useless when they are not on the ice.

The Rangers' next game is not until Thursday night against the Flyers. The home opener is a week from Monday. If the Rangers are going to make changes, now is the time. Today, it was reported that the Rangers are rumored to be exploring a deal that would jettison top prospect Chris Kreider for a top-6 forward. Questions are also prevalent about the future of Michael Del Zotto, who was a healthy scratch in last night's game. If the Rangers are going to trade for a top-6 forward, they will have to jettison both Kreider and MDZ simply because they cannot afford the cap space for one right now if they keep MDZ.

They also need to add a lot more grit, and trading Brian Boyle and/or Taylor Pyatt is a start. This team seems to quit at the first sign of trouble, and this team right now is lacking players that can handle any type of adversity, much less crush a guy into the boards or clear the net.

Yet, if the strategy for the Rangers is to trade for a top-6 forward, the opportunity is here. Who knows when Rick Nash will return? Callahan won't be back until mid-November. The season is spiraling out of control.

Available options are the Sabres' Thomas Vanek, or the Panthers' Kris Versteeg. It will take Kreider and at least MDZ or Boyle plus perhaps a draft pick or two to get either one. The need for scoring is more paramount than ever, and a move like this may need to get done.

Again, this is only a start. Trading for a top-6 forward doesn't cure all the Rangers' woes. It will take a couple more players, like a gritty forward and a net-clearing defenseman, to make this roster more complete.

But now is the time for action. The Rangers cannot afford to go back to MSG with a 2-7 record.