New York Rangers: 5 ways to have successful season without a Cup title

The Rangers are off to one of their worst starts in the last decade through the first nine games of the 2017-18 season.

Currently at 2-5-2, the Rangers have struggled to find the consistency they need to finish games. This is understandable considering head coach Alain Vigneault constantly makes lineup changes.

It was hard to imagine the Rangers would struggle to this degree at this point in the season — especially based on the changes they made on their roster to upgrade their defense. But with holes down the center and the mismanagement of the assets on the roster thus far, the Rangers find themselves in a spot where bouncing back will be a challenge.

The Rangers will need to step up and take control of their season. Whether 2017-18 brings them a Stanley Cup or not, there are other ways that they can measure where they stand and what their future holds.

Here are some of the ways the Rangers can measure their success this year.