The New York Rangers have had a bit of a turbulent start to their 2025-26 season. They broke a 95-year-old record, had an unexpected offensive explosion in a losing effort, and fans are losing their minds on the roller coaster start.
Outside of all that, there is still even more going on with the Blueshirts. Here are three burning questions that still need to be answered.
Can Rangers secure home ice?
The Rangers have not won a game at Madison Square Garden this season. There have been some close calls, a ton of shutouts, and fans are understandably upset with their favorite team's performance on the ice.
Head coach Mike Sullivan can be the only member of this organization to make things better. He has to keep tweaking the lineup card, finding the right fit for all 18 skaters and the goaltender.
Can this team fix their worrysome start, and get this season back on track?
Who will step up in Rempe's absence?
When Matt Rempe and former Rangers heavyweight Ryan Reaves stepped into the circle symbol for the centennial season on Thursday night, the world got to witness the potential passing of the hockey fighting torch. But Rempe got his rear-end handed to him by the experienced brawler and did not return to the game.
That leaves a giant hole, not only in the Rangers lineup, but in the physicality department. This season has been very different for the 6-foot-9 enforcer, as his impact has been made in between the lines of the game. Rempe has been smart with his tenacity and focused on other areas of his game. It has been very beneficial for the Rangers thus far.
Who is going to step into that role if Rempe is going to miss some time?
Can Shesterkin keep up this pace?
Right now, the best Rangers player is goaltender Igor Shesterkin. Despite being lit up for six goals against a very unknown San Jose Sharks offense, the Russian netminder is still a front-runner for the Vezina Trophy at the end of the year.
But, much like letting in six goals in one outing, when will all of this positive play start to dwindle? Backup Jonathan Quick has seen two games of action and has held his own in each. Allowing four goals on 45 shots, he has been exquisite in relief.
If the Rangers are going to try to be a playoff team at the end of this season, Shesterkin is going to have to see 50+ games of action, if not more. With the offense not showing up for most of the season thus far, that has to be in the mind of the goaltender that even though he let in a goal or two, it was all in a losing effort.
Can he keep up the pace of these starts, even with a roller coaster offense in front of him?