It’s that time of year again: The National Hockey League has officially entered the final stretch of the 2024-25 season, and that means those not moved at the trade deadline have been given a small extension to prove they’re worth keeping.
The 2024-25 season has sent a clear signal that the New York Rangers aren’t really that close in contention for the playoffs and another revamp is needed. Thus, here is some speculation on which New York Rangers could be entering their final month as a Blueshirt.
1 - Chris Kreider
This one hurts to write. Kreider worked his way up to the NHL. Before becoming a professional hockey star he played three seasons for Boston College and became one of the best collegiate players in the nation. As just a freshman he helped the Eagles to a National Championship during the 2009-2010 season. Also in his youth career, he helped the United States win the 2010 World Junior Championship with seven points in addition to competing in the WJC during 2011.
Since making his NHL debut on April 16, 2012, Kreider has only ever played as a Blueshirt. While hitting many, many milestones along the way, Kreider has said multiple times how important it is to represent the franchise well.
"[Being a New York Ranger] comes with a responsibility to conduct yourself in a certain way every day. I think about Henrik Lundqvist as the ultimate example of what a New York Ranger is; how to conduct yourself away from the rink, how to conduct yourself away and at the rink as a professional, your approach to winning, what you ask from yourself and from your teammates," Kreider has said. "It's an organization and a city that expects to be competitive and expects to win, expects their players to want to do whatever it takes to win ... I don't know what it's like to be anything other than a New York Ranger."
Kreider — a Massachusetts native — is the longest tenured Ranger on New York's roster. Since being selected in the first round of the 2009 NHL Draft, he has made New York history. Kreider's first NHL goal was the winner in Game 6 against Ottawa in April of 2012. He also scored the winner in Game 1 of the second round against the Washington Capitals. Not to mention his 323 goals and 252 assists for 575 points put him at No. 3 in the Rangers' skater records.
His 323 goals are behind only Jean Ratelle and the late great Rod Gilbert on the all-time list for the New York Rangers.
Despite all of this, many fans want to see Kreider gone from the roster in place of fresher talent. He could very well be gone come next season.
2 - Adam Fox
As Blue Line Station fans learned when our Hannah Eng interviewed Rangers fan, defenseman Adam Fox is the least favorite Blueshirt of many.
Defensively, he has taken an incredible amount of steps back. He just isn't as good in his own zone as he was a few years ago. Fox also recently suffered an upper-body injury and was placed in the long-term injured reserve list.
If the front office listens to its fanbase, Fox will be on the chopping block.
3 - Carson Soucy
As Blue Line Station fans additionally learned when our Hannah Eng interviewed Rangers fan, defenseman Carson Soucy is also the least favorite Blueshirt of many.
Many even went as far as to describe him as the worst defenseman in the league currently. Soucy was traded to the New York Rangers by the Vancouver Canucks in early March for a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft(previously owned by the San Jose Sharks). The Rangers had received the third-round pick from the Vegas Golden Knights earlier on Thursday in the trade for forward Reilly Smith.
On the season, Soucy has a mere four goals and nine assists. Plus, he seems slower, less responsive, doesn’t finish his checks and honestly a bit lazy. Also he doesn't really provide much fan fare in the sense that he isn't really flash or a puck mover.
If you ask Blue Line Station, even though he quite literally just became a Blueshirt it is time for him to go.