It is nearly time to see the New York Rangers hockey in action. Yes, it is only training camp right now, and the preseason starts today, but after this long summer and that dreadful 2024-25 campaign, it is time to wash the stink off and start fresh.
How about a crazy, far-fetched idea to get this season really underway? Can this Rangers team, with a new coach, a new captain, and some new parts added in, make it all the way to the end of the road and win the Stanley Cup?
Crazy, or possible?
Anything is possible, right?
Sure, the Rangers are going to be a team with an uncertain outcome in 2025-26. There is no accurate way to judge this team. Are they heading toward a rebuild, or is this team still competitive enough to give it a few more cracks at the Stanley Cup?
The 2025-26 Rangers might be the biggest mystery hockey team in the NHL. They can storm out of the gates and be contenders all season long, or they can falter and then eventually pick up the pieces at the end of the season. There is no way to accurately project them.
In terms of winning it all, the odds are against them getting to that point. The Eastern Conference retained its biggest powerhouse, the Florida Panthers (thanks to no income tax in Florida), and that is not to mention that the Metropolitan Division is set in stone with its top-three teams. Carolina is going to be flawless all year long, Washington has to send Alex Ovechkin off with a bang if this is his last go-around, and the rivals across the Hudson River, the New Jersey Devils, are back to being a healthy hockey club.
The Rangers might have to run that postseason gauntlet via the wildcard, which is not a bad place to be. But, not ideal. Let us also not forget just how bad this team was a year ago, and how much better they need to be this upcoming season to rid that awful smell.
These Rangers are full of shiny new things this Centennial season. New sweaters, that look fantastic by the way, as well as a brand new captain to lead the charge in J.T. Miller. New head coach Mike Sullivan is ready to whip this team back into shape after a decade with one of the greatest hockey players in NHL history, Sidney Crosby. Let's hope he has not gotten used to having a generational talent like that, because there is nothing particularly close to that on this current roster.
Anything is possible, I suppose. But, don't hold your breath on this season folks.