The New York Rangers have had a rocky year. It’s had ups, downs, lefts, rights, it’s been all over the place. There is no way, at this moment in time, to predict how this regular season is going to end.
The Rangers, at 27-24-4 with 58 points, sit just three points back of the Detroit Red Wings for the final Wild Card spot. If they can pull themselves together in the final push of the regular season and make the Playoffs, do they even deserve to be there?
With the 4 Nations Face-Off concluded, let’s discuss.
Fall from Grace
Let’s face facts, the Rangers have fallen from grace. Last season, this roster with very minimal changes, was the best team in the regular season, winning the Presidents’ Trophy. That should have been the case this season as well, or very close to that mark. This franchise should not be faltering this badly at this point of the season.
Injuries happened, yes, losing streaks happened, yes, a ton of drama in the media happened, yes. But that shouldn’t have been the death sentence for the 2024-25 season. This season had so much potential to be the greatest year in Rangers history, and the heavy consensus was that this was "the" year to bring the Stanley Cup back to Manhattan.
Do they deserve a chance?
Frankly, after all of the smoke has cleared, it is evident that this team does deserve to be a playoff team. This is the last chance with a really talented group of players to win the Stanley Cup. The future is so uncertain, that next year could be a completely different outcome. Likely, worse.
Currently, several injuries stand in the way of the Blueshirts sneaking into the playoffs. Most notably, goaltender Igor Shesterkin is still dealing with an upper-body injury. The Rangers can make it to the playoffs without Shesterkin, but it would be astronomically easier with him healthy.
It is an uphill battle from here on out. The Rangers are going to put up a fight until the very end, but will it be enough to make it into the big dance?