This year, New York Rangers fans have high expectations.
And rightfully so. The Rangers are coming off a 2023-24 season that saw them winning the Presidents' Trophy — presented annually to the team finishing the regular season with the best overall record. They finished first in the Metropolitan Division and lost in the conference finals to the Florida Panthers, 4-2.
Helping their case is the fact the Rangers are starting off strong. They are currently sitting at second in the division and boast a 2-0-1 record, only losing 6-5 to Utah in overtime.
Ian Conroy, owner of Mustang Harry’s bar located near Madison Square Garden hosts an official New York Rangers-affiliated watch party for games.
“With how close we are to Madison Square Garden, it makes perfect sense to be a bar very closely associated with the Rangers,” Conroy said. “We’re all also Rangers fans - my brother, myself, my partner here, we root for them. It's more than just business. And we really think the Rangers will be a very competitive team this year.”
The last time the Blueshirts hoisted the Cup by winning the Stanley Cup Final was in the 1994 game against the Vancouver Canucks, winning four games to their three. The last time the Rangers reached the Stanley Cup Final was in 2014 when they won one game.
Rangers fan and attendee of the regular-season home opener at Madison Square Garden Jonathan Medina said the goal for this year is crystal clear — to win the Stanley Cup and settle for nothing less.
“I have much bigger expectations for them this year,” Medina said. “I think we should have gone all the way last year. What we need is to go straight to compete in the playoffs and go win a Stanley Cup. That's it.”
With a team roster stacked with talents such as Jacob Trouba, Matt Rempe, Igor Shesterkin, Adam Edstrom, and Chris Kreider, anything is possible.
Medina went on to say that the team’s on and off ice dynamic should help to build a historic year.
“Hopefully they have a great season,” Medina said. “They’ve got everything, a good chemistry. They know what the path is and where the goal is gonna be perfect for the season, so they have no distractions.”
Local businesses in the city — such as Mustang Harry’s — said the better the Rangers do, the better their business is.
“From the business perspective, it's very important that the Rangers have a good team for the businesses in the area, they make our business,” Conroy said. “When they do well, people tend to follow them, and more people tend to get excited about them. And for the past number of years, they've had a very good team, they’re not far off. The longer they go into playoffs, the more excitement they generate from a fan perspective.”
The NY team is also expected to make history soon, and we’re not just talking about championships. Shesterkin turned down the New York Rangers' eight-year, $88 million offer to become the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history. Meaning if they want to keep one of the best goaltenders in the league, they’re going to have to make history with an even better offer.
The Rangers continue play against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. Puck drop is slated for 7:30 p.m. EST, sharp. They are currently coming off of a 4-1 win in the first leg of this home-and-home with the Detroit Red Wings.
Rangers fan-duo Kerri Finnegan and Stephanie Lane said that while it's still a bit early to tell, this could be the year the Rangers take it all.
"Each season, we go further and further,” said Fordham ice hockey social media managers Finnegan and Lane. “I think they're getting closer each year, honestly, the Florida Panthers are in their way, but hopefully they could take them this year and bring the Cup home… So I'm hoping this is the one where we can take it all.”