After one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history in 2024–25, the New York Rangers followed up a record-breaking Presidents’ Trophy campaign and Eastern Conference Final appearance with a disastrous year that saw them miss the playoffs. When it appeared the team was headed in the wrong direction, President and GM Chris Drury made major changes to the core, trading away players such as Jacob Trouba, Ryan Lindgren, Kaapo Kakko, and Filip Chytil. In the offseason, he continued the overhaul by dealing longtime alternate captain Chris Kreider and defenseman K’Andre Miller. To cap off all the moves, the Rangers fired head coach Peter Laviolette and replaced him with Stanley Cup champion Mike Sullivan. Drury also reshaped the roster by adding J.T. Miller at the deadline and signing Vladislav Gavrikov. However, these changes have done little to spark improvement, as the Rangers have stumbled out of the gate with a 4-5-2 record.
Rangers have had a discouraging start to 2025-26 season
The Rangers have gotten off to a very concerning start in the 2025–26 season. They are currently 0-4-1 at home and have been shut out three times in five games, scoring only six total goals in that span — five of which came in a single game. Overall, they rank second-to-last in goals per game at just 2.18 and own the league’s fourth-worst power play at 14.3%. Through 11 games, New York has scored only 24 goals, the second-fewest in the NHL. Key players such as Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and J.T. Miller are struggling to produce, combining for just eight goals and 19 points. Former first-overall pick Alexis Lafrenière has also regressed, recording only one goal and three assists for four points in 11 games. The offensive struggles are alarming, and if things don’t turn around soon, several players on this roster could be headed for career-worst seasons.
Despite the many negatives this season — from a lack of offense to a disappointing record — there have been a few bright spots. First and foremost, the goaltending has been elite, forming arguably the best tandem in the league with Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick. Aside from his last two outings, where he allowed 11 goals combined, Shesterkin has been brilliant. Through his first six starts, he didn’t give up more than two goals in any game, surrendering just eight total and recording a shutout. He currently owns a .916 save percentage (11th in the NHL) and a 2.25 goals-against average (9th).
His partner, Jonathan Quick, has arguably been even better. In his first three appearances, he has allowed only four goals, posting a .941 save percentage (1st in the NHL) and a 1.25 goals-against average (1st), along with a shutout in his most recent game against Vancouver. On the back end, the defense has quietly been strong as well. Adam Fox is having a bounce-back year, playing great defensively while adding nine points in 11 games, and newcomer Vladislav Gavrikov has been worth every penny, providing steady, physical play. Overall, the defensive group has been one of the few consistent positives for New York so far.
Rangers still searching for an identity
So what is this team going to be? The offense has been near the bottom of the league, while the defense has been among the best, ranking fifth in goals allowed, second in goals allowed per game at 2.36, and fifth on the penalty kill at 89.3%. Despite their defensive success, the Rangers appear to be in a difficult spot with limited cap space and few prospects in the pipeline outside of Gabe Perreault. Their core is aging and regressing quickly, leaving the team stuck in hockey’s dreaded “dead zone,” too good to land a top draft pick but not good enough to contend for the playoffs. The panic meter is fully tilted to red when assessing this team’s future. The best long-term move might be to trade players like Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafrenière, but will Chris Drury actually pull the trigger? Only time will tell if the Rangers will sink or swim, but one thing is certain: it is officially time to panic in the Big Apple.