The New York Rangers had a tumultuous trip out west. The Blueshirts could have won every game, but instead, only gained three out of a possible six points. In the tight Eastern Confrence playoff race, it might come back to haunt New York.
The bottom line is that the Rangers need to string together wins if they are going to make the postseason. Wednesday night, they return to Madison Square Garden looking to make it two straight wins when they play the Minnesota Wild (41-28-6).
Here's three Rangers to watch in Wednesday night's contest.
1. Gabe Perreault
The biggest headline for New York in this game is Gabe Perreault, who will make his NHL debut on a line with Alexis Lafreniere and J.T. Miller. Perreault signed an entry-level contract with the Blueshirts after Boston College lost to Denver 3-1 in the NCAA Tournament.
First look at new #NYR Gabe Perreault, who is wearing No. 94 just like his father, Yanic, did. pic.twitter.com/AsoeMjnE65
— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) April 1, 2025
Perreault, the 23rd pick of the 2023 NHL draft, has exceled at every level. He had 132 points in 63 games with the U.S. National U18 team, and in two years at Boston College tallied 108 points in 73 games. The 19-year-old finished in the top 10 in college hockey in points in both seasons.
The U.S. hockey product can do it all, and now it's time to see if it translates to the next level. Hopefully, he can provide the Rangers some much-needed jump for this season and beyond.
2. Igor Shesterkin
In his last five starts, goaltender Igor Shesterkin is 1-3-1 and has given up 16 goals. But, these stats can be misleading: Shesterkin keeps the Rangers in games.
No matter what anyone thinks about the Blueshirts, everyone agrees that Shesterkin is the equalizer. He gives New York the goaltending advantage in almost every contest. This is why a team like Washington — who is currently first in the East — might not want to play the Rangers in round one, should they sneak in.
But, New York has to get there. That starts with Shesterkin being at the top of his game.
3. Brennan Othmann
Brennan Othmann had arguably his best game as a Ranger on Saturday night in Saturday. He had the primary assist on Adam Fox's goal and was a plus-three rating on the night.
Wednesday against Minnesota, Othmann will be in a top-six role paired with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. Expect his production to increase down the stretch of the season.
How to Tune In
All eyes are on the New York Rangers against Minnesota, given the current NHL standings, race for a Wild Card spot and Gabe Perreault's debut. To learn more ahead of the matchup, be sure to check out Episode One of myself's and Jennifer Streeter's podcast — The Blue Line Report.