The New York Rangers entered the 2024-25 season with Stanley Cup expectations. The crew performed as much as these expectations for about six weeks earlier than slipping right into a seemingly inescapable downward spiral.

Coming off an Japanese Convention Ultimate look wherein they pushed the eventual Stanley Cup champs to 6 video games, the Rangers appeared poised for one more deep postseason run. By Nov. 20, all was properly with the blueshirts. New York was 12-4-1, good for the fifth greatest file within the NHL and three factors again of the Metro Division lead.

Sooner or later later, the Rangers suffered a 3-2 loss by the hands of the Calgary Flames, and that kicked off a hunch that is been as alarming as it’s puzzling.

In its final 22 video games, New York is 6-16-0 with a minus-30 aim differential, each of that are good for final within the NHL. All through this stretch, the Rangers have tumbled to seventh place within the division and 14th place within the East. Within the course of, they traded their captain and a former No. 1 total decide, they usually’ve wholesome scratched one of many franchise’s best goal-scorers.

So, what’s gone mistaken with the Rangers? And might they repair it in time to salvage the season?

When a ship is springing new leaks sooner than they are often patched, it may be arduous to establish the most important issues. That is definitely the case in New York, however the crew’s points finally boil down to a few issues. Poor crew protection, a scarcity of manufacturing from key gamers and an anemic energy play have despatched the Rangers plummeting down the standings.

Let’s check out every of these deadly flaws and see whether or not they are often remedied.

The Downside: Protection

There is a sturdy case to be made that the Rangers are the worst protection crew within the NHL. New York has solely allowed 123 objectives this season, which is seventeenth within the league. The one purpose the crew ranks that top is as a result of efforts of Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Fast between the pipes.

By way of anticipated objectives, the Rangers permit 3.53 xGA/60, per Pure Stat Trick. Over the past 22 video games, that quantity has slipped to three.7 xGA/60, which is the worst mark in that span.

When analyzing a crew’s protection, it is most likely acceptable to begin with … properly … the protection. Maybe unsurprisingly, the Rangers have been an entire mess in their very own zone, with the lone exception of Adam Fox. The dip within the crew’s five-on-five efficiency with Fox within the sport and on the bench is drastic.

The one different Rangers defensemen above 50% in five-on-five anticipated objectives shared are Ryan Lindgren and okay’Andre Miller, and they’re simply barely above water after a lopsided win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday. The outcomes inform extra of the story, as Lindgren has a aim differential of minus-5, and Miller’s is minus-6.

Braden Schneider gives some juice offensively, however something he creates in that zone will get erased when he hemorrhages possibilities and anticipated objectives on protection. Zac Jones has proven some talent, however he additionally makes too many important errors.

Out of all the group, Miller might be probably the most disappointing. The 24-year-old former first-round decide has but to take the subsequent step in a contract 12 months. Miller is slated to be a restricted free agent in the summertime, and his future with New York is now up within the air.

In fact, hockey is a crew sport, and all 5 skaters are liable for what goes on within the defensive zone. That being the case, the Rangers’ forwards are simply as culpable for the leaky protection because the defensemen, particularly relating to stopping opponents off the frenzy.

The largest offender can be one of many crew’s largest stars, Mika Zibanejad. It has been a tough season for Zibanejad in multiple space, however his defensive points are probably the most regarding. In accordance with Pure Stat Trick, the Rangers are permitting 3.25 xGA/60 with Zibanejad on the ice at five-on-five.

Out of 610 gamers with a minimum of 200 min of ice-time, Zibanejad ranks 601st in that class.

Chris Kreider, who was a wholesome scratch on Dec. 23, is not faring a lot better than Zibanejad. He ranks 563rd in xGA/60 at 2.96. Artemi Panarin is tied with Kreider in that division, however a minimum of he has been in a position to cowl it up with some offense.

The Answer

Barring a drastic shift in scheme midseason, which appears unrealistic and impractical, the Rangers want a personnel improve with a purpose to strengthen the protection.

New York does have a couple of choices to search out an inner improve on the blue line. The obvious is that Miller, a participant who’s proven immense potential previously, finds one other degree to his sport.

Newly acquired defensemen Will Borgen and Urho Vaakanainen may additionally assist out as soon as they discover their footing, though the early returns for the previous aren’t terribly promising. Vaakanainen was a first-round decide in 2016, so he has the pedigree to develop into a dependable participant, however not many gamers escape at 26.

Greater than doubtless, nevertheless, Rangers common supervisor Chris Drury should look exterior the group for a top-four defenseman. Sadly for him, it is a powerful time to be available in the market for a defenseman with no apparent high-end commerce targets.

Having mentioned that, New York may goal Nashville’s Jeremy Lauzon or Philadelphia’s Rasmus Ristolainen. Each have time period left and can be a transparent improve on the Rangers’ blue line, a minimum of defensively. Drury may additionally examine on Buffalo defenseman Bowen Byram, who is ready to be an RFA after this season.

Seattle ahead Yanni Gourde may additionally be an possibility if New York needed so as to add some defensive prowess to its ahead group. Gourde is on an expiring contract, so he would most probably be a rental.

The Downside: Lack of manufacturing from key gamers

Over the past handful of years, the Rangers have not been a dominant crew at five-on-five. As an alternative, they’ve leaned on elite scoring and goaltending to paper over different points, which labored for them.

This season, that ending potential has disappeared. The final lack of protection from Zibanejad and Kreider can be much less of an issue in the event that they had been lighting the lamp frequently, however that hasn’t been the case.

Zibanejad not too long ago ended an eight-game aim drought with objectives in back-to-back video games, however he is nonetheless on tempo for simply 16 objectives after scoring 26 in 2023-24. Kreider is on tempo for 31 objectives, and whereas that is a decent complete, it will be his lowest output for the reason that pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season.

One of many causes Zibanejad and Kreider is likely to be scoring much less is that they are placing fewer pucks towards the web. Each gamers have skilled a transparent drop in each shot makes an attempt and pictures per sport.

Whereas shot quantity, or a scarcity thereof, performs a task in these issues, it would not inform the entire story. There is not any doubt the crew’s poor protection has an impression as a result of it is arduous to attain objectives when the opponent is consistently parked in your defensive zone.

There’s additionally the query of age. Kreider is 33 years outdated, and Zibanejad is 31. When gamers exhibit a decline in manufacturing at these ages, it is a potential purple flag. Is that this a blip on the radar for 2 of the Rangers’ greatest gamers, or is it an indication of Father Time taking his toll?

The confirmed veterans aren’t the one ones having bother discovering the scoresheet. Alexis Lafreniere hasn’t recorded a aim in his final 13 video games, and he has simply two assists in his final 10 video games.

In his case there could also be some poor luck concerned as a result of his five-on-five impacts have been higher than most of his teammates. One scorching streak will put Lafreniere proper again on observe.

Not even Fox has been proof against the Rangers’ toothless offense. Fox has scored one aim after tallying 17 final season, and his capturing proportion is a paltry 1.6%. Even for a defenseman, that is shockingly low. Fox’s struggles can doubtless be chalked as much as unhealthy puck luck, much more so than Lafreniere, however the Rangers are operating out of time for that luck to show.

The Answer

There’s a quite simple answer to this: Kreider and Zibanejad begin producing at a fee nearer to their profession averages. Lafreniere snaps out of his funk. Fox lastly begins getting a few of his pictures by way of to the again of the web.

It is not outlandish to assume all of these issues may occur as a result of we have seen these gamers produce at a excessive degree as not too long ago as final 12 months. Having mentioned that, the shortage of scoring appears to be greater than low capturing percentages, particularly within the case of Zibanejad and Kreider. If these two are actually on the decline, the answer will get extra sophisticated.

In that case, the Rangers might want to carry in additional offensive firepower. Luckily for them, one other crew in turmoil appears ripe for a commerce. The Vancouver Canucks are rumored to be listening to presents on stars J.T Miller and Elias Pettersson. New York has reported curiosity in Miller, however both participant may present a spark for this lineup.

It is going to take greater than Zibanejad or Kreider to land Miller or Pettersson, so the Rangers should connect one thing else to the deal.

The sophisticated a part of a deal between the Canucks and Rangers is that the latter crew would not have a ton of future property. The Rangers’ prospect pool is not precisely deep, and whereas they do have a first-round decide in every of the subsequent three drafts, they do not possess a second-round decide in any of them.

If New York cannot come to an settlement with Vancouver, perhaps it may pry Dylan Cozens away from the Buffalo Sabres. Cozens has been rumored to be on the commerce block, and he would supply youth and talent to a lineup that desperately wants each of these issues proper now.

The Downside: Anemic energy play

One other factor the Rangers have leaned closely on of their present period is a deadly energy play. Final season, they transformed on 26.4% of their man benefit alternatives, which was third within the NHL.

In 2024-25, that quantity is down to only 17.1%, which places the Rangers at twenty sixth within the league. They’re behind groups with significantly much less talent, together with the San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken and Calgary Flames.

When taking a deeper have a look at the Rangers’ energy play, it is simple to see why these gamers have not been scoring as a lot. In accordance with Pure Stat Trick, the New York energy play creates high-danger scoring possibilities on the seventeenth highest fee within the league. It was sixth in that class final season.

Because of that decline in effectiveness, the crew’s high gamers are feeling it on the stat sheet. Fox, Zibanejad, Kreider and Vincent Trocheck have mixed for 9 energy play objectives. That quartet totaled 47 energy play tallies in 2023-24.

All of this may be defined by the Rangers’ lack of shot makes an attempt from the low slot, which is the place they’ve excelled lately. Extra particularly, that is the place Kreider has made his cash with deflections and rebounds galore. The crew has had a more durable time getting the puck into that high-danger space of the ice, and it hasn’t been in a position to punish opposing penalty kills as typically.

The Answer

With the crew unable to create a lot of something on the person benefit, Peter Laviolette might need to make some personnel modifications on his high unit. That has already occurred with Will Cuylle seeing extra energy play time of late, and which will must proceed.

Cuylle has but to attain a aim in 32 minutes of energy play time, however he has been in a position to generate anticipated objectives and scoring possibilities. Moreover, Cuylle appears to be one of many few gamers on the Rangers with any quantity of juice in any respect this season. His 11 objectives are tied for third on the crew and two away from a profession excessive. He has most likely earned extra ice time on the person benefit.

Past that, the Rangers must get the puck into the low slot extra typically, a method or one other. Possibly which means letting Fox get extra aggressive from the purpose in hopes of drawing extra consideration away from Kreider down low, or maybe it is only a matter of Zibanejad connecting on extra one-timers from the left circle. Both method, the Rangers’ energy play won’t ever enhance till it will get again to these high-value areas on the ice.

As was laid out earlier, bringing in exterior assist may additionally give this energy play a lift. The one concern is, if the Rangers do purchase Miller, he is been unusually chilly on the person benefit this 12 months too. After posting 21 objectives and 70 factors on the person benefit from 2022-2024, he has one aim and 10 factors in 2024-25.