When a team undergoes as many changes as the Rangers did since the start of last season, it usually signals the start of a rebuild, or at the very least a retool, and fan expectations typically temper as they brace for a lean year, or perhaps years.
This isn’t a run of the mill franchise, however. When you’re talking about the New York Rangers, the default expectation is a competitive team. For the better part of the last 15 years, save for the David Quinn era, the expectation has been deep playoff runs, and a real shot at a cup. Expectations couldn’t have been higher entering last season, and what followed the failure to meet those expectations was the tear down of a core that finished six wins short of the ultimate prize twice in three years.
The only thing missing was a letter from ownership signaling the end of an era. It would never come. Instead, Mike Sullivan was named head coach, JT Miller was named captain, and when the Rangers were ready to open the season at home against Pittsburgh back on October 7th, the expectation was to play winning hockey, and to be a playoff team. The New York Rangers got outplayed for 60 minutes by a team that missed the playoffs by a lot last season. Shesterkin allowed one goal against, his team scored zero.
It’s only one game, right? Shake it off and move on to the road. The Rangers won their next two games in Buffalo and Pittsburgh respectively by a combined score of 10-1, with Igor earning a shutout in Buffalo. Everything is fine, the Rangers are back.
They are 1-3-2 since then, and remain winless at home. Maybe they deserved two wins out of the five they lost, but the NHL is the most competitive hockey league in the world, it certainly isn’t a charity. Through 9 games, the Rangers have flat out embarrassed themselves over and over again.
So let’s reassess expectations. This team is just not that good. It should be the team tag line this season- The New York Rangers: They Aren’t That Good.
I understand why they approached this season the way that they did. Igor Shesterkin is, for my money, the greatest goaltender alive right now. You have no choice but to try to build a contender around him. Punting a season simply doesn’t seem like an option, but god damnit it would be a good time to draft a franchise altering player like Gavin McKenna. In our division alone, the Islanders have Schaefer, the Devils have Jack, who knows what Philly has in Michkov, and the Rangers have, well, not much to look forward too.
Alexis Lafreniere is, at best, a good second line winger that every now and then gets hot and looks like an impact guy. It never lasts. He’s chosen some good times to turn it on, (see 2022 and 2024 playoffs,) but he doesn’t do it nearly often enough. Kaapo Kakko is gone, and he’s also just a good middle six winger. Two swings. Two misses. Not good enough.
The signing of free agent Artemi Panarin signaled a push all in with Shesterkin as the all world back stop, and eventually Kakko and Laf as the rising stars that would give the Rangers the depth to be a real cup contender. Six years later, they are back to square one trying to find an identity, with their best player, Panarin, threatening to leave when his contract expires at year’s end.
The Rangers need to accept that they don’t have an identity yet. They can’t build one with the roster they have now, because by the time they do, Panarin will be gone, or this core will be too old, or maybe they’re just not that fucking good.
They aren’t helping themselves at all by leaving young talent like Gabe Perreault and Brennan Othmann (is Othmann even talent?) in Hartford. Connor Sheary and leading goal scorer Taylor Raddysh (ew) are not going to be a part of a long term solution. Neither of them should have ever been signed in the first place. Soucy and Vaakanainen are maybe 7th defensemen on a contending team. They will never be a part of anyone’s solution. Give their minutes to Robertson and Morrow.
Create opportunities for players that actually have potential to be a part of a fucking solution. If you don’t believe in them, then fucking get rid of them. There’s nothing to lose by playing them, except maybe getting dragged into the postseason by a thread courtesy of Shesterkin, just to get bounced in the first round by a team with actual depth and a real identity. There isn’t a chicken dick’s chance in hell this team is anything more than a wild card team and a first round exit, and that would mean everything went right that could have went right. It’s not looking like they have that kind of luck so far.
Losing to the winless Sharks on home ice was something a lot of people predicted. Call it pessimism, call it an overreaction, it doesn’t matter, they were right. It’s not crazy to think they get lit up by the struggling Calgary Flames offense after what they had for San Jose Thursday night.
This organization needs to get real about where they are on the food chain. It’s possible to build for the future without being awful to watch. It also can’t get much worse than games like the home opener and last night against the Sharks. Play the kids, let them make mistakes, and if you aren’t going to do that, then fucking trade them for someone that will play. This roster is about as deep as a kiddie pool right now.
The Morning Skate 