After successful the Presidents’ Trophy with the NHL’s greatest file in 2023-24 and reaching the Japanese Convention Last, the New York Rangers entered this season with Stanley Cup expectations.
Practically midway by means of the season they’re failing to satisfy these expectations in a surprising method.
With Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to the Nashville Predators, the Rangers have now misplaced 11 of their previous 14 video games, sit on the surface of the Japanese Convention playoff image and are simply 15-15-1 on the season.
It additionally may solely be the beginning of a fair greater slide.
Not solely are the Rangers enjoying extraordinarily poor hockey, their upcoming schedule is an absolute gauntlet of video games that can function eight of the following 12 on the street and have them go up in opposition to a number of the league’s greatest groups.
These subsequent 12 video games are in opposition to Dallas, Carolina, New Jersey, Tampa Bay, Florida, Boston, Washington, Chicago, Dallas, New Jersey, Vegas and Colorado.
The one group in that group of video games that isn’t at present in a playoff spot is Chicago, whereas 9 of these video games are in opposition to groups at present within the top-10 within the league in factors proportion.
The Rangers are already a group in turmoil, having traded their former captain — Jacob Trouba — with a locker room that appears to be on edge given the way in which Trouba and veteran ahead Barclay Goodrow have been pressured out for the reason that finish of final season regardless of having no-trade clauses.
Even with their success a 12 months in the past, the Rangers nonetheless had some big flaws that snuck underneath the radar, particularly concerning their defensive zone play and 5-on-5 play. These flaws have been masked by elite goaltending and a dominant energy play. This season the goaltending has not been fairly as elite (it’s nonetheless excellent, nonetheless) and the facility play has dropped from the top-five right down to the center of the pack. With out these two areas to spice up the group up, the issues are solely getting magnified.
There has additionally been virtually nothing achieved to deal with these flaws.
Now the competitors is simply going to get more durable.
Head coach Peter Laviolette and common supervisor Chris Drury ought to contemplate themselves on the new seat, whereas Trouba won’t be the one participant that’s about to go out of city.
That is presupposed to be a Stanley Cup contending group. As an alternative it’s a group that could be a mess and doesn’t appear to have the solutions on how one can repair it.
