New York Rangers outlook heading into the regular season
Will the pattern continue?
Photo courtesy of Michael Miller/Wikimedia Commons
Since last season's disastrous end, with the New York Rangers (NYR) missing out on the postseason, a lot of changes have been made to the team. The NYR finished the 2024-25 season with a record of 39-36-7, compared to the 55-23-4 Presidents' Trophy run in the 2023-24 season.
At the end of last season, Head Coach Peter Laviolette was fired after a disappointing season. Shortly after, he was replaced by Mike Sullivan. Sullivan said, “We all want the same thing; we want to win and we have to work together to make that happen. We all have a role associated with that and we have to work together if we're going to give ourselves the best chance to ultimately get to where we want to go.” Sullivan has previously won the Stanley Cup twice with the Pittsburgh Penguins, establishing his reputation as an accomplished coach.
Over the summer, forward Christopher Kreider, a longtime Rangers player as well as a fan favorite, was traded to the Anaheim Ducks for forward prospect Carey Terrance and a third-round pick. Kreider was regarded as the spirit of the team, and many fans wanted him to become the Captain for the Rangers.
This is not the first time a shocking trade has been brokered between the NYR and the Ducks, as former captain, defenseman Jacob Trouba, was traded to the Ducks in 2024. While many agreed with the Trouba trade, this seems to be a trend. There were a few more notable additions to the NYR over the offseason, including defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and right-wing Taylor Raddysh, while trading defensemen K’Andre Miller, Zac Jones, and more.
In many fans’ opinions, the largest problem with the NYR is General Manager (GM), Christopher Drury. The team's fluctuating success seems to stem from the changes, or lack of, that Drury makes for the team. For example, trading Kreider showed many fans that there was no loyalty to the players.
By trading players, such as forward Kaapo Kakko, before allowing them to prove their worth, it shows his hastiness in seeing results–not a good quality for a GM. There have also been reports of him encouraging a toxic environment in the locker room. Drury needs to make more profitable long-term trades and learn that players need a secure environment in order to flourish.
One positive change was the announcement of forward J.T. Miller becoming the NYR Captain. In 2013, Miller made his NHL debut with the Rangers. When Alain Vigneault became the Head Coach, it was reported that he was exceptionally hard on Miller, and there was clear animosity when he would specifically call out Miller in press conferences.
Miller went to Central Florida briefly before joining the Vancouver Canucks, where he made his name known as a top forward in the league. Tension began to brew between him and his teammate, forward Elias Pettersson, so Miller was traded back home to the Rangers.
Miller is what the team needs, bringing the correct energy to the locker room and rallying the team together on the ice. With such a quick run on the team before becoming Captain, it is obvious that he has made an impact. Many fans are pleased with this decision and excited to see how it plays out this season.
Unfortunately, the Rangers have a significant pattern of losing their lead in the third period and either missing playoffs or making it far in the playoffs just to lose in the Eastern Conference Finals. On Sept. 21, the NYR faced off against their rival team, the New Jersey Devils, where they won with a 5-3 win. After gaining a lead in both games, the Rangers lost to the Boston Bruins and the New York Islanders–both rival teams as well–in a 5-4 loss. They play the Islanders again Sept. 29.