Subscribe
Follow Us
Jacob Trouba and the New York Rangers are not playing their best hockey right now. The Rangers began the season as one of the better teams in the NHL. However, New York has hit a major roadblock through the first quarter of the 2024-25 season. Their loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday marked the fifth straight loss for the Blueshirts.
Flyers forward Travis Konecny scored twice in front of the Wells Fargo Center crowd as Philadelphia won 3-1. Despite the close score, it was a rough show for the Rangers. They scored in the second period to make it a bit more interesting. But as Trouba pointed out after the game, New York did not bring their best effort to the rink on Friday.
“We weren't very good today,” the Rangers captain said, via NHL.com. “We talked about putting ourselves in a good position going into the third. Got a goal in the second to get ourselves into the game but couldn't find that one in the third to tie it up. That's just how it's been going for us. We've got to try to find a stop. Guys are working, guys want to find a stop for this and get back on the right path.”
Brutal losing streak may force Rangers roster changes
The Rangers, at one point, were in the thick of the Metropolitan Division title race. They were somewhat on the outside looking in at the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils. However, they still had more than enough of a shot to make themselves legitimate contenders.
This losing streak has helped create separation between them and the others, however. In fact, New York is no longer top three in the division. The Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, and Devils occupy the three playoff spots through divisional seeding.
New York's priority is to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season. And they may be willing to make some truly bold moves to achieve this aim. Recent reports have suggested that Jacob Trouba and Chris Kreider are on the trade block. K'Andre Miller is another name that has been floated around.
Trouba is no stranger to trade rumors, having nixed a trade to the Detroit Red Wings in the summer. Kreider and Miller are more surprising names to appear in trade talks, though. Kreider, especially, given his longevity with the Rangers organization and status as one of the better players in franchise history.
Whether the Rangers make a huge move like this remains to be seen. However, New York has to change something in order to prevent a true freefall. Fans should certainly keep an eye on the Blueshirts over the next few weeks as the calendar flips to December.
