The New York Rangers lost to the St Louis Blues 3-2 on Sunday night. It was the Rangers' 10th loss in the last 13 games, continuing a slide that has sent them out of the playoffs. Artemi Panarin missed the game with an upper-body injury, and head coach Peter Laviolette made Kaapo Kakko a healthy scratch. The coach explained why Kakko did not play on Sunday.

“We were putting fresh legs in the lineup just based on the decisions I made to go with this lineup,” Laviolette said.

If the coach was trying to give his team a jump, it did not necessarily work. They were down 3-0 at the end of two periods but scored two goals to pull the game closer. It was not enough, as they lost in regulation again. The goals were scored by rookie Brett Berard and second-year player Will Cuylle.

The Rangers are in a dark place right now. They traded captain Jacob Trouba over a week ago now, and it has not awakened their lineup. Chris Kreider's name has also been in trade conversations, but nothing has come of that yet. The season is slipping away, and eyes are on general manager Chris Drury to make a move.

What is next for the New York Rangers? 

Seattle Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer (31) makes a save on New York Rangers right wing Kaapo Kakko (24) during the second period at Madison Square Garden.
Danny Wild-Imagn Images
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Within hours of trading Trouba, the Rangers signed goalie Igor Shesterkin to an eight-year extension. That took the biggest possible move off the table. Even though trading Shesterkin was highly unlikely, it would have landed them a massive haul and kickstarted a rebuild. But that is not happening, so what is next?

The Athletic's Arthur Staple wrote about Laviolette's tenure potentially ending. “What’s next is probably what comes next for every team fumbling around, looking as lost as the Rangers have for over a month now. It may not be this weekend, but Laviolette’s term might be coming to a premature end.”

The Rangers have had three coaches since signing Panarin before the 2019-20 season, a move that signified the end of a short rebuild.

David Quinn was in charge when the signing first happened. Gerard Gallant was the coach for two years, and now Laviolette is in his second. There has also been a front-office switch in that time with John Davidson and Jeff Gorton making way for Drury after 2021.

This is a team that has been good enough to win a Stanley Cup but has not gotten over the hump since 2019. If Drury makes another coaching change, it could be the beginning of a trade-filled year for the Rangers.