After an uncharacteristic slump that saw the New York Rangers lose eight of 11 games between Jan. 6-26, the Blueshirts have rolled back into the upper echelon of NHL standings after a torrid stretch. It's been nothing but good times in the Big Apple lately — this squad has now won 11 of 12 games to regain Stanley Cup contender form.
The Rangers had an opportunity to break the longest winning streak in franchise history last week, taking a 10-victory heater into a matchup with the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets on Feb. 25. Although that resulted in a disappointing road loss, New York got revenge three nights later, beating their Ohio rivals and improving to 40-17-3 on the 2023-24 campaign.
Rangers are rolling at perfect time
Once again, the Rangers are looking like one of the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference. As of Saturday, they are tied with the Vancouver Canucks and just one point back of the Boston Bruins in the President's Trophy race. Although none of the players will care too much about the regular-season award, winning the Metropolitan Division is very important. And the Carolina Hurricanes continue to keep pace, with seven wins in 10 tries of their own.
New York still holds a five-point lead at the top of the division, but there is a lot of hockey to be played. That's 22 for the Rangers, to be exact. And with the Mar. 8 NHL Trade Deadline mere days away, general manager Chris Drury is preparing to buy as this core looks to break through and reach a Stanley Cup Final.
D-core and goaltending remains largely unchanged & elite
The Rangers will be entering the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with much of the same defensive core and goaltending as the last two years. A top pairing of Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren, followed by Jacob Trouba and K'Andre Miller, has been the same since 2022. While Erik Gustafsson was a nice offseason addition and a new face, this is by and large the same defensive core that helped propel the team to the Eastern Conference Final two years ago.
Of course, Igor Shesterkin will be the Game 1 starter in 2024, although Jonathan Quick stepped up admirably during the Russian's mid-season struggles. Those woes seem to be firmly in the rearview mirror now. Shesterkin has been masterful over his last four starts, winning all of them while giving up just a single goal in each. He is back.
So, the defense remains playoff-tested, and the goaltending remains elite. Unless he's looking for a depth defenseman, Drury will not be in the market for either of those positions come Mar. 8. But for the second straight NHL Trade Deadline, the Rangers will be looking to improve their forward group.
Rangers' fatal flaw is lack of forward depth
Blake Wheeler going down to a potentially season-ending injury is a brutal blow for this team. Although his offensive numbers were down in 2023-24 — his first year not as a member of the Winnipeg Jets — he was providing veteran leadership and intangibles that are crucial come playoff time. And Filip Chytil suffering a setback in his rehab that will cost the Czech center the rest of the campaign is no better. That's two important players who almost certainly won't be an option come the postseason.
Matt Rempe and Adam Edstrom have provided more than just a hulking presence on the ice, with each rookie scoring a goal and both looking like they can play at the NHL level. Rempe has definitely shown that he can fight, at least. But, ideally, neither of the two will be in the lineup for Game 1. And for that to happen, the Rangers need to get deeper offensively.
Last year, it was Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko who were brought in, making the Rangers a legitimate offensive powerhouse. But it didn't translate to playoff success, with the Blueshirts suffering a devastating seven-game upset to the rivals from Newark in Round 1. This time around, Drury and the front office could look for more well-rounded players, rather than offensive dynamos.
Ducks, Rangers would be perfect trade partners — see Vatrano, Henrique
Frank Vatrano was part of the 2021-22 Rangers team that came within two wins of beating the Tampa Bay Lightning and returning to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2014. Although the dream was dashed, the 29-year-old was excellent. He put up five goals and 13 points in 20 postseason games. And he's had a phenomenal 2023-24 season with the Anaheim Ducks, scoring a seriously impressive 29 goals and 48 points in 60 games — tops on the team.
Adam Henrique was a rookie when his Devils marched all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 2012, eventually losing to the LA Kings in six games. He's been playing in California since 2018, and is also in the midst of a standout campaign. The Canadian is third on the team with 18 goals and 42 points in 59 contests.
While neither are as skilled as Kane — or probably Tarasenko — they are more well-rounded players at this point in their careers. Both forwards would be key additions to the Rangers' forward core, and one could even get a look on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. Or, they could help form what would be one of the league's better third lines.
It seems obvious that the Rangers will add a forward or two ahead of yet another season of playoff hockey. With the defense and goaltending in great shape, and the star power (mainly Artemi Panarin) continuing to lead the way, this is certainly a Stanley Cup contender as currently constructed. But how much better can Chris Drury make them at the deadline?
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