The 2024-25 New York Rangers had been speculated to be chasing the Stanley Cup, not staring down the top of an period. Contemporary off two journeys to the Japanese Convention Remaining in three years and having simply received the Presidents’ Trophy, they returned practically all the core and opened the season like a group prepared to complete the job. At 12-4-1, the whole lot pointed towards one other deep run.
The Memo
The Rangers began the 2024-25 marketing campaign 12-4-1. After two losses on the West Coast street journey, towards the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers, normal supervisor (GM) Chris Drury despatched a memo to the opposite 31 GMs saying that sure gamers, particularly Jacob Trouba and Chris Kreider, had been out there.
What nobody knew on the time was that this was the top of the 2024-25 Rangers. For a group sitting at 12-6-1 and coming off two Japanese Convention Remaining appearances in three years, it was a shocking second, however the roots went again years. It really started when former normal supervisor Jeff Gorton signed Trouba to an eight-year, $8 million common annual worth (AAV) contract that proved troublesome to navigate later.
The Letter
First, let’s take a step again even additional. Within the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Rangers misplaced to the Ottawa Senators in six video games within the second spherical. This loss concluded a streak that noticed the Rangers go to the postseason in 11 of 12 seasons from 2005-06 to 2016-17. That stretch included two Convention Finals: one in 2011-12 vs. the New Jersey Devils, the place they misplaced in six video games, and the opposite in 2014-15 once they misplaced to the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven video games. Additionally they made one journey to the Stanley Cup Remaining in 2013-14, the place they misplaced to the Los Angeles Kings in 5 video games, though the sequence was a lot nearer than 5 video games recommend. It was an extremely profitable twelve years for the franchise, however they might not recover from the hump and convey Lord Stanley’s Cup again to Madison Sq. Backyard.
After a 25-24-5 begin to the 2017-18 season, on Feb. 8, 2018, Gorton and group president Glen Sather despatched out a letter to the fanbase. Of their letter, they introduced that the Rangers had been starting a rebuild centered on buying younger, expert, and character-driven gamers. They acknowledged the group’s previous successes since 2005 however emphasised that the last word purpose of successful a Stanley Cup had not been met. Whereas warning that acquainted gamers may be moved, they promised transparency and reaffirmed their dedication to constructing a future contender.
On the conclusion of the 2017-18 season, the Rangers completed 34-39-9, final within the Metropolitan Division. They missed the playoffs for the primary time because the 2009-10 season and fired head coach Alain Vigneault. The Rangers moved down one slot from the eighth decide to the ninth decide within the draft lottery however had three picks within the first spherical of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. The ninth decide was their very own. They obtained the twenty second decide in a commerce with the Senators, sending decide 26, which that they had obtained from the Boston Bruins as a part of the Rick Nash commerce, and decide 48 to Ottawa. Additionally they held decide 28, which they obtained from the Lightning within the commerce that despatched J.T. Miller and former captain Ryan McDonagh to Tampa Bay.
Constructing the Prospect Pool
At this level, the Rangers had been following the letter. They’d traded away some fan favorites, however that they had obtained picks and prospects again. However that is the place the story first turns.
With the ninth decide within the 2018 Draft, the Rangers chosen Vitali Kravtsov. With decide 22, they chose Ok’Andre Miller. With decide 28, they chose Nils Lundkvist. The yr prior, 2017, the Rangers additionally had two first-round picks within the NHL Entry Draft. They picked seventh, a decide obtained from the Arizona Coyotes for Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta, and had their very own twenty first general choice. With these two picks, they chose Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil.
After these two drafts, the Rangers had begun to construct a prospect pool. They’d middle prospects in Chytil and Andersson, a winger in Kravtsov, and two offensive-minded defensemen in Miller and Lundkvist. As well as, they obtained Libor Hajek and Brett Howden from the Lightning as a part of the McDonagh commerce.
Lottery Luck and Huge Signings
The Rangers then employed David Quinn as head coach in Might of 2018 and received prepared for the 2018-19 season. The Rangers completed that season 32-36-14, ending second-to-last within the Metropolitan Division. Mika Zibanejad had a breakout season, placing up 74 factors in 82 video games. Then, with a stroke of luck, the hockey gods gave the Rangers a present. They moved up from the sixth decide to the second decide within the 2019 NHL Draft. With that decide, they drafted Kaapo Kakko, a extremely touted, pro-ready winger from Finland.
On June 17, the Rangers traded Neal Pionk and the first-round decide that they had obtained from the Winnipeg Jets within the Kevin Hayes deal again to the Jets for defenseman Trouba, whom they signed to the aforementioned eight-year contract. On the time, although, the deal was not seen negatively. Then, on July 1, the Rangers received fortunate once more and signed Artemi Panarin to a seven-year deal, one he took much less cash on to hitch the Rangers as a substitute of their rivals, the New York Islanders.
Issues once more had been trying good for the rebuild. Andersson had performed NHL video games and had two stable seasons with the Hartford Wolf Pack. Chytil had a very good season in Hartford after which performed everything of the 2018-19 season with the Rangers. Miller, Kravtsov, and Lundkvist had been creating nicely. Now the Rangers had added a star winger in Panarin and a high prospect in Kakko.
The Shesterkin Period Begins
Going into the 2019-20 season, the Rangers’ rebuild seemed prefer it was coming to an finish. Gorton, in three years, with a mixture of ability and a few luck, had taken a group by way of a rebuild and are available out the opposite facet with a primary middle in Zibanejad, whom he had gotten for an growing old Derick Brassard and a seventh-round decide. He additionally received a second-round decide in that commerce. He had a defenseman in Trouba coming off a 50-point season, a number of prospects who had been creating in Andersson, Chytil, and Kravtsov, a star winger in Panarin coming off an 87-point season, and a hopeful future star in Kakko.
The Rangers completed the primary half of the 2019-20 season 19-18-4. On Jan. 7, Igor Shesterkin made his debut in a 5-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche. This started a scorching streak for the Rangers, during which they went 18-10-1 over the following 29 video games, pushing towards a playoff spot earlier than the world got here to a halt as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
When COVID halted the season, winger Pavel Buchnevich was breaking out, Panarin and Zibanejad seemed like superstars, newly acquired Adam Fox was having a unbelievable rookie season, and Ryan Strome seemed like a complete new participant.
However the cracks started to point out. They had been overshadowed by the competitiveness and success of the group simply three years after the rebuild letter was despatched. Lias Andersson had one level in 17 video games and by no means performed one other sport for the Rangers. Howden and Hajek weren’t what followers or the group had hoped they’d be. Kakko had a horrible season.
Because the scenario concerning COVID improved into the summer time, the NHL introduced it was choosing an expanded playoff format. The Rangers certified for it however had been swept in three video games by the Carolina Hurricanes. However then, the hockey gods seemed down on Madison Sq. Backyard once more. They received the primary decide within the 2020 NHL Draft. After the qualifying spherical ended, the NHL loaded eight ping pong balls right into a random selector, and the Rangers’ ball was chosen. With the primary decide within the 2020 Draft, the Rangers chosen Alexis Lafrenière.
Excessive Hopes, Disappointing Outcomes
The 2021 NHL season was a shortened one, and as a consequence of COVID, the divisions had been restructured, and groups solely performed inside their division. Followers, the group, and proprietor James Dolan had excessive hopes. The Rangers went 27-23-6, ending fifth within the East Division. It wasn’t a nasty season, nevertheless it wasn’t adequate to make the playoffs. To make issues worse, Kakko confirmed no actual enchancment, and Lafrenière didn’t have an awesome rookie season. However there was one vivid spot: Fox received the Norris Trophy.
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Within the closing weeks of the season, the Islanders ended the Rangers’ playoff hopes with back-to-back shutout wins. Within the subsequent sport, Tom Wilson flung Panarin to the ice. He was fined by the NHL Division of Participant Security (DoPS), however not suspended. Dolan vehemently disagreed with the choice and launched a press release calling for the firing of DoPS head George Parros.
On Might 5, simply two days after the incident and throughout the similar week because the brutal losses to the Islanders, Gorton and President John Davidson had been fired. Assistant Common Supervisor Chris Drury was promoted. The Rangers closed out the season 1-2-0. Shortly after, Quinn was relieved of his duties. The Rangers picked sixteenth within the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and chosen Brennan Othmann. They employed Gerard Gallant as head coach and commenced getting ready for the 2021-22 season.
The Buchnevich Commerce
That offseason, Drury made a transfer that continues to be one of the debated amongst Rangers followers and analysts. He traded Buchnevich to the St. Louis Blues for Sammy Blais and a second-round decide. The deal was largely seen as an effort to create lineup house for Lafrenière and Kakko, although that chance by no means absolutely materialized. The Rangers have been trying to find a constant RW1 possibility ever since.
A Deep Run
In 2021-22, the Rangers lastly broke again into the playoffs, ending 52-24-6, good for second within the Metropolitan Division. However even in a season stuffed with success, the cracks remained. Trouba wasn’t dwelling as much as his contract. Kakko and Lafrenière had been taking part in third-line minutes with no power-play time. They weren’t taking part in nicely, however in addition they weren’t being given actual possibilities. Miller had a unbelievable rookie season, however Lundkvist was struggling.
On the commerce deadline, Drury added Andrew Copp, Frank Vatrano, Justin Braun, and Tyler Motte. Braun changed Patrik Nemeth, a failed signing by Drury. Copp, Vatrano, and Motte slotted in completely. Within the first spherical of the playoffs, the Rangers confronted the Pittsburgh Penguins. After falling behind 3-1 within the sequence, they stormed again, coming from two objectives down in Video games 5 and 6, and successful the sequence when Panarin scored an extra time winner in Recreation 7.
They went on to beat the Carolina Hurricanes in a hard-fought seven-game sequence and superior to face the Lightning within the Japanese Convention Remaining. The Rangers received Video games 1 and a couple of at house. Then got here Recreation 3. The Rangers had been up 2-0 within the second interval, simply 90 minutes away from a 3-0 lead over the defending champions.
Then catastrophe struck. Trouba took three minor penalties. The Lightning scored on two of them, tying the sport, and received within the closing minute. The Rangers wouldn’t win one other sport within the sequence. It was one of many worst single-player performances in playoff historical past, and it ended the Rangers’ season.
Nonetheless, the 2021-22 marketing campaign was a hit.
Star Energy, Early Exit
In 2022-23, the common season was a formality. The Rangers completed 47-22-13, good for third within the Metropolitan Division. On the deadline, they introduced in Vladimir Tarasenko, Patrick Kane, and Niko Mikkola. On paper, this may occasionally have been one of the best Rangers group ever assembled. They seemed primed to win the Stanley Cup.
They confronted the New Jersey Devils within the first spherical. After successful the primary two video games 5-1 in Newark, it seemed just like the Rangers would cruise to the second spherical. Then got here Recreation 3. The Rangers took a 1-0 lead within the second interval, however the Devils tied it and received in extra time. The Devils had performed an unimaginable sport, and the Rangers a horrible one. However they had been nonetheless up 2-1, had expertise bouncing again, and the Devils had been younger.
It didn’t matter. The Devils received Recreation 4 by a rating of 3-1 and shut out the Rangers in Recreation 5. The Rangers got here again to win Recreation 6, however had been shut out once more in Recreation 7. It was one other blown 2-0 lead in a playoff sequence.
Gallant was fired. He had been outcoached at each step by the Devils’ Lindy Ruff. Trouba’s first season as captain ended with a collapse. The Rangers started getting ready for his or her subsequent marketing campaign.
Presidents’ Trophy and One other Missed Probability
They employed Peter Laviolette and bounced again, going 55-23-4 and successful the Presidents’ Trophy. They swept the Washington Capitals within the first spherical and beat the Hurricanes in six video games, although if not for Kreider’s third-period heroics, they might have blown a 3-0 lead in that sequence. Then they went up 2-1 towards the Florida Panthers. They didn’t win one other sport.
One other season ended. In Recreation 6, Trouba was at it once more, hitting the flawed skater and permitting the Panthers to attain their first purpose. One other yr, one other heartbreak. It was clear that adjustments needed to be thought of.
The offseason started, and Drury seemed to discover commerce choices for Trouba. The problem, Trouba’s no-movement clause. That clause was set to turn out to be a modified no-trade clause on July 1, which might have offered extra flexibility. Nonetheless, a deal didn’t come collectively, and the Rangers entered free company with restricted cap house, lacking out on targets like Jake Guentzel.
Sizzling Begin, Sudden Shift
The Rangers accepted the problem of working it again with a lot of the identical group. They began scorching. After six video games, they had been 5-0-1. After 17 video games, they had been 12-4-1. They had been on monitor to return to the playoffs and make some noise.
The turning level got here after a detailed loss to the Flames, adopted by one other defeat to the Oilers. Shortly after, Drury despatched a memo to different normal managers indicating the Rangers had been open to discussions on a number of veterans, together with Trouba and Kreider.
Trouba’s future had been in query because the offseason, however making such intentions public midseason, whereas the group was in a playoff place, carried dangers. The Rangers misplaced their subsequent three video games. 5 video games later, Trouba was traded to the Anaheim Geese. The Rangers received the sport the night time of the commerce, however momentum didn’t return. At that time, they had been 14-10-1, nonetheless aggressive, however trending downward.
By the top of 2024, the Rangers had been 16-19-1. Locker room frustration started to floor. Kakko was traded for Will Borgen. Zac Jones and Jimmy Vesey voiced considerations. Drury seemed to shake issues up by buying J.T. Miller for Chytil.
Finish of an Period
The Rangers rebounded in January and February, however the hole was too giant. They completed the season 39-36-7, lacking the playoffs.
Laviolette was relieved of his duties. Drury obtained an extension. Miller was traded. Kreider was traded.
And identical to that, an period got here to a detailed.
