The New York Rangers Are Back in Action; Is a Stanley Cup Appearance on the Cards?
It seems like only yesterday that New York Rangers fans saw their beloved team lose 2-4 to the Florida Panthers in the conference finals, narrowly missing out on their first Stanley Cup appearance in a decade, but the 2024-25 National Hockey League (NHL) season is right around the corner. Head coach Peter Laviolette and his coaching staff are busy putting together last-minute preparations for the long season ahead, and we will see on October 9 if the hard work the Rangers have put into preseason yields results when it matters.
According to those who bet on sports online, the New York Rangers are the sixth-favorite to win the Stanley Cup this season, with only the Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, and Colorado Avalanche favored more than the Broadway Blueshirts. Madison Square Garden will be packed to the rafters in a little over two weeks with 18,000 adoring fans as the New York Rangers host the Utah Hockey Club in the first home game of the 2024-25 NHL regular season on October 12.
Confidence is High at Madison Square Garden
Speak to any New York Rangers fan, and they will tell you they are looking forward to the upcoming campaign. Confidence is high at Madison Square Garden, thanks to Laviolette enjoying a fruitful first season in charge. The Rangers named Laviolette as head coach last season after Gerard Gallant resigned following the team’s first-round playoff exit at the end of the 2022-23 season at the hands of long-time rivals, the New Jersey Devils.
Under Laviolette, the New York Rangers were formidable despite dealing with long-term injuries to center Filip Chytil and forward Blake Wheeler. In late February, the Rangers beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1, recording their 10th consecutive victory, tying a franchise record reached in both the 1939-40 and 1972-73 seasons. Unfortunately, the Colombus Blue Jackets prevented the Rangers from setting a new franchise record, running out 4-2 victors.
By the end of the regular season, the Rangers’ record read 55-23-4, and they amassed 114 points. Not only was that point tally enough to lead the NHL, but it was also a new franchise record, besting the 113-point total from the 2014-15 season.
The Rangers made light work of the Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs, brushing them aside 4-0. The Eastern Conference second round against the Carolina Hurricanes was a closer contest requiring six games, but the Rangers came out on top 4-2. This set up a finals clash against the much fancied Florida Panthers. After losing the first game, the Rangers won two on the bounce but then lost the subsequent three encounters to bow out 2-4. The Panthers went on to lift the Stanley Cup, and there’s no shame in losing to the eventual champions.
A Roster Packed With Points
During the last regular season, five Rangers players amassed over 72 points. Mika Zibanejad (72), Adam Fox (73), Chris Kreider (75), and Vincent Trocheck (77) were in fantastic form, but it was Artemi Panarin who stood out from the crowd. Panarin played 82 games, made 71 assists, and scored 49 goals for an impressive 120 points total. Understandably, Panarin was named the New York Rangers Most Valuable Player (MVP). Rangers fans will be delighted that Panarin still has two years remaining on his seven-year, $81.5 million contract.
Panarin was outstanding throughout last season. He enjoyed a franchise-record 15-point streak, beating the 14-game point streak to open a seat that Rod Gilbert set back in 1972-73. Against the Washington Capitals on January 13, 2024, Panarin became the fastest-ever Rangers player to record 400 points, achieving the feat in only 310 games, 12 fewer than the legendary Mark Messier. Any team with a player of Panarin’s ability can become Stanley Cup champions.
Many Rangers fans expect big things from Alexis Lafreniere this year. The first overall pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft enjoyed his most fruitful campaign in 2023-24, finishing the regular season with 28 goals, 29 assists, and 57 points. The young Canadian has all the skill sets to become the team’s leading scorer.
Adding to a Talented Group
Although this season’s Rangers will be without Erik Gustafsson, Jack Roslovic, and Blake Wheeler, who have all moved onto pastures new, the Rangers acquired Reilly Smith and Sam Carrick as replacements. The lack of notable trades shouldn’t worry Rangers fans because Filip Chytil should be back fully fit, and his presence in the starting line-up will be akin to a new signing.
Chytil is an incredible player with the X-factor a team needs to challenge for top honors. Early last season, he suffered the fourth concussion of his career against the Carolina Hurricanes, and the Rangers placed him on the injured reserve list. Unfortunately for Chytil and the Rangers, he suffered a setback during practice and was ruled out for the entire campaign, having played only ten regular season games. He returned to the team during the playoffs but was evidently short of game time.
Can the Rangers Become Stanley Cup Champions?
The New York Rangers have navigated their way to 11 Stanley Cups in their history and emerged as NHL champions in four of those games. However, 1994 was the last time the Rangers returned home with the Stanley Cup in tow, and 2014 was the last time they reached hockey’s most prestigious game.
The team came agonizingly close to reaching the Stanley Cup last year. With key players returning from long-term injuries, this season’s Rangers look stronger. Does that mean Rangers fans should be planning ahead and booking time off work when the Stanley Cup rolls around? Perhaps they should because stranger things have happened, and Laviolette has the team purring like a finely tuned engine.