Eastern Conference off-season recap: New York Rangers

From one of the best teams in the league to an incredibly dysfunctional team, the New York Rangers need to be a case study.

It was a rough season for the Rangers, finishing out of a post-season spot after winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24. That said, will their poor fortunes continue in 2025-26?

Let’s take a look at how the Rangers’ 2024-25 season went, what they did over the off-season, and how the team shapes up heading into 2025-26.

How the season went

In 2023-24, the Rangers finished with a 55-23-4 record, with their 114 points being the most in the league. After winning the first two rounds, they ran into the buzzsaw that is the Florida Panthers, falling in six games to the eventual Stanley Cup champions.

You’d think they would build off that success, but the Rangers were mired by poor morale, namely because captain Jacob Trouba was pressured into waiving his no-trade clause, allegedly.

However, the Rangers started their season off quite well, owning an 11-4-1 record heading in Nov. 21’s game against the Calgary Flames. The Rangers lost 3-2, followed by a 6-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, but things weren’t all too bad.

Until it was reported that general manager Chris Drury made a few of their veterans available for trade. Including the two losses to the Alberta teams, they went 4-15-0 over their next 19 games to end 2024. In December, the Rangers traded Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks (more on them later).

Their biggest move during the season saw them trade Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini, and a 2025 first-round pick to the Vancouver Canucks for J.T. Miller and two other players. They also traded the 2019 second overall pick, Kaapo Kakko.

By the end of the season, the Rangers finished with a 39-36-7 record for 85 points, seven points out of the final wild card.

Drafted players

Without their first-round pick, the Rangers’ first selection in the 2025 draft was with the 43rd overall pick, drafting Erie Otters forward Malcolm Spence. They had two third-round picks, drafting defencemen Sean Barnhill and Artyom Gonchar. (The answer to the question you’re asking is yes.)

In the fourth round, the Rangers selected Swedish centre Mikkel Eriksen, followed by Swedish defenceman Zeb Lindgren in the fifth round. With their first sixth-round pick, the Rangers drafted Samuel Jung, a player born in Poland, who represents Czechia, and played in Finland last season.

Their other sixth-round pick was Evan Passmore, who plays for the Barrie Colts. In the seventh round, the Rangers went back to the Swedish defence well, drafting Felix Farhammar. That’s a good name.

Trades

On Jun. 12, the Rangers traded their long-time forward, Chris Kreider, to the Anaheim Rangers, where he’ll join Trouba in 2025-26. In return, the Rangers received prospect Carey Terrance from the Ducks.

Their biggest trade came on Canada Day, as they sent left-shot defenceman K’Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes for Scott Morrow, a 2026 conditional first-round pick, and a 2026 second-round pick.

Free agent signings

Trading Miller allowed the Rangers to sign Vladislav Gavrikov, who was among the league’s best defensive defencemen in 2024-25. They also re-signed Will Cuylle to a two-year deal worth $3.9 million annually, and brought in Derrick Pouliot, Taylor Raddysh, and Trey Fix-Wolansky.

Other players re-signed by the Rangers were Brendan Brisson and Matt Rempe. They also hired a new coach, Mike Sullivan. The former Pittsburgh Penguins bench boss won two Stanley Cups with Crosby and gang in 2016 and 2017.

Departures

There were quite a few departures from the Rangers. Chris Kreider and Miller were traded, while Zac Jones and Arthur Kaliyev signed elsewhere. Calvin de Haan remains a free agent.

What the team looks like heading into 2025-26

So, how do the Rangers look heading into the 2025-26 season? J.T. Miller was recently named captain, and he’ll be one of four centres that also include Vincent Trocheck, Juuso Parssinen, and Sam Carrick. On the wing, they have Cuylle, Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, and Alexis Lafrenière in the top six. Wingers who could contend for a bottom-six role are Gae Perreault, Jonny Brodzinski, Adam Edström, and Raddysh.

On defence, Gavrikov will likely play alongside 2020-21 Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox. Carson Soucy, Will Borgen, Urho Vaakanainen, and Braden Schneider round out the remaining defenders. Rasmus Andersson doesn’t quite fit with the Rangers.

In net, Igor Shesterkin looks to have a rebound season, and he’ll be backed up by Jonathan Quick.