Three NY Rangers Who Could Surprise People This Season

Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider (4) skates against the Washington Capitals during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Three NY Rangers Who Could Surprise People This Season

Originally posted on New York Rangers On SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Aug 19, 2026 6:00 AM ET

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The New York Rangers are coming off a down season in which they finished in last place in the Eastern Conference, but hopes are high for the upcoming campaign.

This summer, the Rangers made a ton of moves to improve their roster across all levels, and there is reason to believe that New York could be a playoff contender if things go right.

While the team did improve on paper, that will still need to translate to the ice. The Rangers had numerous players underperform last year, and in order to get more wins, some of these key players will have to step up.

Fans will certainly have their eyes on some of the big names and the new additions, but there are some players that might surprise people this coming campaign.

Braden Schneider

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While it is a bit of a surprise that Schneider wasn’t traded this summer, he signed a one-year deal with the Rangers to avoid arbitration and at this point will likely be sticking around going into the regular season.

The 2025-26 campaign was a major disappointment for the young defenseman, and many were hoping to see him gone. However, with a lot more talent on the blueline in front of him now, Schneider is slated to be on the third-pair, which will set him up for success.

Even though he might not become a superstar, he is a really strong third-pair defenseman and could surprise some people.

Oliver Bjorkstrand

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While this free agency class wasn’t the strongest one, one of the savvy additions for New York this summer was the veteran forward. Coming off a bit of a down season, Bjorkstrand is a player who has been a fairly consistent 20-goal scorer.

Even though his addition might have flown under the radar a little bit, he could be on the second line for New York next year. If he gets back to the 20-goal mark, he will be a pleasant surprise.

Alexis Lafreniere

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Even though Lafreniere is going to be watched closely as always, with him being a former first overall pick, there is reason to believe that his best season yet could be coming.

At just 24 years old, Lafreniere still could be developing as a player, and the final quarter of the season for the forward was impressive. In the last 23 games of the season between March and April, he totaled 24 points.

It was certainly the best stretch of his career, and the now six-year forward of the Rangers might be ready to break out. If Lafreniere has a career year and starts to look like a number one overall pick, many people will be surprised.

This article first appeared on New York Rangers On SI and was syndicated with permission.

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