We don’t ever have to watch another shift of the centennial New York Rangers. This season was an abject failure after a disappointing season in 2024-2025. However, with roster turnover came what may end up being the in-house solutions to the Rangers problems going forward. Last night’s winning goalie was Dylan Garand, who found himself stuck in Hartford because the goalie depth at the NHL level allowed him to grow in the AHL. He allowed just 5 goals on 96 shots against to close out the season, looking like the heir to back up Igor Shesterkin indefinitely.
Much of the focus on rookie skaters will be on Gabe Perreault, but Tye Kartye (not a rookie, but a shrewd waiver wire pickup) may be a force next season if this current run is any indication of what he can do. He seems to have helped revitalize JT Miller as well. Kartye notched his first ever multi-goal game, his first ever 3-point game, and nearly had a hat trick, but missed the net by near inches. His forechecking and willingness to go into the tough scoring areas is a great fit for Mike Sullivan and hopefully inspires others. Ideally Kartye finds a home on the third line as a scoring pest.
Mika Zibanejad ended his fantastic bounce-back season with 34 goals and 44 assists, leading the Rangers in goals and points. We don’t take mental health concerns lightly here, and it’s great to see him rebound after his off-ice issues last season. His patented one-timers, great two-way play in all situations, and terrific playmaking all came back in force. The chemistry with Perreault and Alexis Lafreniere appears natural and has given us hope that the Rangers have a legitimate top line in the making. He also seems to be taking on the mentor role for the two kids.
This season did not go as planned. For all the pomp and circumstance of it being the centennial season, this was arguably one of the worst seasons in franchise history. From the early scoring struggles at home, the inability to consistently win at home in general, and a roster needing an injection of young players a few months too late, just everything went wrong until March.
So now the question is, do the Rangers win the lottery on May 5, select Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg, and look to become playoff hopefuls next season? Or are the Rangers going to select one of the defense/center picks at 4-6 and play the long game of contention? There are so many avenues the team can take this offseason. The draft lottery will likely determine Chris Drury’s approach to the offseason.
More About:Game Wrap-ups