While some fans might be hoping to see the New York Rangers tank in hopes of getting a better draft pick, they have actually been playing some solid hockey as of late. In their recent game against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday (Mar. 12), they picked up a 6-3 victory, improving their record to 27-30-8, but they still sit at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division.
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In this article, we take a look at some takeaways from their win over the Jets, as well as a quick preview of their upcoming games as their 2025-26 campaign comes to a close.
Lafreniere Extends Goal Streak, Remains Hot
Despite facing criticism from fans and being involved in trade rumors leading up to the deadline, Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere has been hot and extended his goal streak to three as he picked up his 19th goal of the season, while also adding an assist, bringing his season point total up to 44 through 65 games.
Lafreniere was arguably the Rangers’ best player again, and if he finishes out the season strong, he should be able to completely silence the negativity from fans as he proves he can be a strong contributor as the Rangers look to get back into contention next season.
Rangers Were Outshot, Got Lucky With Hellebuyck Struggling
It’s not very often that Connor Hellebuyck has a bad night between the pipes, but he did not have a strong game against the Rangers. Despite being outshot 26-17, the Rangers were still able to find a way to outscore the Jets by double.
Hellebuyck finished the night with a .688 save percentage (SV%) and a -3.2 goals-saved-above-expected (GSAX). Usually, Hellebuyck is the one player who can keep the Jets in any game and make games respectable if the rest of his team isn’t going, but it was the exact opposite. The rest of the team was going, but Hellebuyck had an off-night, and the Rangers capitalized.
Gabe Perreault Has Third Straight Multi-Point Game
Another player whose name was tossed around in trade rumors leading up to the 2026 Trade Deadline was Gabe Perreault, but he ended up staying put as well. Against the Jets, he scored a goal and added an assist, making it his third straight multi-point game.
Through those three games, which were against the Jets, Calgary Flames, and Philadelphia Flyers, Perreault has scored two goals and added four assists for six points. He is now up to seven goals and 10 assists for 17 points through 32 games with the Rangers this season.
Braden Schneider Has Multi-Point Game
Another player whose name was tossed around in trade rumors, which seems to be a common theme when talking about anyone still on the Rangers past the trade deadline, was Braden Schneider, who had two assists against the Jets.
Schneider is up to two goals and 13 assists for 15 points through 65 games with the Rangers this season, and is just six points shy of his career-high in points, which he achieved last season.
The Rangers are back in action on Saturday (Mar. 14) when they take on the Minnesota Wild. They will be looking to pick up their 28th win of the season, as they seemingly are trying to finish anywhere but the bottom of the Metropolitan Division standings.
As the 2025-26 season moves along, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news, updates, and more from around the NHL and the hockey world.
