Last season, the New York Rangers played poorly defensively, which resulted in them missing the playoffs. This season, they have improved defensively but have struggled offensively, which has prevented them from consistently winning games. These problems have worsened with star defenseman Adam Fox out with an upper-body injury, and they need to make adjustments to prevent falling too far behind other teams in the Metropolitan Division.
Rangers Need to Generate More Offense
During their first few games this season, the Rangers played with a much better defensive structure and had few defensive breakdowns. However, they were shut out in their first three home games and have already gotten shut out five times and held to two goals or fewer in 17 of their first 32 games.
In some of their games, the Rangers generated scoring chances but did not capitalize, and other times they looked flat and were completely outplayed and finished with fewer than 20 shots on goal. They have elite goaltending and have defended well enough to win games, but their lack of production offensively has held them back.
Fox, Artemi Panarin, and Mika Zibanejad have been the Rangers’ most consistent players offensively, but many of the key players they rely on have struggled. Their captain, J.T. Miller, has just seven goals and 11 assists in 30 games, after he finished with 70 points in 72 games with the Vancouver Canucks and Rangers last season. He had 103 points in 81 games with Vancouver in 2023-24. He has dealt with a few injuries and has yet to get on a hot streak. He also has just four power-play points despite playing on the team’s top unit.
Related: Mika Zibanejad Has Been the Rangers’ Best Forward This Season
Young forwards Alexis Lafreniere and Will Cuylle have both had some good moments, but have not taken a step forward. They have played with intensity but have not scored consistently. Lafreniere has seven goals and 10 assists in 32 games, while Cuylle has eight goals and eight assists in 32 games.
Rangers Need to Make Adjustments
Head coach Mike Sullivan needs to make some adjustments to help the team generate more offense. Fox was off to an excellent start with three goals and 23 assists in 27 games before his injury, and his defense partner, Vladislav Gavrikov, has stepped up and has six goals and seven assists in 32 games. However, no other defensemen on the Rangers have more than six points.
Though Gavrikov has played well, he is in his seventh season and has never recorded a power-play point, so Sullivan has opted to play five forwards on the power play. The results have been disappointing, as the Rangers have yet to score a power-play goal in the five games since Fox’s injury. They also gave up a shorthanded goal in their 3-0 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 10.
Scott Morrow is a skilled offensive defenseman who has produced during his time in the American Hockey League (AHL), and he could help the Rangers on the power play. He has gotten consistent ice time and looked comfortable since Fox got hurt, and he made a nice pass to set up Miller, who hit the post in the loss to the Blackhawks.
Sullivan should also make some adjustments to the team’s lines. Conor Sheary has gotten to play in the top six and on the second power-play unit despite having just one goal and six assists in 29 games.
The Rangers need someone with more offensive upside in their top six, and prospect Gabe Perreault has 10 goals and seven assists in 18 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL. He is a skilled playmaker with quick hands and a good wrist shot. At the very least, he deserves a shot to play in the top six, and he has the talent to develop into one of New York’s top forwards.
Rangers Need to Start Winning Games
Though it is still early in the season, the Rangers are near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, and it will not be easy to catch the teams ahead of them. To do so, they need to start producing more offensively, because excellent goaltending and improved defensive play have not been enough to lead to better results than last season. Sullivan needs to make adjustments to help his team break through offensively.
