Insider Confirms The New York Rangers 2025-25 Season Will Determine A Full Rebuild
Photo credit: Danny Wild-imagn images
The New York Rangers are at an impasse this season. In order to regain their competitiveness and hopes of playoff contention, they'll need to improve their play, and that is across the roster with Mika Zibanejad, Alexis Lafreniere, with J.T. Miller leading the way. Can they find their footing in a Division they once dominated?
The New York Rangers have a dominant core. That includes defenseman Adam Fox, forward Artemi Panarin, and Igor Shesterkin in the net.
Whilethis core was unstoppable during the 2023-24 Presidents' Trophy run, the nosedive the following season derailed their hopes of a Stanley Cup final finish.
They will have to work twice as hard under Mike Sullivan in order to make it out of a Wildcard spot this year. Something they were incapable of last season, with a leaky blueline, and leaving Igor Shesterkin or Jonathan Quick to holster the burden.
Mike Sullivan will need to find and instill a new plan for the Rangers to play like their old selves. As we've seen, players like Artemi Panarin are capable of scoring 120 points, and Adam Fox has attained a Norris Trophy before.
It could be that the Blue Shirts are past their prime. If that's indeed the case, the Rangers may be hurtling towards an inevitable outcome.
Is a Rebuild in the New York Rangers Future?
General Manager Chris Drury doesn't see a rebuild as inevitable, as we've seen the GM add multiple "win-now" pieces, including Vladislav Gavrikov.
With Mike Sullivan at the helm currently, it might be wrong to tear down the team to its foundation. With the aforementioned players earlier in the article, they're still a good team.
Last season could look like an anomaly, especially if production picks back up under the tutelage of Mike Sullivan.
Though the question remains whether or not a rebuild is in the future, especially if they miss the playoffs a second year in a row.
For the Rangers to silence critics, they'll need to make a deep playoff run for this very reason:
Given how the Rangers are one year removed from a Presidents' Trophy season, it's reasonable for fans to expect a similar bounce-back season in 2025-26. Plus, the club made it to the Conference Finals with essentially the same core it has now.
It's difficult to see a Stanley Cup in the Rangers' future, but we've seen the New York Islanders do more, with a lot less during the Barry Trotz era.
What we hope for now is a successful 2025-26 season, so a rebuild won't come into the discussion again.
Previously on NY Rangers Insider
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