The New York Rangers’ roster proved to be among the best in the NHL last season. The Blueshirts won the President’s Trophy after a 114-point regular season. While the majority of the team’s core players were retained, the Rangers’ lineup did experience some alterations this offseason. Head coach Peter Laviolette will have a new projected lineup to send out onto the ice for the 2024-25 season.
Projecting the Rangers’ Top 6
The New York Rangers’ top six is among the best in the NHL. Their superstar second line might just be the best trio any team in the league possesses. For the most part, their top six is unchanged, however, it does have one key difference:
- First Line: LW Chris Kreider – C Mika Zibanejad – RW Reilly Smith
- Second Line: LW Artemi Panarin – C Vincent Trocheck – RW Alexis Lafreniere
Reilly Smith is the Rangers’ lone newcomer in the top six, filling a void that the team struggled to fill last season following the departure of Vladimir Tarasenko in the offseason.
The Rangers’ second line of Panarin-Trocheck-Lafreniere is as good as it gets. All three players set new career highs in points in 2023-24. Panarin led the team with 120 points, Trocheck put up 77 points, and Lafreniere had his breakout season, totaling 57 points.
The key to the top six’s success next season will be the first line. Kreider and Zibanejad are two of the team’s longest-tenured players, but with that being the case, they are also two of the team’s oldest players. Zibanejad underwhelmed during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs and will need to bounce back this season. How much production the Blueshirts get out of Smith could be the key to getting Zibanejad and Kreider to return to form.
Projecting the Rangers’ Bottom 6
The Rangers’ bottom six features some exciting young talent. After the team released veteran Barclay Goodrow this summer, they reshuffled the third and fourth lines to primarily feature returning and rising players:
- Third Line: LW Will Cuylle – C Filip Chytil – RW Kaapo Kakko
- Fourth Line: LW Jimmy Vesey – C Sam Carrick – RW Matt Rempe
The Rangers’ third line is interesting. It features a breakout rookie from last season in Will Cuylle and two young players who have failed to live up to their potential in Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko. Injuries have gotten in the way for both Chytil and Kakko but the team’s abundant attempts to trade the latter this offseason underscore their lack of confidence in him going forward.
Kakko has had several chances to prove himself and emerge in a larger role on the Rangers’ first line. However, the former No. 2 overall pick has never maximized those opportunities, and is instead staring down a career in the bottom six entering his sixth season on Broadway. But at only 23 years old, there is still hope for Kakko to turn things around.
Fan-favorite enforcer Matt Rempe was often a healthy scratch last season but is expected to step into a more prominent role as the team’s fourth-line right wing in his second NHL season.
Sam Carrick will be the replacement for Goodrow this season. Carrick is 32 years old, bringing a veteran presence to the Blueshirts’ bottom six along with a physical playing style.
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The Rangers’ defensive corps could be where trouble forms
The Rangers’ defensive corps is questionable, to say the least. They have some true standout performers, but also some players who have struggled in recent seasons due to injuries or other factors:
- First Pairing: Ryan Lindgren – Adam Fox
- Second Pairing: K’Andre Miller – Jacob Trouba
- Third Pairing: Zac Jones – Braden Schneider
The first pairing of Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox is easily the Rangers’ best and most consistent. Lindgren signed an extension this offseason to remain with the team and continue playing alongside Norris Trophy winner Fox.
The Rangers’ second defensive pairing is where things get suspicious. They attempted to trade veteran defenseman and team captain Jacob Trouba this summer to no avail. He will return to the team following a career-worst season and continue playing alongside K’Andre Miller — a solid performer who has struggled to maintain his level of play while combined with Trouba in the past. Whether or not the defense improves this season will rely on these two.
Zac Jones is expected to play a prominent role this season following the departure of veteran Erik Gustafsson in free agency. Jones played in 31 games for New York last season while filling in for the injured Trouba. He was impressive during that time and is a young, promising talent that the Rangers feel confident in entering the season. Jones and Braden Schneider round out a young but talented third defensive pairing.
The Rangers still have bricks between the pipes
Despite the concerns about the team’s defensive corps, the Rangers can feel confident that teams will still have a tough time scoring on them thanks to the talent they have in between the net:
- Starting Goalie: Igor Shesterkin
- Backup Goalie: Jonathan Quick
Igor Shesterkin is considered by most to be the best goalie in the world. He has been a Vezina Trophy finalist in each of the last four seasons, won the award in 2022, and posted a .912 SV% last season.
But the drop-off in play from Shesterkin to backup goalie Jonathan Quick is not that steep. Quick recorded a .911 SV% last season as he made 26 starts for the Rangers, earning an 18-6-2 record. Both Shesterkin and Quick provide the Rangers with elite goalie play to protect their nets.
The Rangers may not have made a big splash this summer to acquire a prized free agent or superstar on the trade block, however, their lineup is still among the best in the NHL. If the Rangers can replicate some of their success from last season, a move at the trade deadline could be made to reinforce the roster and propel New York on a deep postseason run.
