Rangers Fall to Last Place: Two-Time All-Star Placed on IR
The New York Rangers' season has spiraled downhill. Their struggles continued Monday night with a 5-3 loss to the Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena. The team allowed two quick goals in the first period, a common trend throughout the season, and couldn’t hold off Florida’s offense despite goals from Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, and Chris Kreider. With this loss, the Rangers are now 16-19-1, sitting in last place in the Metropolitan Division and facing a high demand to turn things around.
The bigger story this season is last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winners' inability to play at a high level. Once seen as a contender, the team has lost 15 of their last 19 games, falling behind in a competitive division. Defensive breakdowns, scoring droughts, and an over-reliance on star goaltender Igor Shesterkin caused significant challenges. Shesterkin, who recently signed a record-breaking $92 million contract, was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, leaving the team in the hands of veteran Jonathan Quick, and have recalled Louis Domingue from the Hartford Wolf Pack. Shesterkin’s upper-body injury will sideline him for at least three games, adding to the difficulties in finding consistency to turn their season around.
Despite reaching the Eastern Conference Finals last season, the Rangers now face uncertainty about their direction. With the new year beginning, the team looks to reset and focus on steady improvements. The stakes couldn't be higher as the Rangers prepare for their first game of the new year at home against the 20-15 Boston Bruins. Boston presents a massive challenge as the Rangers look to reset and find a way to salvage their season. Starting 2025 on the right foot is necessary for the team and fans to gain any momentum and confidence, but they’ll need better discipline, tighter defense, and more offensive production to compete with one of the NHL’s best teams.
