The New York Rangers have dropped the puck on the 2024-25 season like the rest of the NHL. And so far, New York has looked rather impressive.
The Rangers won 6-0 over the Penguins to open the year. And while they stumbled against the Utah Hockey Club, the Rangers bounced back with a dominating win over the Detroit Red Wings their next time out.
The Rangers won the Presidents Trophy in 2023-24 as the best regular-season team. Their regular-season success carried over to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as well. New York swept the Washington Capitals before taking out the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round. However, they could not achieve their ultimate goal.
The Rangers lost to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Finals. It marked the second time in three seasons the team failed in the East Finals. And it added more pressure for this core to finally take the next step. After all, the stars on this team are not getting any younger.
New York is not going for its last hurrah just yet. They should remain competitive for years to come if things continue as expected. However, the pressure is there given the current makeup of the roster. And if the Rangers want to win the Stanley Cup this year, they need to fix one major flaw with this roster before the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Rangers have a questionable blueline
The Rangers have a certified star in Adam Fox on the blueline. And they have an interesting piece in K’Andre Miller, as well. Beyond those two, however, there are question marks on the blueline in New York. These question marks could certainly prove costly if the position is not addressed this season.
The Rangers started the season without Ryan Lindgren due to injury. Lindgren is due back in the lineup at some point soon. However, it’s a toss-up as to how well Lindgren will play upon his return. Last season saw him turn in a less-than-ideal performance when he played. His health is also a concern. Lindgren has never played a full 82 games in his career to this point.
The depth on the left side is also a concern. As of now, the left side of the Rangers blueline consists of Miller, Braeden Schnider, and Zac Jones. Once Lindgren returns to the lineup, changes will certainly be made. However, if someone goes down, the options are rather limited in quality. 34-year-old Chad Ruhwedel currently serves as the seventh defenseman, for instance.
Furthermore, there is a level of inexperience on New York’s blueline. Jones has less than a full season’s worth of NHL games under his belt. His current defensive partner — 22-year-old Victor Mancini — has only three games in the league to this point. Additionally, he only played seven AHL games prior to this season.
Whether it’s performance or inexperience, New York’s blueline is a question mark. They need to address their defensive group before the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin in April. They don’t necessarily need to add a star. Fox is a surefire top-pairing defenseman capable of playing in all situations. However, adding further depth could certainly prove worthwhile.
The Rangers are looking to win a Stanley Cup sooner rather than later. However, they need to make some changes to their current roster makeup. And they should start by shaking things up on the back end so they can best keep pucks out of the net when it matters most.
