No NHL team, other than perhaps the Sabers, had to take more time off from the season this week than the Rangers.
So much happened in the first 2 ¹/₂ months of the season.
A lot was condensed into just 34 games, including two notable trades, two big contract extensions, and one league-wide memo.
For a group that considers itself to be highly hermetic, it was inevitable that the details of the locker room fracas would become public.
And the weight of all that has dropped the Blueshirts to first place in the Metropolitan Division and 23rd in the NHL, which resumes the season Saturday in Tampa Bay.
Hopes for a comeback have diminished significantly as the Rangers have lost 13 of their last 17 games.
It's not just because there are fewer contests left, it's because the team hasn't consistently produced reliable on-ice production.
However, just as a lot can happen in 34 games, even more can happen in the remaining 48 games.
A lot needs to go right for the Rangers to regain playoff status, but it's not impossible.
Sustaining success hasn't been easy.
Whether it's shift to shift, period to period or game to game, the Rangers will need to rediscover that part of their game if they want to keep their postseason aspirations alive.
best player
If you sign the best player to a record-setting contract at his position and he continues to be your best player, that's a win.
The Rangers haven't had a lot of that lately, on and off the ice, so we're definitely going to give them that.
It was a smart business decision for the Rangers to lock up star goaltender Igor Shesterkin for the next eight years at $11.5 million.
Who knows what would have happened if the season had continued to spiral out of control.
Since signing a contract extension on December 8, Shesterkin is 2-4-0 with a 2.63 goals against average and .926 save percentage.
With the terrible defensive situation in front of him, that's all Shesterkin can do for his team.
Even his season totals (2.91 GAA, .913 save percentage) show that Shesterkin is pulling his weight.
least valuable player
The unfortunate truth is that some rangers qualify for this title.
Perhaps the best way to measure that is to consider how much value that player once brought to the lineup.
If that's the case, Mika Zibanejad could easily be classified as the least valuable player for the Rangers right now.
For much of his time in New York, Zibanejad has played as a forward with the team's most defensive responsibilities.
He also arguably served as their No. 1 center.
That is, until this season.
Due to his dramatic drop-offs on both sides of the puck, Zibanejad currently serves as the Rangers' third-line center.
His nine points at 5-on-5 are tied for ninth on the team with Filip Sitil. His 4.9 points per 60 points at even strength leads the team.
the biggest surprise
Comparing the Rangers with and without Ryan Lindgren in the lineup, there was a time when the 26-year-old defenseman looked like the team's centerpiece.
In fact, he has behaved that way for most of his 362 games as a Ranger.
That's why it was shocking to see the way he squeezed them this season.
Whether it's just a missed step or perhaps the pressure of this being his last season in New York, Lindgren is a liability defensively.
In just 29 games, Lindgren has already reached almost half of his points total (21 points) from last season's total (43 points).
The puck's constant misplays have proven costly time and time again, but that's also how this season has played out for the Rangers.
biggest disappointment
Similar to how LVP is evaluated, the biggest disappointments have to be the players who were a huge surprise at some point.
Alexis Lafreniere finally burst onto Broadway last season, but the 2020 No. 1 overall pick disappeared just as quickly.
But the fact that he disappeared so soon after signing a seven-year, $52.15 million extension is the worst thing that could have happened to Lafreniere.
Just as the club rewarded its valuable lottery pick, he reverted to the low-impact skater he'd seen throughout his first three NHL seasons.
First 7 games before overtime: 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists).
27 extra games: 14 points (5 goals, 9 assists) -15.
best moment
It wasn't much, but the 5-0-1 road trip that culminated with a 12-4-1 start to the season was the last game of the Rangers' 2024-25 season that felt good. Ta.
The Rangers knew they weren't playing their best game, but they still didn't collapse at the slightest hint of adversity.
worst moment
It was notable to see the Rangers struggle in the aftermath of president and general manager Chris Drury issuing a league-wide trade memo in late November.
Even if the reaction was the desired effect, it had exactly the opposite effect.
However, that doesn't seem to have been Drury's intention.
The goal was to start working on a lineup and core that was clearly moving in that direction, but that approach arguably accelerated the Blueshirts' downfall.
Future decisions
What are the Rangers doing now?
Where do they go from here? What will be their next move?
Is it a series of transactions?
Dropping a major player?
Wait and see if they can turn things around?
The trajectory of the franchise depends on it.
