Tampa Bay, Fla. — Rangers Finish Season with Victory
The Rangers concluded the 2025-26 season by defeating a weakened Lightning team, 4-2, with several key players resting ahead of the playoffs.
JT Miller, the team captain, expressed frustration before Wednesday’s match, emphasizing that ending his first season as captain under these conditions felt “terrible.” He stated, “We want to play and compete for trophies; that’s the point. So, we missed the mark. We really failed there.”
This disappointing season has not only led the Blueshirts to another early summer but also spurred the organization to prioritize a significant reassessment in the last three months. The rebuilding process has already kicked off, but capitalizing on the offseason—think NHL Draft, free agency, and other opportunities—will be crucial as the Rangers aim to redefine their team and return to their competitive roots.
With Wednesday’s victory, the Rangers’ chances in the draft lottery are now tied to the Calgary Flames. If Calgary wins against the Kings in their final game this Thursday, the Rangers will hold the third-best odds for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft lottery scheduled for May 5. A loss for the Flames would drop the Rangers’ chances to fourth.
Fans were excited about the possibility of drafting Gavin McKenna, the projected top pick, but the Rangers ended the season with a 6-4 record in their last ten games, bringing a sense of fun back to the locker room that had been missing for quite some time.
New players like Gabe Perreault, Adam Sykora, Dylan Garland, and Jaroslav Schmerar have brought a fresh energy during the closing weeks of the season.
Perreault notched his 12th goal of the season in the second period, navigating through traffic to extend the Rangers’ lead to 3-0. This goal positions him alongside the Blues’ Dalibor Dvorskiy and the Wild’s Danila Yurov, who have both logged over 70 games this season, while Perreault has exceeded 40 appearances.
The Rangers’ top line, which has recently featured Perreault alongside Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere, has emerged as a pleasant surprise. Head coach Mike Sullivan will likely continue exploring this combination next season, assuming all players remain with the team.
Zibanejad helped secure three points for the Rangers with a power-play goal, while Ty Cartier contributed the first two points to establish an early lead. Garland also made his mark, recording his second win in three starts with an impressive performance, stopping 29 of 31 shots. He shared, “Honestly, I don’t want to go back to the American League. I’m eager to stay here and be part of this organization.”
Taylor Radish made his return to the Rangers’ lineup after last playing on March 27. It was a memorable evening for him as he faced off against his brother Darren for the first time since the passing of their father Dwayne due to pancreatic cancer.
Zibanejad was a highlight of the season, nearly sweeping team awards. He won the fan-voted Stephen McDonald Special Effort Award and was named team MVP by the media, along with being recognized as the Player’s Player by his teammates. Braden Schneider received the 2026 John Harrigan Good Guy Award, which acknowledges a player’s outstanding cooperation with the media throughout the season. The Rangers have a tradition of competing with the Leiters to determine this award’s recipient.
