Rangers Struggling as NHL Break Approaches

It’s tough to picture an NHL team like the Rangers, who are really struggling right now. Their fall to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings was only made worse by a disappointing 2-0 loss to the Hurricanes at home on Thursday night.

Heading into a three-week break for the Milan Olympics, the Rangers have only managed three wins in their last 18 games, with a record of 3 wins, 13 losses, and 2 draws.

When play resumes on February 26 and the roster freeze is lifted, it’s likely general manager Chris Drury will make further roster changes, especially following this week’s big trade of leading scorer Artemi Panarin to the Kings.

Meanwhile, Rangers coach Mike Sullivan will be in Italy coaching Team USA, along with captain JT Miller and forward Vincent Trocheck. Mika Zibanejad is also set to compete for Sweden.

For the rest of the Rangers, who suffered their ninth shutout loss of the season already, this break offers a chance to recover mentally and physically before finishing out the last 25 games of the season. After that, there’s the March 6 trade deadline to consider.

“This will give our players a chance to take some time off from the game,” Sullivan mentioned after the game. “Of course, we all feel it; sometimes it weighs on us. Honestly, stepping away for a bit to recharge could be beneficial for everyone.”

Miller seemed almost at a loss for words when reflecting on the team’s recent struggles. “I don’t know. We need to come back with a better mindset. We just haven’t been good enough for a while. We need to regroup and refresh.” He added, “I think I’ll come back with a better frame of mind, but I really don’t know right now.”

Trocheck, on the other hand, mentioned he might be on the trade block if the freeze ends but is focusing on enjoying his first Olympic experience as it’s a lifelong dream.

The challenge for the Rangers is what they’ll face when they return later this month. Trocheck emphasized, “The players will need significant time away from the game. It’s all about refreshing the mind, improving focus, and preparing physically for the final push of the season.”

At the very least, the Rangers will need to bring back key players like defenseman Adam Fox and goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who have been out with injuries since early January.

Veteran goaltender Jonathan Quick made 41 saves against Carolina but ultimately, it didn’t take the team to victory, as noted by Sullivan.

“Quick does everything. He’s a player we rely on a lot. We need to work harder for him; it’s not fair to him. He’s giving it his all, and we have to perform better,” defenseman Braden Schneider stated.

“I think we need to mentally reset. It’s been a long year, so we have to regain our energy to make sure this last stretch means something,” he added.

Following Thursday’s match, backup goaltender Spencer Martin and forward Anton Breed were sent to AHL Hartford. The Rangers called up goaltender Hugo Olas from the ECHL’s Bloomington Bison, wanting some action for Martin in the minors, but needing two healthy goalies available for the NHL roster.