The Rangers’ opening week gave them plenty to like, and a few clues about where this team may be headed. New York came out of four games with a 3-1-0 record, shook off a rough start, and has now strung together three straight wins heading into its next game.
The biggest reason for that fast recovery has been Igor Shesterkin. Through his three starts this week, he looked every bit like one of the NHL’s elite goalies.
Even in the loss to the Boston Bruins, he kept the Rangers in it and gave them a real shot to steal the game. Then came the matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where Shesterkin was the best goalie on the ice and outplayed Andrei Vasilevskiy, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner.
That night also brought a piece of franchise history: Shesterkin scored the first-ever goalie goal in Rangers history and had Madison Square Garden roaring.
The other encouraging development has come from the bottom six. Last season, that part of the roster was a problem because it didn’t produce enough or do enough to tilt games.
This year’s early returns have been different. Eeli Tolvanen already leads the team with three goals, and he’s been joined by players such as Will Cuylle, Noah Laba, Tye Kartye, and Joe Veleno, who have all started well.
Those forwards have also handled penalty-kill work, which frees up Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller to lean more into the offensive side of their game.
That depth matters if the Rangers are going to stay in the mix. Through four games, those lower-line players have brought speed, grit, and timely offense. They’ve also shown the kind of two-way value that can quietly shape a season, especially if they continue contributing on both special teams.
There’s also been a much better start at home. Last season, the Rangers were dreadful at Madison Square Garden early on, getting shut out in their first three home games and waiting until mid-November for their first win there.
This time, they took care of business against the Lightning and followed it by beating the Utah Mammoth. Getting strong performances from the top players, plus a goal from Shesterkin, helped set a better tone at home right away.
Four games don’t tell the whole story, but they do tell you something. The Rangers have already looked more dangerous than they did at this point last season, even if there have been stretches where they’ve been outplayed.
That’s part of the deal with a team still sorting out chemistry among a lot of new faces. If that connection sharpens and the wins keep coming, this first week could end up looking like the start of something bigger.
In Other News...
Rangers Are Building Something At MSG And Fans Can Feel It
Madison Square Garden had a little extra edge to it Friday night, and the Rangers fed off it. New York beat the Utah Mammoth 4-2 behind Igor Shesterkin, who stopped 27 shots and even picked up an assist, while the club closed strong with three third-period goals to turn a tight game into another convincing home result. Utah did get a power-play goal, but the Rangers kept their composure and found a way to finish on the right side of a game that felt like more than just another regular-season date on the calendar.
Vincent Trochecks return to the Garden added another layer to the night, with the former Ranger now skating for Utah after the trade that sent him out of New York. The matchup had the kind of familiar faces and late-game urgency that can make a building buzz, and the Rangers looked like a team comfortable playing in that atmosphere. For a club trying to keep building momentum at home, it was the sort of win that gives fans a reason to believe there is something taking shape at MSG. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Suddenly Have A Center Depth Problem They Can't Ignore
Joe Velenos night ended almost as soon as it began against the Utah Mammoth, and the Rangers were left sorting through the fallout of a lower-body injury that came early in the first period. Veleno was hurt while trying to slow down a Mammoth forward and needed help off the ice before being ruled out for the rest of the game, an abrupt exit for a team that has leaned on its center depth to keep things steady.
The concern for New York goes beyond one lost shift because the roster does not currently feature an extra center. If Velenos injury keeps him out longer than just one game, the Rangers may have to look to Hartford for reinforcements, turning a single in-game injury into a depth problem they cant really afford to let linger. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Win At MSG Came With One Immediate Concern
The Rangers got the kind of result they needed at Madison Square Garden, beating the Utah Mammoth 4-2 in a game that had plenty of scoring and just enough pushback to keep the crowd engaged. Vladislav Gavrikov, Gabe Perreault, J.T. Miller and Eeli Tolvanen all found the net for New York, while Nick Schmaltz and Andrew Peeke answered for Utah, giving the home side a win that looked comfortable enough on the surface.
Joe Velenos exit was the immediate concern, though, and it cast a shadow over an otherwise productive night. Veleno was hurt in the first period and had to leave the game, a development the Rangers will be watching closely as they sort through what the result means and what the next lineup decision might have to be. [Read more 🡒]