The New York Rangers hit the Olympic break not with momentum, but with a thud.
Thursday night’s 2-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden was more than just another defeat-it was a snapshot of a team that’s lost its edge, its identity, and, frankly, its fight. The Rangers were outshot 42-16 on home ice, a number that speaks volumes about the energy-or lack thereof-this group brought to the rink against one of the NHL’s elite.
After the game, Rangers captain J.T. Miller didn’t sugarcoat it. In fact, he didn’t have much to say at all.
“I don’t know,” Miller admitted when asked what the message to the team should be heading into the break. “It hasn’t been good enough the last little while.
Try to regroup, freshen up… We just need to enjoy or take time - I literally don’t know. Come back with a better mindset, I guess.”
That kind of uncertainty from your captain? It’s telling.
This isn’t just about a cold stretch. This is a team that’s spiraling, and everyone in the locker room knows it.
The numbers paint a grim picture. The Rangers have dropped four straight and have just two wins in their last 14 games.
It’s not just the losses-it’s how they’re losing. They’ve given up five or more goals six times during that stretch, including a brutal 10-2 beatdown at the hands of the Boston Bruins back on January 10.
That one still stings.
The fallout has already begun. General manager Chris Drury has clearly shifted into sell mode.
First, defenseman Carson Soucy was shipped across town to the Islanders. Then came the bigger move-sniper Artemi Panarin was dealt to the Los Angeles Kings earlier this week.
And with the trade deadline just a month away, it’s hard to imagine Drury is finished.
There’s no sugarcoating where this team stands. At 22-29-6, the Rangers are the only team in the Eastern Conference sitting below .500.
They trail the Bruins by 19 points for the final Wild Card spot. That’s not a gap-it’s a canyon.
While the NHL hits pause for the Olympics, some Rangers will still be in action. J.T.
Miller will suit up for the United States, while Mika Zibanejad joins Team Sweden. But when the rest of the team regroups later this month, they’ll be returning to a very different landscape-one where the focus has shifted from playoff hopes to long-term rebuilding.
The Blueshirts are back in action on February 26 against the Flyers. Between now and then, the front office will be busy, the locker room will be soul-searching, and the fans? Well, they’ll be hoping that whatever comes next looks a whole lot different than what we’ve seen over the past month.