The Olympic break couldn’t come soon enough for the New York Rangers.
After ringing in January with a statement win - a 5-1 rout of the Florida Panthers at the NHL Winter Classic in Miami - the Blueshirts unraveled in a way that’s hard to sugarcoat. They went 2-10-1 over their final 13 games of the month, a stretch that included a three-game skid to close out the week.
The last of those losses? A 6-5 heartbreaker in Pittsburgh, where the Rangers clawed back from a four-goal deficit in the final 12 minutes but ultimately came up short.
That loss capped one of the worst months in franchise history and left the Rangers at 22-28-6 heading into the Olympic pause. Their .446 points percentage is the lowest in the Eastern Conference and third-worst in the NHL. It’s not where anyone expected this team to be at this stage of the season - and with the trade deadline looming, things are only getting more uncertain.
Panarin Sits, Trade Winds Swirl
One of the biggest storylines hanging over the team right now is Artemi Panarin. The Rangers’ leading scorer has missed three straight games and won’t be in the lineup Thursday night when the team hosts the Carolina Hurricanes - his fourth consecutive absence. The official word is “roster management,” which in NHL-speak often translates to “we’re not risking injury before a trade.”
Panarin, 34, is in the final year of his contract and has a no-movement clause, meaning any deal has to go through him. The Rangers have reportedly told him they won’t be offering an extension, and both sides are now working toward a trade that includes the kind of long-term deal Panarin is seeking. Whether he’s moved before Thursday or not, one thing is clear: he won’t be suiting up against Carolina.
And Panarin might not be the only one on the move. With the NHL’s roster freeze set for Wednesday, the Rangers could be active in reshaping their roster ahead of the stretch run.
Bright Spot: Mika Zibanejad
If there’s been one steady source of production in this rough stretch, it’s Mika Zibanejad. The veteran center continues to lead by example, pacing the team with 23 goals - 11 of them on the power play - and recently passing Rangers legend Andy Bathgate for fifth on the franchise’s all-time goals list with No.
- Zibanejad’s consistency and leadership have been vital in a season that’s been anything but predictable.
Rookie Struggles: Scott Morrow
On the flip side, rookie defenseman Scott Morrow is going through a rough initiation into NHL life. The puck-moving skills that were supposed to be his calling card have been inconsistent at best, and the turnovers have piled up. It’s reached a point where head coach Mike Sullivan appears to be losing confidence in him, and with Adam Fox healthy again and Vincent Iorio joining the blue line after being claimed off waivers from San Jose, Morrow may be headed back to AHL Hartford to regroup and reset.
Looking Ahead: One More Game Before the Break
The Rangers have just one more game before the Olympic break - a Thursday night showdown at Madison Square Garden against the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes.
These two teams have already seen plenty of each other this season. They split their first two meetings in November, with the road team winning both, before Carolina edged out a 3-2 overtime win on Dec. 29, thanks to a late power-play goal from Jackson Blake.
Thursday’s game will mark the return of former Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller to the Garden, now wearing Hurricanes red after a July 1 trade. Miller missed the earlier meeting in New York due to injury but has been a steady presence for Carolina this season, logging a career-high 22:35 of ice time per game and contributing 22 points through 47 games.
Carolina comes into the matchup red-hot, riding a 6-0-2 stretch and creating some serious separation atop the division. Rod Brind’Amour’s team continues to play that aggressive, puck-hunting style that’s become their trademark, and they’ve been getting stellar play in net from Brandon Bussi.
The 27-year-old rookie, claimed off waivers in October, has been a revelation - and a fun storyline, considering he grew up on Long Island idolizing Henrik Lundqvist. Bussi improved to 21-3-1 after a 3-2 OT win over the Kings on Sunday and would no doubt relish the chance to beat the Rangers at the Garden.
The Hurricanes have had the Rangers’ number lately, winning six of their last seven meetings. Sebastian Aho, who scored the overtime winner against L.A., has made a habit of producing against New York, with 29 points in 34 career games against the Blueshirts. Zibanejad, for his part, has 38 points in 43 games against Carolina, so there’s no shortage of star power when these two teams clash.
What’s Next
After Thursday’s game, the Rangers will get a much-needed three-week break before returning to action on February 25 against the Flyers at MSG. By then, the roster could look very different, depending on how the front office navigates the trade market.
For now, the focus is on getting through one more game - and maybe finding a spark to carry into the second half of the season. Because after a brutal January, this team could use a reset in the worst way.