The Rangers’ version of a reset is going to be judged fast, not years from now. If this retool on the fly is going to mean anything, New York needs to show real progress early - in the standings and in the growth of the young players who are supposed to carry the next wave. Chris Drury does not have the luxury of endless patience anymore.
The biggest piece of that puzzle is Alexis Lafreniere and Gabe Perreault. Those two are being treated as the next offensive core, and for good reason.
Lafreniere is tied to a team-friendly contract, while Perreault still doesn’t have the résumé to demand major money. That kind of affordable production is exactly what the Rangers need.
But there’s a big difference between being useful and being central. If Lafreniere and Perreault settle in as regular 60-point players, that’s nice.
It’s not enough. If they end up more like 50-point guys, then the Rangers are looking at middle-six forwards from the two best forward prospects the organization has had in a long time.
That’s not the kind of outcome that changes a franchise.
The real payoff comes if both players become true focal points of the offense. If that happens, the Rangers suddenly have two young top-six anchors in place, and that changes the direction of the whole roster. That’s the kind of internal growth that actually builds a winner.
Of course, none of it matters much if the team doesn’t look like a coherent hockey club. After the last two seasons, even basic competence can’t be taken for granted.
New York may still have some scoring issues, but the additions of Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi should help with the defensive problems that have lingered, especially when it comes to getting the puck out of the zone. A playoff push would be ideal, but at the very least the Rangers need to look like a team that competes every night.
Development is the other major test. With Tanner Glass now running player development - yes, that Tanner Glass - the organization needs to show that young players are actually moving forward.
Hartford needs wins, any wins, and the prospects across the system need to be improving instead of spinning their wheels. If that isn’t happening, then this whole retool on the fly starts to look like the same old mess, just dressed up differently.
And then there’s the wildcard factor that every good organization seems to find. Somebody unexpected has to break through. A surprise season from a player can reshape the entire picture, whether that means creating a valuable trade chip or uncovering a new piece worth keeping around.
Oliver Bjorkstrand is one example: a 60-point season from him would catch people off guard and might even push New York toward a questionable extension, but it would also raise his value enough to potentially bring back a haul in a trade. Eeli Tolvanen, who is only 27, is another name to watch if he suddenly finds a real NHL role.
Will Cuylle belongs in that conversation too. He’s put up two 20-goal seasons already, and if he climbs to 30, his value to the Rangers and around the league would jump in a hurry.
That’s the kind of unexpected growth that can make a retool work. Without it, the Rangers are just hoping the same formula finally produces different results.
In Other News...
Lafrenire Suddenly Looks Like A Rangers Answer They Desperately Need
Alexis Lafrenire came into Rangers training camp with a real chance to lock down a top-six role, and the opportunity feels bigger now than it has in a while. After finishing last season strong, he arrived with momentum and the sort of lineup-opening runway that can change the conversation around a young forward in New York. For a team looking for more dependable scoring support, that kind of timing matters.
What has stood out early is not just the role, but the way he has carried himself through camp. The coaching staff has pointed to an improved work ethic and a more mature approach, signs that suggest he is starting to fit the day-to-day demands that come with being counted on more heavily. The Rangers do not need a flash of promise from Lafrenire anymore, they need the kind of consistency that can hold up when the season starts and the minutes get harder. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Camp Schedule Is Suddenly Raising The Stakes For Young Defensemen
After three straight days of training camp work, the Rangers took a breather on the fourth day, a small pause that comes with a larger complication. Mike Sullivan pointed to a preseason slate packed into four games over five nights, which means the club has to keep more bodies around longer than usual before it can really start narrowing the field.
For young defensemen, that schedule matters. Eighteen-year-old Alberts Smits is in line to get plenty of preseason looks as he pushes for a roster spot, and Matthew Robertson remains his main competition for the left side of the third pair. With so little room to trim the group in the immediate future, every camp practice and exhibition shift carries a little more weight than it normally would. [Read more 🡒]
Shesterkin Just Added Real Weight To The Rangers Roster Overhaul
Igor Shesterkins opinion carries extra weight around the Rangers, especially after a season in which his own numbers remained strong even as the team struggled to keep pace. So when he talked about feeling good about the clubs recent defensive additions, it was another sign that the overhaul in front of him is being noticed by the most important player on the roster.
The Rangers have remade the blue line with Sean Durzi, Marcus Pettersson and Alberts mits joining the mix, and Shesterkin is already focused on getting the group back to the playoffs. Mike Sullivan has also been quick to back his goalie as the best at his position and trust him with a heavy workload, which only adds to the sense that New York is asking a lot of the player who may determine how far this reset can go. [Read more 🡒]