The New York Rangers will have a handful of New Year’s resolutions as they eagerly wait for the ball to drop in Times Square. 2024 ended on a horrible note, with the current Presidents’ Trophy winner anchored to the bottom of the NHL standings. Head coach Peter Laviolette is running out of time and options, and has sent the team a strong statement after their 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers.
Ironically, though not in a fun way, New York played its best game in a long time against Florida. However, they came upon a marvelous Sergei Bobrovsky, and the Cats pounced on every chance they had. When it rains, it pours- the puck simply won’t bounce the Rangers’ way, and frustration is building in the locker room.
The Rangers left Sunrise with plenty of concerns. Unlike past games where they were outplayed, they controlled large stretches of the action against the Cats. Yet, when a team isn’t feeling it, things just don’t click. As New Yorkers know, it’s a state of mind—and right now, the Broadway Blueshirts are stuck in a deflating slump.
Laviolette is well aware of this, yet he cannot find a way out to this maze. He’s tried every trick in the book, but has no results to show for it. The Rangers drag a four-game losing streak into 2025, having lost eight of their past ten outings. New York is dead last in the Metropolitan Division, and Laviolette didn’t sugarcoat his thoughts.
Head coach Peter Laviolette of the New York Rangers speaks with the media prior to the game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on April 13, 2024 in New York City.
“That’s the business, it’s winning. It’s not good enough,” Peter Laviolette stated, via The New York Post. “We did enough to win the game, we did enough to lose the game. It is frustrating because you feel like you’re doing more good than you are bad out there. At the end of the day, it’s not showing on the scoreboard.“
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Where did it go wrong?
Fans in the Big Apple cannot help wonder. How come a team so similar to last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winner has become one of the worst in the NHL? Laviolette’s first year behind the bench had the organization excited for the future, yet his sequel in Manhattan has become a horror movie.
The Rangers totalled 114 points during the 2023-24 NHL season, this season they’ve only mustered 33 points through 36 games. New York can find scapegoats in different players, or the coaching staff, but it’s clear there is a bigger elephant in the room.
Adam Fox sends harsh wake-up call
Defenseman Adam Fox voiced his frustration with the deflating season after the team’s fourth straight loss. The 26-year-old registered an assist during the game.
Adam Fox #23 of the New York Rangers skates against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on March 30, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey.
“I feel like we came out of this break looking to use it as a reset. It kind of feels like we’re repeating the same stuff at this point,” Adam Fox stated postgame, via The New York Post. “At some point, it’s got to be wins. It’s not just, ‘Yeah, did better five-on-five.’ It’s got to be wins. It’s extremely frustrating. If we keep playing games like that, we will get wins. I think that’s really all it is.”
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The Rangers will have a couple days off before hosting the Boston Bruins at Madison Square Garden on January 2nd.
