It’s been a while since the Rangers last made the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Not as long as it has been for some other clubs, but the past two seasons haven’t been encouraging, either.

That’s true both from a hockey and on-ice product standpoint and from a financial perspective. And the ownership in New York didn’t sugarcoat how tough these past two seasons have been. The quality of the on-ice product made that plain to see, but the numbers tell an even bigger story and only ramp up the pressure on Sullivan and the Rangers.

“NY Rangers lost about $30.5 million during 2026 fiscal year and $23.3 million in 2025, according to MSG Rangers’ SEC filing. Rangers had $26.8 mill in profits in 2024,” as reported by Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. “Company says: ‘We are likely not to be profitable in the near term unless the Rangers make an extended playoff run‘.”

NY Rangers are now separated from NY Knicks

Though both sports organizations that call Madison Square Garden home are still owned by the same parent company, MSG Sports, they have been two separate publicly traded companies since Oct. 26.

Unless someone is interested in purchasing shares in either company, the spin-off doesn’t change much about how the Blueshirts—or the Knickerbockers, for that matter—are managed. James Dolan remains the CEO of both companies.

MSG Knickerbockers Corp. owns the New York Knicks as well as their G League affiliate, while MSG Rangers Corp. owns the Blueshirts, their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, and the MSG training facility.

NY Rangers must turn the tide fast

However, with the Knicks’ revenue and profits now part of a separate corporation, the basketball team may no longer be able to toss its NHL neighbors a lifeline if they need one. The Rangers are on their own in that regard, and that’s another reason Sullivan and company will feel the pressure not only to make the playoffs but also to go on a long run.

Sullivan may be on the spot

It took a while, but Sullivan has finally had his “Welcome to New York City” moment. This is the concrete jungle where dreams are made of, but it’s also a meat grinder where, if you aren’t winning or making money, you can become expendable. If a team is losing games and money simultaneously, the head coach can only last so long—even someone with a résumé like Sullivan’s.

Fans grow suspicious

However, fans are mainly wary of the Rangers’ statement that the team is losing money. Just a year ago, the Blueshirts were ranked as the NHL’s second-most valuable team, and many believe this is merely an accounting tactic—a rather creative one—to send a message to the coaching staff and players about the expectations for the brand of hockey played at Madison Square Garden.

Key takeaways

• Captain J.T. Miller called out the New York Rangers prior to ownership financial remarks.
• NY Rangers lost $30.5 million during the 2026 fiscal year, per SEC filing.
• Separated publicly traded companies now house the Rangers and Knicks since Oct. 26.

Going into the game, Laviolette cast Chris Drury and the Rangers’ front office in a bad light, and things didn’t look any better for the brass when Laviolette‘s Kings blew the Blueshirts out of the water at the World’s Most Famous Arena.

Making his season debut and fresh off signing a one-year deal for the veteran minimum, Reimer saw his night end in the first intermission after allowing three goals on eight shots and a 9.00 GAA. Rather than throw the goalie under the bus after the game, Sullivan showed mercy and instead blamed only himself for putting the 38-year-old in a tough spot against Los Angeles.

“I put [Reimer] in a tough spot. That’s on me,” Sullivan said postgame, via Mollie Walker of the New York Post. “For Reims, to come in the way he has in short order and come into a game like this, it’s not an easy challenge. It’s a tough challenge. I just felt like maybe Reims needs a little bit more preparation before we put him in that circumstance.“

Sullivan addresses NY Rangers’ current state

“Let’s just acknowledge we’re in a difficult circumstance when our top two goalies are injured,” Sullivan added. “We’re trying to find a way to shore this thing up as best we can. I think Dylan [Garand] has given us some really good games. His workload is mounting.“

The truth is, the Rangers as a whole are in a rough spot, but the troubles are only magnified when it comes to their crease. On the one night Sullivan hoped to give rookie-turned-starter Dylan Garand a breather and some much-needed rest, the 24-year-old was called into action and ended up playing most of the game.

Goaltending struggles

As great as Garand’s start to the year was, missing both Igor Shesterkin and Joonas Korpisalo was never going to be an easy storm to weather, and the Blueshirts are now figuring that out. Through his last five outings, Garand is 1-3-1 and has allowed an average of three goals per game while posting a .888 save percentage. It doesn’t help when the rookie’s number is called up just 20 minutes into what was supposed to be a night off.

Clearly, Garand isn’t to blame, as his recent poor numbers are a consequence of fatigue and consecutive starts. In Sullivan’s eyes, Reimer isn’t to blame either. It may all be part of the natural cycle of life in the NHL, but the Rangers are finding out that even teams fully bought into an identity will feel the effects of losing their franchise goaltender for the season, while the $4 million veteran netminder they traded for to serve as his backup is also sidelined with an injury.

NY Rangers need to snap losing streak

The only way for New York to see the light at the end of the tunnel is for the skaters to play lights out and give their goalies a chance, but even then, it might not be enough. The Rangers have lost four of their last five games. In their last six outings, they have been outscored 28-17.

Allowing an average of 4.7 goals per game will lead to far more losses than wins for any team in the NHL, and it takes more than a shaky goaltending room to concede that many goals on a nightly basis. The red-hot start is clearly over, and it’s time for Sullivan and the Rangers to take a long look in the mirror and figure out where they go next.

Key takeaways

• Mike Sullivan accepted the blame for James Reimer’s first game with the New York Rangers.
• Three goals allowed on eight shots ended James Reimer’s debut in the first intermission.
• Four of their last five games have resulted in losses for the New York Rangers.

On that note, Sullivan offered an encouraging update on where the veteran netminder stands in his recovery from a lower-body injury. Much has been said about Korpisalo ever since he arrived in New York with two years left on a deal carrying a $4 million AAV, but it’s clear the Broadway Blueshirts need the 32-year-old goalie back as soon as possible in the 2026-27 NHL campaign.

“Sullivan said Joonas Korpisalo skated [Saturday and Sunday],” Vincent Mercogliano of The Athletic reported. “He needed to double check if yesterday was his first day on the ice but his larger point is that he’s making progress.”

Korpisalo’s season

Coming off a 31-game season in 2025-26 with the Boston Bruins, Korpisalo landed in the Big Apple expecting to be the backup to Igor Shesterkin. However, he sustained a lower-body injury before he could make his season debut and watched Shesterkin’s season come to an end with a knee injury.

Nothing has gone as planned for the Rangers so far, but Garand’s rise has made the tough pill a bit easier to take. However, adversity is now knocking at the front door, and the Rangers don’t have a solid backup plan—or a backup goaltender for that matter, until now.

When Korpisalo returns, whenever that is, he might actually be asked to start for a New York team whose red-hot start is now in jeopardy, as the crease has become filled with question marks.

NY Rangers sign James Reimer

Although Garand remains the main goaltender in Broadway, Sullivan and company have called for backup. As announced by the organization in Manhattan, the Rangers have signed 38-year-old James Reimer to a one-year deal.

According to The Athletic, the contract is valued at the league minimum for a veteran at $850,000. As if the figure doesn’t make it clear enough, Reimer is only in New York to fill a void and give Garand the occasional night off.

Garand could use some time to rest

As long as Shesterkin remains out, Garand will man the crease virtually night in and night out, while Reimer fills in occasionally. Clearly, the 24-year-old rookie goalie needs some breathers. Over his last five games, Garand has a 1-3-1 record, along with a .869 save percentage (SV%) and a 3.4 goals-against average (GAA).

The magic seems to have worn off, but that’s not to say he can’t get back to his best form. Still, it’s clear he needs some time off, or at least the peace of mind that comes with knowing another healthy netminder can fill in for him. He shouldn’t have to stand alone in the crease, trying to keep New York’s season alive, even if it’s only October.

Key takeaways

• Joonas Korpisalo skated Saturday and Sunday while progressing from a lower-body injury.
• James Reimer signed a one-year, $850,000 contract with the New York Rangers.
• Dylan Garand is 1-3-1 with an .869 save percentage over his last five games.

After the loss, head coach Mike Sullivan addressed the confusion with a bold statement that appeared to shift some of the responsibility away from himself. Instead, Sullivan shifted the responsibility—and blame—to another member of his coaching staff, David Quinn, whom he said was responsible for making the defensive pairings.

“That’s [assistant coach David Quinn’s] call back there. He’s running the defense,” Sullivan commented on Smits’ lack of playing time as of late, via the New York Post.

Smits’ limited outing

The fifth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft logged 14:46 minutes of ice time during New York’s 1-0 loss to Columbus. Although that was his sixth-most ice time in a game this season (10 games played), his lack of shifts during crucial stages of the game raised questions, as he also logged the fewest minutes among New York’s defensemen.

Moreover, his total was boosted by the game going to overtime. According to the New York Post, Smits had just five shifts after the second period. Sullivan explained that Smits’ lack of a special-teams role also played a part, as the Rangers had three power-play opportunities in the third period and failed to score on all three.

Smits has yet to score first NHL point

After another offensively quiet performance, Smits remains in search of his first NHL point, having gone scoreless through his first 10 games of his career. Considering how defensive prospects are now entering the league and scoring in bunches, it is certainly a bit deflating for Smits to still be scoreless.

Just like Pavel Dorofeyev made little of his offensive woes, the young Latvian blueliner isn’t stressing over his offensive production, though. “I think the offense is going to come,” Smits stated, via the New York Post. “Just got to take care of the defense first. So that’s what I’m focusing on right now.”

So far, Smits has a minus-one rating on the season and has recorded a negative plus/minus in three straight games. Against the Blue Jackets, he was on the ice defending Zach Werenski’s assist to Kent Johnson on the game-ending play, so the sequence may have given Sullivan—or Quinn—another reason to consider whether Smits can be trusted in similar situations going forward.

Key takeaways

• The New York Rangers (6-3-1) fell 1-0 to the Columbus Blue Jackets (3-3-0) in overtime.
• Mike Sullivan stated assistant coach David Quinn manages defensive pairings and player ice time.
• Alberts Smits recorded 14:46 of ice time and remains scoreless through 10 games.

“I think [the Rangers] have actually kicked tires on Anthony Stolarz,” Darren Dreger stated on The Ray and Dregs Podcast. “He’s not [on] an expiring contract, but if you’re Toronto, why would you do that? Unless there’s an overpay, they like that combo of [Sergei] Bobrovsky and Stolarz. Sam Montembeault is another one.”

For the time being, the Rangers are content sticking with Dylan Garand as their starter. For now, the rookie is doing a great job. However, sooner or later, adversity will knock on the young netminder’s door, and it remains to be seen how he handles it.

At the end of the day, New York is without Shesterkin as well as Joonas Korpisalo. With no backup plan, Sullivan and the Rangers can’t risk leaving their season hopes in the hands of a still-wet-behind-the-ears Garand. And that isn’t taking anything away from Garand’s great start to the year.

NY Rangers search for contract-year goalies

Although Sullivan has lauded the Rangers’ buy-in after Shesterkin’s injury, it’s clear that this honeymoon period won’t last forever. When New York faces headwinds, who knows what will happen? With Shesterkin out for the year, the Rangers will need a temporary answer in net—one that can help them during the 2026-27 NHL season but can be expendable come free agency. Thus, New York is clearly looking for goalies on expiring deals.

“Obviously Chris Drury is scouring the league, but it’s not with a sense of urgency or desperation,” Dreger stated. “Because they do want to see Garand an opportunity to see if he can run with this a little bit, see what they’ve got in this guy. So now you’re looking at expiring contracts. What about Jordan Binnington in St. Louis? It’s just too early for the Blues to bite on that.”

Garand is playing lights out

There are several directions the Blueshirts can go in their search to bolster the injury-riddled crease at Madison Square Garden. However, they will take their time before making a move. What’s not broken needs no fixing, and Garand, who remains undefeated as a starter in the 2026-27 NHL season, is clearly showing no cracks for Sullivan. At least not yet.

The longer he can keep it up, the longer New York will postpone an urgent move for a goalie (likely one on an expiring contract), and the more convinced fans will become that Garand is a long-term solution behind Shesterkin. That would also raise more question marks around the eyebrow-raising trade for Korpisalo. Rangers fans should know by now, though, that you can’t win them all.

Key takeaways

• Anthony Stolarz has emerged as a potential trade candidate for the New York Rangers.
• Darren Dreger noted Chris Drury is actively scouring the league for goaltending help.
• Rookie goalie Dylan Garand remains undefeated as a starter for the New York Rangers this season.

There are many ways the Rangers can neutralize, suffocate, and dominate their opponents, and teams across the league are finding that out for themselves on a nightly basis, one at a time.

To save some time, Sullivan put the NHL on notice with a bold statement about New York’s third forward line, which is young, talented, and fearless. After some early, key contributions, Sullivan praised the line with a strong message.

I think the last two or three games, their game is at another level. It’s almost like it’s been an ‘aha!’ moment for what they’re capable of,” Sullivan said about the Rangers’ third forward group, via the New York Post. “We have no problem putting them out against anyone, and we know that they can get the job done.”

The Rangers have a two-way third line

“They get a lot of D-zone starts against top lines,” Sullivan commented. “They defend hard for us, but there’s an offensive dimension to their line — all three of those guys. I think that’s an important element of having a third line that’s capable of playing both sides of the puck and not just a checking line.“

With Will Cuylle, Noah Laba, and Eeli Tolvanen, the Rangers have a best-of-both-worlds line in their bottom six at a bargain price. The line has an average age of 24.6 years and has barely felt the impact of Adam Sykora’s tough injury break. So far in the 2026-27 NHL season, the trio has combined for six goals and six assists, totaling 12 points.

NY Rangers’ success is fueled by third line

The trio may not be made up of household names like those on other top third lines in the NHL, such as the Florida Panthers’, but they’re making just as much of an impact as any. Moreover, they help the Rangers shut down opposing top lines, giving the top six more freedom to feast, with red-hot Alexis Lafreniere and other stars leading the way.

Cuylle, Laba, and Tolvanen may not get the recognition Sullivan believes they deserve, but he’s making sure the rest of the league knows who they are. He’s giving rivals a heads-up about what’s coming when the Rangers walk into their arenas or visit the World’s Most Famous Arena.

Key takeaways

• Head coach Mike Sullivan praised the New York Rangers’ third line for reaching another level.
• Will Cuylle, Noah Laba, and Eeli Tolvanen have combined for 12 points this season.
• The third line’s average age is 24.6 years after losing Adam Sykora to injury.

According to a report out of New York City, the roster move isn’t a punishment, though. Instead, the Rangers may actually be looking out for Beaudoin’s best interests, and Sullivan feels he can’t give the former first-round pick in 2024 the ice-time he needs to develop right now.

“The New York Rangers feel it’s important for Cole Beaudoin to get more minutes in Hartford,” Mollie Walker of the New York Post reported on her X account after the Rangers announced that Beaudoin was being sent down to their minor-league affiliate.

Dowling will replace Beaudoin

In Beaudoin’s place, Justin Dowling has been called back up to the NHL lineup. Dowling played just two games for the Rangers during the 2025-26 campaign, recording no points and a -1 plus/minus rating.

For the time being, Beaudoin’s NHL journey will be put on hold. The 20-year-old Ontarian played four games for New York without recording a single point. However, many point to the fact that the fourth line, where Beaudoin played, didn’t see much ice time, so he isn’t entirely to blame for his virtually invisible performances.

Sporadic action for Beaudoin

While the third line has been on a tear, prompting Sullivan to put the NHL on notice about the Rangers’ unsung heroes, the fourth line has barely seen the ice lately.

“The fourth line didn’t get much ice time last night. Beaudoin played 3:29. He got a taste of the NHL, but he needs to play more. He’ll get big minutes in Hartford,” Colin Stephenson of Newsday Sports stated.

Back to the AHL

Indeed, Beaudoin will head back to the AHL, where he was leading the Wolf Pack in points (five, a goal and four assists) through the first two games of the season and was tied for second among all skaters in the league. His return to the AHL isn’t a punishment for his lack of production in the NHL.

Instead, New York believes he might be going to waste by playing only a handful of minutes in Manhattan. This move may actually be better for both parties, especially in the long run, which is what the Rangers are investing in during Beaudoin’s rookie year.

Key takeaways

• The New York Rangers reassigned rookie forward Cole Beaudoin to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack.
• Forward Justin Dowling was called up to the Rangers’ NHL lineup in Beaudoin’s place.
• Beaudoin recorded no points while averaging minimal ice time across four games for New York.

“I think there’s a maturity to this group,” Sullivan admitted, via Mollie Walker of the New York Post. “I think these guys–they haven’t lost any level of enthusiasm. I think they believe in the team game that we’re trying to build here.”

Sullivan might have hit the nail on the head, and that’s not limited to his lineup decisions but also extends to how he sees the locker room operating on a daily basis. These aren’t the same Rangers from last season. It’s still early in the season, but that much is already clear. However, being without Shesterkin for the long run will truly test New York. So far, so good, but the journey is just getting started.

Sullivan makes top-six change

Although he’s been the team’s leading goal scorer through the first few games of the NHL season, Alexis Lafreniere was demoted to the second line during the Rangers’ 6-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks at Madison Square Garden.

At first, the decision caught fans at World’s Most Famous Arena by surprise, but Sullivan explained his thought process. “It seemed to work on the very first shift. Obviously, it was a small sample size, but I thought both lines were pretty good. We’ll watch it. We’ll see how it goes moving forward,” Sullivan said.

Even though he wasn’t completely sold on sending Lafreniere down, it made sense as a way to inject some life into a unit that hadn’t had the start to the year many had hoped for.

Thus, Pavel Dorofeyev, who looks a touch off his scoring pace, replaced Lafreniere on the first line. The move paid off immediately. The second line of Tye Kartye, J.T. Miller, and Lafreniere combined for six points as Kartye scored his first two goals of the season, Miller recorded two assists, and Lafreniere had a goal and an apple of his own, proving he can produce regardless of where he is placed in the lineup.

Lafreniere serves as example

Seven games into the season, the trade rumors surrounding the former first overall selection are long gone. Not only that, but Lafreniere’s strong performance after being moved to the second line provides further evidence of Sullivan’s point: the locker room is locked in and committed to the team’s blueprint, with all players are pulling in the same direction.

Key takeaways

• Head coach Mike Sullivan praised the New York Rangers’ maturity despite Igor Shesterkin’s season-ending injury.
• Alexis Lafreniere was moved to the second line during New York’s 6-2 win over Vancouver.
• Tye Kartye, J.T. Miller, and Alexis Lafreniere combined for six points on the second line.

“Our message is, we keep fighting. It’s a next-man-up mindset,” Sullivan stated, via NHL.com shortly after news broke of Shesterkin’s season-ending, right-knee injury. The Rangers‘ netminder was injured in the team’s 3-1 loss against the Washington Capitals which not only snapped a four-game winning streak but has now put New York’s 2026-27 NHL season at stake.

“Really bad news: Igor Shesterkin is out for the year,” Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman reported on his X account. And that’s not even the end of the dramatic situation New York is now facing in net.

Sullivan’s heart breaks for Shesterkin

“Couldn’t be more disappointed for ‘Shesty,‘” Rangers coach Mike Sullivan added. “I know how much playing means to him, being part of the Rangers. He’s obviously one of the cornerstones of this organization. I am disappointed for him because he is such a fierce competitor.“

Incredibly enough, Shesterkin’s 2026-27 season came to an abrupt end just four starts into the year. He finishes with a 3-1-0 record, a 1.79 goals-against average (GAA), and .927 save percentage (SV%). Shesterkin scored a goal, recorded an assist, yet didn’t keep a shutout before his season-ending injury.

Korpisalo is injured, too

The Rangers’ trade for Joonas Korpisalo in the offseason backfired as the former Boston Bruins goaltender sustained a lower-body injury before he even made his NHL season debut. Although Korpisalo’s setback provided an early chance for Dylan Garand to prove himself, this isn’t how anybody in The Big Apple would’ve drawn up the situation.

As things stand, Garand is the only healthy option in the team’s goaltending department. According to reports, Korpisalo will remain out for approximately four weeks. Thus, New York’s fate is now hinging on the glove and blocker of a 24-year-old goalie with fewer than 10 NHL games under his belt.

“Expectation is Spencer Martin will be recalled by the Rangers to serve as backup to Dylan Garand tonight vs. Canucks, per source. He was hurt, but has been cleared,” Mollie Walker of the New York Post reported.

NY Rangers face goalie drama

The rumor mill around the Rangers has now gone wild, with many hinting at the possibility of bringing Jonathan Quick (currently employed by the Blueshirts as director of goaltending development) back from retirement. Either way, it’s clear Sullivan and company will make a move for a goalie soon.

Simple back-of-the-envelope math would point in the direction of Connor Hellebuyck, who remains suspended without pay by the Winnipeg Jets, but it’s virtually impossible for New York to acquire a goalie with an $8.5 million cap hit when Shesterkin’s $11.5 million cap hit isn’t going anywhere in the long run.

The Rangers’ playoff hopes are now facing the ultimate test less than a month into the season, and it seems it will all hinge on the skaters’ depth to hold down the fort in front of what will probably be an alternative goaltending tandem for the remainder of the season. How the tables have turned in the NHL—the Rangers have certainly come to find that out.

Key takeaways

• Igor Shesterkin is out for the 2026-27 season after sustaining a lower-body injury.
• Joonas Korpisalo is expected to remain sidelined for roughly four weeks with an injury.
• Dylan Garand is currently the New York Rangers’ only healthy option at goaltender.

“Well, it’s concerning, obviously,” Sullivan said to the press, per NHL.com‘s Tom Gulitti. “He’s an elite goaltender, and you don’t ever want to see anybody get hurt, but, obviously, he’s an important player for us.”

Shesterkin’s talent has led his own head coach to recognize him as one of the best goaltenders in the NHL, if not the best. His absence is undoubtedly a major blow to the Rangers.

“He’s a big part of this team, without a doubt,” Sullivan added. “I’ve said it on so many different occasions, he’s one of amongst the best goalies in the world, if not the best. He’s that good.”

An injury that raised concerns

Igor Shesterkin gave Rangers fans a massive scare during Friday night’s matchup against the Washington Capitals after suffering a scary right leg/lower-body injury. In the second period, he awkwardly jammed his right skate into the post while sliding back into the crease and stayed down on the ice holding his right knee in pain.

He couldn’t put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off to the locker room and didn’t return to the game.

Shesterkin’s impact on the Rangers

The talented goalie was off to an absolute tear before going down, posting a stellar 3-1-0 record alongside a razor-thin 1.79 GAA and a elite .927 save percentage in the early 2026-27 campaign.

The perennial Vezina Trophy candidate was easily the biggest reason New York surged out to a hot 4-2-0 start before dropping a tough 3-1 contest to the Capitals, proving once again that when he’s locked in between the pipes, the Rangers are a force to be reckoned with.

Key takeaways

• Mike Sullivan called Igor Shesterkin’s injury concerning following the loss to Washington.
• Igor Shesterkin suffered a right leg/lower-body injury against the Washington Capitals.
• Igor Shesterkin posted a 1.79 GAA and .927 save percentage before his injury.

After the opening-night 3-0 loss against the Boston Bruins, Rangers captain J.T. Miller avoided overreacting, and it immediately proved to be the right decision. Since then, the Broadway Blueshirts have won four games in a row, including statement wins at Madison Square Garden, where fans had been treated to disappointing outings last season.

Moreover, the Rangers have also defeated the New York Islanders for the first time since the 2024-25 NHL season, snapping a four-game losing streak against their crosstown rivals. Coming off the 5-2 win at Madison Square Garden, in which Sullivan used the team’s vacant spot to hand an NHL debut, the head coach made a strong statement about the current state of affairs for the Blueshirts.

“I’m proud of the guys,” Sullivan commented, via the New York Post. “You look at the stretch of games, we just went through a tough stretch. Five games in eight nights against some pretty good teams. These guys, they’re competing hard.”

What Sullivan sees on his team

What a difference a year makes. And, of course, the plethora of roster moves that have shaken the team to its core and completely reshaped the lineup in Manhattan. So far, the Blueshirts have met and even exceeded expectations. No one looks at the NHL standings at this point in the season, but anyone who does will find New York alone at the top after five games.

What changed? Basically everything, but Sullivan thinks he knows some of the good habits that are helping the Blueshirts perform consistently on a nightly basis. That’s all fans had been asking for for a very long time.

“They’re just coming out with great energy,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “I think they’re buying in. They’re having fun. They’re competing hard, and they’re having success. It’s fun to watch them. I think their first periods, they’ve brought great energy, the right intentions.

“I think our third periods have been terrific, just as far as our checking game. We’re not sitting back trying to defend leads. We’re playing hard, playing on our toes, but we’re doing it responsibly. I think that’s a great sign for us the way we’re competing in the third periods as well.“

Winds of change for the Rangers

It took New York until March to string together four wins last season. This time around, the Rangers have won four in a row in just five appearances. Clearly, something is working in Manhattan, and Sullivan hopes it stays that way for a very long time. In the meantime, the rest of the league should take cover.

Key takeaways

• Mike Sullivan praised the New York Rangers’ resilience after winning four straight games.
• The Rangers defeated the New York Islanders for the first time since 2024-25.
• New York sits alone at the top of the NHL standings after five games.