Everyone makes New Years’ resolutions. New York Rangers fans hoped their team’s resolution would be to return to the winning ways of last season when they won the President’s Trophy en-route to the Eastern Conference Finals. Instead their fortunes didn’t change at midnight. The Rangers enter play Tuesday tied for last place in the Metropolitan Division (they have a games played tie breaker over the New York Islanders).
Team's struggles get amplified in a city like New York that demands championships. Murmurs are already spreading about who the Rangers should trade for or away. The recent Jacob Trouba trade in wake of general manager’s Chris Drury’s apparent “memo” only fueled speculation New York is punting this season away.
Famed hockey reporter Stan “The Maven” Fischler wrote a column for The Hockey News on the organization’s perceived dysfunction where he made mention of player turned broadcaster Ray Ferraro saying the team needs “an alpha male”. Fischler went on to equate that with the team needing a “Mark Messier-type” player and tied that into the trade rumors of J.T. Miller with the Vancouver Canucks. Our question is shouldn’t the Rangers have this “alpha male” player on their roster already?
What about Artemi Panarin? Getting the superstar in free agency when he was in his career prime no doubt accelerated the Rangers post 2018 rebuild just as much as the ascension of Igor Shesterkin. Since arriving in New York, Panarin has been a point per game player every single season, named an All-Star every season and a top three finisher for the Hart Trophy in the shortened 2019-2020 season. His overtime goal in game seven of the playoffs opening round in 2022 led the team on an almost Cinderella-like run to that year’s Eastern Conference Finals.
Why isn’t he seen as this “Messier” type figure? Even with the Rangers struggles, Panarin has 43 points in 38 games this season. Production never was, and still hasn’t, been an issue for him.
What about Chris Kreider? He’s been with every version of the Blueshirts since 2012, including their run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014. Other than Henrik Lundqvist, was anyone more of a face for the Rangers 2010s era success than Kreider? During that time Kreider almost reached the levels of “beloved-ness” from Rangers fans as Messier. Keyword being “almost” since Kreider had yet to deliver a cup to New York.
Kreider, along with the departed Trouba, was named in Drury’s infamous memo. Speaking of Trouba, it was a minor surprise back when Trouba was named to the Rangers captaincy in place of career long Ranger Kreider. Perhaps former head coach Gerard Gallant didn’t think Kreider was “alpha male” enough for the “C” on his shirt. Kreider has experienced a dip in production this year in more noticeable fashion than our previously mentioned Panarin. The Athletic took a deep dive into Kreider’s performance specifically.
Kreider was moved to the IR with a back injury on Tuesday. The Athletic speculated that keeping Kreider out of the lineup (even because of injury) can hurt his trade value by giving him less time to build it back up. Kreider was long envisioned to be a lifelong Ranger. Now he might end up on a team not listed in his 15 team no trade list.
Fischler went on to mention Mathieu Olivier from the Columbus Blue Jackets as a potential trade target and brought up the fact he fought Matt Rempe last season. If Columbus enters seller mode Olivier will undoubtedly be cheaper than the previously mentioned J.T. Miller. Perhaps trading for someone who fought Rempe, who has quickly become a fan favorite on the fast track to almost mythical status, might not be the best perceived move by the fanbase.
The Rangers have won two of their last three since the calendar turned to 2025 entering Tuesday. Maybe they did make a resolution to win more. Will they stick to it, or will it be a passing fad like most other New Years’ resolutions we struggle with?