As Rangers Clinch Playoffs, Team Can Learn from Last Year’s Mistakes

Ed Mulholland/USA TODAY Sports

Blanked by Akira Schmid’s 30 save effort, the New York Rangers ended their 2022-2023 season to the sound of cheers at Newark’s Prudential Center. Having lost in seven games to the New Jersey Devils, the Rangers season ended with a first-round playoff exit. They were favored to win the series and be potential Eastern Conference champs, instead, they won the first two games of the series and generated just two goals in their four losses. They were out-scored and out-played and found themselves heading home for the year.

This season, the Rangers have come out strong and have consistently been a top team in the league. They are the first team to reach 100 points this season and with their overtime win against the Flyers on March 26th have secured their playoff spot. Most in the hockey world never doubted the Rangers would be in the playoffs this season, but as Rangers fans are looking toward the quest for the Stanley Cup, memories from last year can creep in. Will this team be able to make a longer playoff push?

The Rangers of this year have proven that they can be resilient. They’ve dealt with injuries to key players like Blake Wheeler, Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, and Jacob Trouba. They’ve seen stretches where goaltender Igor Shesterkin has struggled. Their top line with Zibanejad and Kreider has often not been as effective as anticipated. But this team carries on and finds ways to win. They have 23 come-from-behind wins on the season, so being down has often not meant being out for this group. That resilience is something that can keep the Rangers from repeating their mistakes of last year. Playoff teams like the Hurricanes, Panthers, and Maple Leafs are not only getting scoring from their stars but also from depth players. These teams will generate solid offensive chances continually throughout games and series. The Rangers have several goal-scoring weapons of their own in Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, and Vincent Trocheck, but the team’s passing has been sloppy at times and given their opponents turnover chances. They’ve had defensive struggles at times while dealing with injuries and having to shuffle pairs around. However, K’Andre Miller has been a bright spot on the backend and can hopefully build on that momentum as the playoffs approach. Shesterkin and Quick will be tested in net, but both goaltenders have faced their share of challenges this season and had big moments where their saving abilities kept the Rangers in games. Head coach Peter Laviolette, in his first season with the Rangers, seeks to use his extensive playoff experience to help guide this team in how to rise to the occasion.

The playoffs will be a bigger stage with more on the line, so the chances will be better, the shots more forthcoming, and the saves more important. This Rangers group isn’t afraid of a challenge. They know what’s at stake, and for the majority in the locker room, the sting from their early exit at the hand of their cross-river rivals still feels fresh. But last year’s in the past, and the Rangers are confidently looking ahead.

Fortune Telling w/ Joe Fortunato Ranting Rangers: A New York Rangers Podcast

In this week's episode Joe Fortunato comes on to discuss NYR's offseason outlook now with Mike Sullivan hired, Drury's management of the team and more.How to support us and our sponsors:Columbia Sports ApparelESPN+ SubscriptionFanaticsDraft Kings – CODE ITRThanks for listening! Please rate and review our show on your favorite listening platform. Check out our partner's website at www.insidetherink.com for all your latest hockey news.
  1. Fortune Telling w/ Joe Fortunato
  2. Built for Compliance, Not Cups
  3. Masterclass Incompetence
  4. The Great Regression : 24-25 NYR
  5. 68 Down & We Needed This 1

Discover more from Inside The Rink

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers Playoff Thoughts: Round 3, Game 5

Happy belated 9th Birthday, Ben Stelter. Tuesday night’s win was for you. We’re just one win away from a second straight Finals appearance. We always wish Ben were still with us and imagine how joyful he’d be to watch the Edmonton Oilers in these Playoff runs the last couple of years. A really nice gesture […]

Read More
NHL Playoff Preview: Edmonton Oilers at Dallas Stars with Line Combinations 5/29/2025

NHL Playoff Preview: Edmonton Oilers at Dallas Stars with Line Combinations 5/29/2025

NHL Playoff Preview: Edmonton Oilers at Dallas Stars with Line Combinations 5/29/2025

Read More
Porter Martone 2025 Draft Profile

2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Porter Martone

The Scouting Report: Porter Martone of Peterborough, ON, is one of the prominent players available in the 2025 NHL Draft and is projected to be a top-five selection. Martone has been in the conversation for the first overall pick at different times this season, and with 37 goals and 98 points in 57 games with […]

Read More