New York Rangers’ Formula for Success in 2024-25 Relies on Strong Goaltending and Special Teams – Hockey Writers – New York Rangers

The New York Rangers did not make any major changes to their team this offseason, so they will rely on many of the same players that helped them win the president’s medal last season. They had excellent scoring and special teams in 2023-24 and both will be key to success again this season.

Rangers goal

Igor Shesterkin made his Rangers debut in 2019-20 and has been one of the best goal scorers in the NHL ever since. He won the Vezina Trophy in 2021-22, finishing with a 36-13-4 record, a .935 save percentage (SV%), and a 2.07 goals-against average (GAA).

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Despite his impressive record, Shesterkin went through several phases in the first half of the 2023-24 season. However, he bounced back and was very good in the second half and ended up with a 36-17-2 record, .912 SV%, and 2.58 GAA. Even when he struggled, he came up with key saves on the penalty kill and late in close games. In the postseason, he was fantastic, keeping the team in games when they were outplayed and finishing with a 10-6 record with a .926 SV%, and a 2.34 GAA.

While Shesterkin has struggled, the Rangers have gotten top-level play from veteran backup goaltender Jonathan Quick. He had a seven game hitting streak that started in November and ended in December. One of those accomplishments was a 32-game shutout in a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 22. He gave them his first win and avoided allowing soft goals. He finished with an 18-6-2 record, a .911 SV%, and a 2.62 GAA.

The Rangers have to rely on Shesterkin to make the difference in close games, and he seems to excel in big moments including the playoffs. Last season he had a couple of fluctuating weeks in his stats and the hope is that he can avoid any decline this season. At his best, his positioning, ability to read plays, and quickness make him one of the best goal scorers in the NHL. In his first five seasons with the Rangers, he has kept it in games with a lot of points and has won a lot.

As he is 38 years old, there is no guarantee that Quick will play as well as he did last season but the hope is that he will give them a stable game. Like Shesterkin, he has made timely saves in close games and it will be important for him to continue to do so this season.

Rangers Special Teams

In 2023-24, the Rangers scored on 26.4 percent of their power plays, which was third best in the NHL, and they also scored 24 of their man-up chances in the postseason.

The Rangers rely heavily on their first power play unit consisting of Vincent Trocheck, Mika Zibanejad, Adam Fox, Artemi Panarin, and Chris Kreider. The unit will remain the same this season. Trocheck was excellent on faceoffs, Panarin and Fox are two of the NHL’s best players from the position, and Zibanejad has a heavy shot. Kreider puts the ball in front of the net and his strength makes it difficult for opponents to clear the crease. He scores a lot on deflections and rebounds.

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Last season the Rangers rarely used a second power play unit but the emergence of Alexis Lafreniere and the return of Filip Chytil should help the team. Additionally, they have a talented young blueliner in 23-year-old Zac Jones, who can play the point. They also have a couple of big, strong forwards in Will Cuylle, Adam Edstrom, and Matt Rempe who can get to the front of the net to make screens and score on deflections or rebounds.

The Rangers were also third in the NHL in penalty kill at 84.5 percent last regular season and killed 84.2 percent of their penalties in the playoffs. A big part of that success was their incredible scoring and Trocheck made a big difference by winning key faceoffs. Their defensemen were rarely out of position and their forwards made it difficult for opponents to carry the puck in the offensive zone. Kreider and Zibanejad used their speed to create short scoring opportunities.

Barclay Goodrow, one of Rangers’ reliable killers last season, is now with the San Jose Sharks but they have options to cover him including Sam Carrick and the recently signed Edstrom. With Jimmy Vesey and Ryan Lindgren currently injured, the new players will get ice time while they are cut, but the team still has all the tools to be successful on the penalty kill this season.

For Advance Guards

The Rangers look to pick up where they left off in the regular season after finishing 55-23-4 in 2023-24. They still have the same guard tandem and core group of players. They weren’t even a dominant team but excellent special teams and scoring made them a great team. With the same group of players, they should be able to continue to rely on Shesterkin, Quick, and special teams again this season.