The Rangers' season is - fortunately - close to an end. A year that began with such promise and went off the rails in November has almost completely imploded. New York's 4-0 to New Jersey on Saturday was another 60 minute microcosm of all that has gone and remains wrong with this flawed soft squad. Tonight versus Tampa could be close to the final blow.
A few thoughts:
1) Lack of heart. Soft, Lack of effort. No intestinal fortitude. Passionless. No grit, Inability to learn and adjust. Make the same mistakes over and over. Choose whichever term you want or select your own. All is accurate to describe the 2024-25 Rangers.
Coming into the season, hopes were certainly high following the run to the ECF last season. The off season waiving of Barclay Goodrow followed by the mishandling of the Jacob Trouba situation resonated more than expected in a locker room that despite the vast number of veterans has shown they are softer than Charmin. The hot start was fools gold, as we all knew the underlying could not support that record. Little did we know that the bottom would completely fall out. We expected some regression to the mean, though likely 4-15 which sabotaged the season.
A small bump following the JT Miller acquisition also proved to be gilded. Despite his in your face style of play, the majority of the team has not matched his intensity. His play has also leveled off, maybe impacted by those around him.
2) Ottawa has taken their game to another level. Montreal smells the playoffs and are on a roll. New York senses vacation and have played like they have checked out for weeks. Even a stirring overtime win Wednesday could not be replicated Saturday. New Jersey, without both Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton, have adapted to who they have, clamping down defensively and counter-attacking to score. Changing to accommodate personnel, limiting opportunities, finding a way to maximize current talent and notching a win, novel concept in these parts.
3) As bad as the team has been, the scary part is if the previously renowned power play had been anywhere close to its prior reputation, New York might be in a playoff spot. Instead,this is not a misprint, they are for 2-for-their-last 42. In fact, they have given up more shorthanded goals in that stretch than they have scored on the man-advantage, But hey, they had good looks and we are just going to keep rolling out the same personnel with the same system and don't make any changes because it;s been working so well.
4) Ottawa has all but clinched a playoff spot. Montreal is now six points north of New York, who has a game in hand. Does any of us truly believe New York can A) string together several wins in a row and B) even if they can, find a way to catch Montreal? Let's suspend belief and say both are possible, do we want this team to make the post-season?
New York Rangers Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»