The Rangers going from Presidents’ Trophy winners to a borderline sideshow was greater than sufficient trigger for concern this season.
In evaluating the on-ice analytics utterly separate from the whole lot else that factored into this misplaced 2024-25 marketing campaign, nevertheless, the extent of concern is barely amplified.
A lot in order that it paints a dire image of how a lot work president and normal supervisor Chris Drury has to do that offseason to revive the Blueshirts as a Stanley Cup contender.
The Publish’s Mollie Walker identifies three of essentially the most regarding statistics from the season.
1. 17.6 power-play proportion
Ending the season ranked twenty eighth within the NHL, the Rangers energy play was shockingly unhealthy. When you think about how essential it’s been to the group’s success lately, watching gamers who used to mechanically discover the web battle to even maintain the zone was obvious.
The ability play has turn into increasingly predictable for opponents because the years have gone on, however the menace to attain was not often there to start with.
The truth that they drew the eighth-fewest power-play alternatives (210) is a testomony to how little the Rangers had the puck throughout five-on-five play. The seven shorthanded targets they gave up have been additionally tied for the fourth most within the league.
After such little personnel motion the previous few years, head coach Peter Laviolette made a number of modifications to each models over the course of the season to attempt to get it going. Nonetheless, the highest unit virtually at all times began.
Moreover, of the seven 5v3 alternatives they earned, the Rangers capitalized on simply two of them.
2. 5 targets or extra allowed a staggering 23 instances
For the numbers individuals on the market, the Rangers allowed 5 targets or extra in roughly 28.05 % of the 82-game season. There are a number of different stats that specify why this was the case, however solely those that watched the Blueshirts carefully this season know that they don’t inform the entire story.
The Rangers buckled within the face of adversity this season. No, they folded. There have been so many video games that obtained so out of hand as a result of if one factor went unsuitable, all the group would merely shut down. They misplaced their resilience, and because of this, scores have been run up on them on a number of events.
Tied for the fifth-most photographs in opposition to per sport (29.9), the Rangers additionally completed the season with the fifth-highest expected-goals-against per 60 (2.75).
3. Every of their high six scorers from final season — Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, Adam Fox, Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafrenière — completed with AT LEAST 10 factors much less.
Zibanejad might have solely gone from 72 factors to 62, however the Swedish heart took a dramatic dip defensively and was one of many group’s least efficient skaters for a very good portion of the season. Fox might have solely skilled a 12-point dip in two extra video games, however their high two-way defenseman didn’t rating his first non-empty-net purpose till Jan. 9, and hasn’t been the identical since his knee accidents from 2023-24.
Essentially the most drastic drop-off belonged to Kreider, who posted 45 fewer factors this season in 14 fewer video games on account of accidents and one wholesome scratch. He recorded a mere three main assists and simply seven five-on-five targets.
Trocheck skilled an 18-point regression, whereas Lafrenière went from 57 to 45 factors after signing a seven yr, $52.15 million contract extension. The Rangers wanted much more from Trocheck, who didn’t play with the chew that made the membership need to signal him within the first place.
The 12-point distinction in Lafrenière’s previous two seasons might not appear to be a lot, however the 2020 first-overall decide all however disappeared after he signed his extension on Oct. 25.
Panarin was the Rangers’ main producer for a sixth straight season, however went from a profession excessive of 120 factors to simply 89.
