5 keys to success for the New York Rangers in the 2023-24 NHL season
Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin skates against the Islanders in preseason game at UBS Arena last month. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
After their surprise run to the Eastern Conference finals in 2022, the Rangers took a step back in 2023, getting bounced out of the playoffs in the first round by the Devils. Now they enter the 2023-24 season looking to bounce back from last spring’s devastating loss with a new coach, Peter Laviolette, guiding the way. Here are five keys to the Rangers rebounding this season:
1 Igor Shesterkin needs to be more like the player he was in 2021-22.
The 27-year-old goaltender put up record numbers two seasons ago when he won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s best goaltender and was a finalist for the Hart Trophy as league MVP. His 2.07 goals-against average and .935 save percentage that season both led the league, and his save percentage set a record for a Rangers goaltender.
But he started slowly last season, and though he was selected to play in the All-Star Game, his 2.48 GAA and .916 save percentage were relatively pedestrian for him. He came to camp this year vowing to be more relaxed and less hard on himself. He was razor-sharp in practices and had a 1.88 GAA and .913 save percentage in the preseason.
Playing behind a tighter defensive system, if Shesterkin is the goaltender he was two seasons ago, he can carry the Rangers far.
2 Artemi Panarin needs to find centerman chemistry.
The Russian winger, who has led the Rangers in scoring in each of his four seasons with the team, was practically distraught after the seven-game playoff loss to the Devils last spring. He had two assists in Game 1 and then didn’t score again. Panarin had wonderful chemistry with Ryan Strome for the three years they were together, but his connection with Strome’s replacement, Vincent Trocheck, wasn’t instantly fruitful last season. Panarin also hasn’t made magic with No. 1 center Mika Zibanejad in their limited time together at five-on-five. Coach Peter Laviolette seems to want to try Panarin with former Kid Line center Filip Chytil, and if they can click — or if Laviolette tries Panarin with Zibanejad at some point and that works — that could mean big things.
3 The Kids need to grow up.
Former coach Gerard Gallant was hesitant to trust the young trio of Alexis Lafreniere, Chytil and Kaapo Kakko in top-six forward roles, preferring to keep them all together on the third line. All are eager for bigger roles and more ice time, and Laviolette has promised he’ll give them that opportunity. Kakko looked good on the top line in the preseason and Chytil, who missed most of the preseason with an injury, seems set to start the season on a line with Panarin. Lafreniere switched from left wing to right wing in the preseason in the hopes that he could find a spot on one of the top two lines. He had a quiet preseason and looks as if he’ll be back at left wing, and back on the third line, to start the regular season. If the other Kids live up to their promotions, however, the Rangers’ offense will be potent.
4 K’Andre Miller needs to turn into a monster.
The 6-5, 210-pound defenseman made a big jump in his third season, totaling nine goals and 43 points, then signed a two-year, $7.74 million bridge contract over the summer. Laviolette has installed the 23-year-old as the point man on the second power-play unit, which should mean an opportunity to improve on his point totals. The coach experimented during the preseason by pairing Miller with No. 1 defenseman Adam Fox, and if those two play together at the points in the season, that could mean even more opportunities for Miller.
5 Laviolette needs to motivate them all season.
Laviolette, 58, is coaching his sixth team, and all of his teams have shown major improvement in his first season or two. He’s very detailed, and the players will be well prepared for every game. If he can get the players playing to their potential and make a few well-timed adjustments or corrections when things go off-track in games, the Rangers could be a real threat this season.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
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