The New York Rangers had a successful season last year, but maintaining that level of performance could be challenging with these three players likely to decline.
The New York Rangers had an impressive 2023-24 season. Artemi Panarin nearly scored 50 goals, they won the President’s Trophy, and they finished just six wins shy of the Stanley Cup—outperforming 29 other teams. However, much of their success relied on career-best performances from veteran players, which is unlikely to be sustainable. Consequently, expecting them to repeat as Metropolitan Division champions or claim the President’s Trophy again may be overly optimistic.
Panarin’s exceptional season is unlikely to be replicated. At this stage in his career, he doesn’t have the youthful energy of players like Alexis Lafreniere, who is expected to improve. While it’s reasonable to anticipate Panarin reverting to his career averages, expecting him to approach 50 goals or challenge Jaromir Jagr’s single-season points record for the Rangers is unrealistic. It’s rare for players to improve in their 30s.
Vincent Trocheck was another key contributor, but like Panarin, he’s also on the wrong side of 30 and coming off his best season, with 25 goals and 52 assists for 75 points. This was only the second time he’s surpassed 70 points, with the last occurrence seven years ago. Expecting him to match this output again seems unlikely.
Jonathan Quick is yet another veteran who excelled last season, rejuvenated under the guidance of goaltending coach Benoit Allaire. However, with Allaire stepping back from daily coaching duties, Quick’s performance is likely to regress. At 38, he’s far removed from his Conn Smythe-winning days that brought the Los Angeles Kings two Stanley Cups. Without Allaire’s full-time influence, expecting him to maintain his previous level of play is more hopeful than realistic.
While Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Igor Shesterkin are expected to rebound from subpar performances, the Rangers could still see declines from their other veterans. Younger players like Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, and Braden Schneider will need to step up. With the improvement of rival teams, winning the Metropolitan Division will be a tough challenge.
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