When a series of consecutive losses begins to derail a season, it can lead to a great deal of frustration for any team. The New York Rangers are experiencing this as they attempt to address their problems while refuting claims that they intend to fire their general manager.
Currently, the Rangers have a record of 15-15-1 after a tough stretch that saw them go 3-11-0 in their last 14 games. They’ve slipped to 11th place in the Eastern Conference and sixth in the Metropolitan Division. In December, the Rangers executed two trades: they dealt captain Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks on December 6 and forwarded Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday, receiving two lower-tier defensemen and three draft picks for next June — none higher than the third round.
Frustration within the team is evident.
After a humiliating 5-1 defeat to the Los Angeles Kings at Madison Square Garden on December 14, the players convened for a private meeting that sparked social media speculation about its content. Reports suggested that players were not critical of coach Peter Laviolette but were frustrated with president and general manager Chris Drury over his handling of the Trouba situation, following a similar controversial decision regarding Barclay Goodrow’s departure last summer. However, Vincent Trocheck, one of the Rangers’ alternate captains, clarified what was discussed in the meeting.
“That couldn’t be more inaccurate. When we have a closed-door meeting among players, our focus is not on complaining about our general manager,” Trocheck stated, according to Mollie Walker of the New York Post. “Those meetings are about us and what we can do to improve our performance. We’re in a tough spot, and it’s about finding solutions, not blaming management. Chris is doing his best to give us a winning roster.”
Trocheck emphasized that the responsibility lies with the players.
“We are the ones on the ice, and it’s our job to execute. I wanted to clarify that point because there’s a lot of misinformation circulating about our team, and it frustrates me to see it,” he added.
Drury met privately with each player on Thursday in Dallas before addressing the whole team for the first time since their recent slump. Afterward, Laviolette noted that the Rangers appeared to be uniting and enjoyed a productive practice that concluded with a full-team shootout. The Rangers aim to break a three-game losing streak when they face the Stars at the American Airlines Center on Friday night.
“It was encouraging,” Laviolette said. “Guys were energized and working hard. Everyone needs to find a way to overcome this. Practicing like that, with a lighter intensity, allows us to just play and get back into the groove. Winning is the best solution, and we need to start that [Friday night].”
Earlier in the season, the Rangers scored 61 goals in their first 17 games, averaging 3.58 per game. During their 14-game slump, they managed only 31 goals (2.21 per game) while allowing 52 goals against (3.71 per game). As of Thursday, they ranked 22nd in goals scored and 15th in goals allowed.
The game against Dallas marks the beginning of a challenging stretch where the Rangers will face three of the top 12 NHL teams (the Stars, Carolina Hurricanes, and New Jersey Devils) in the four days leading up to the Christmas break on December 24. They need to resolve their issues on both offense and defense to avoid falling behind in the playoff race, especially in light of the roster changes Drury has made this month.
