The Rangers Return to the Ice: What Can We Expect from the 2023-2024 Season?
The New York Rangers are gearing up for another season of high expectations as they hit the ice this month. After an electrifying finish in the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2021-2022 season followed by a disappointing first-round exit in 2022-2023, the Rangers find themselves somewhere in between a Stanley Cup-contending team and a club still working to prove themselves. So, what would a successful 2023-2024 season look like for the Rangers?
If we’re judging success based on playoff results, the Rangers will need to at least make it out of the first round to feel like the season wasn’t a total failure. This should be the bare minimum expectation for the team. Another early exit from the playoffs would raise serious questions about the team’s potential and make their run to the conference finals two seasons ago seem like a fluke. While that run was inspiring, it set a high bar for an organization that was in the midst of a rebuild not too long ago. The Rangers’ unexpected success in 2022 established a new standard of success that was hard to meet last season.
However, success isn’t solely determined by playoff performance. The Rangers’ adaptation and cohesion under new head coach Peter Laviolette will be closely watched. The team needs to establish a solid foundation under the new coaching staff and show progress for future seasons. A breakout season from young stars Alexis Lafreniere and/or Kaapo Kakko would also provide some consolation for an early playoff exit, demonstrating that the team has promising talent moving forward.
While a deep playoff run would be ideal, establishing a strong connection between the coach and players would be a valuable alternative goal. It’s important to consider that the NHL is a results-driven league. The Rangers are in the early stages of their championship window, but with an aging core and limited cap resources, the opportunity may not be as large as it once was.
If you want to catch a game, tickets for all upcoming Rangers games can be found here.
Mailbag
Recently, I asked for questions on my Texts from the Blue Seats text-message conversation with Sports+ members (join here). Here are some interesting queries:
- Is Patrick Kane coming back to the Rangers?
My dear followers, whether it’s me or my colleague Larry Brooks writing, the answer is highly unlikely. While you can never say never in this business, the chances of Kane re-signing with the Rangers for the 2023-2024 season are extremely low. - Will the team’s style of play be noticeably different under Peter Laviolette?
The NHL is a copycat league, so don’t expect a complete change in the team’s play. However, it’s likely that we will see more structure and purpose in the Rangers’ game under Laviolette, focusing on an aggressive, puck-possession style of hockey. - Who will have a breakout year?
I’m keeping an eye on Kaapo Kakko. Training camp starts in late September, in about two weeks. - Why didn’t the Rangers spend more in free agency?
President and General Manager Chris Drury had to carefully manage the team’s salary cap to remain compliant. Signing Blake Wheeler for only $800,000 is a testament to the Rangers’ competitive position. The team couldn’t afford to sign players with higher contracts and still maintain lineup depth. - Will the salary cap be raised?
The salary cap will increase by $1 million this season to $83.5 million. It is projected to increase by $4 million for the 2024-2025 season to $87.5 million. - What about the defense?
Erik Gustafsson is expected to have an edge over Zac Jones for the sixth defenseman role due to his experience and ties to Laviolette. However, Jones will still have the opportunity to prove himself, while Matthew Robertson is not currently in the mix. The Rangers need to balance Jones’ development with the priority of winning games.
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