Not too long ago, the consensus around the New York Rangers this season was that they were an unlucky team bound to break out on the scoresheet and translate into winning hockey. Now, that trend has, for the most part, flipped, and in recent games, the Rangers have gotten away from their strong play, which should at least draw some concern.
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The 13-12-2 record is now starting to paint a clearer picture of the season so far, although it’s still early and tough to jump to conclusions just yet.
Two Weeks Make a Drastic Difference
To say the least, November has been a wild month if you look at the record alone. Last month, the Rangers had two three-game winning streaks and one four-game losing streak. One word to describe it – volatility.
Forget that the Rangers have just two wins at home with over a quarter of the season finished, and how pathetic the team looked in a 12-shot performance at Madison Square Garden in a loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, who were missing their top players in Ryan McDonagh, Brayden Point and Victor Hedman.
That may seem bad enough, but it goes beyond that game, with the underlying numbers continuing to collapse. On Nov. 10, the Rangers were sitting fourth overall in the league in expected goal percentage, while allowing the third fewest high-danger chances. Meanwhile, fast-forward to today, and those categories have drastically changed, with the team now ranking 24th and 15th in those categories, respectively, according to Natural Stat Trick.
While the recent play is concerning, here’s the silver lining: the power play is starting to heat up again. The unit now ranks 12th in the NHL after not too long ago ranking near the bottom of the league.
More Time Needed to Evaluate
So far, it’s been nearly impossible to get a gauge on the 2025-26 Rangers. The overall trend isn’t heading the right way, despite posting wins in three of the last four games.
But the reality is, we need more time to see what this team truly is. Are they one that’s going to be dependent solely on special teams and goaltending? Will they go back to their strong overall structure? Is the recent play a sign of what’s to come? Or can a balance be found?
The good news is Will Borgen appears to be healthy now. At five-on-five, the 6-foot-3, 199-pounder ranks third amongst Rangers defensemen this season in expected goals for (xGF), commanding a rate of 51.51 percent.
But that comes with an unfortunate event: Adam Fox was slow to get up after taking a hit into the boards on Saturday. The 2021 Norris Trophy winner’s absence will undoubtedly create a massive hole in the lineup – but at the same time, it could give prospect Scott Morrow a chance to showcase his skillset and adjust to the NHL. On the bright side, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported on X that Fox’s injury will not be season-ending and is only week-to-week. But still, the Rangers will need to manage in the short term without him.
Looked like Adam Fox’s left arm gets crunched by Hagel.
— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) November 29, 2025
He’s still in the #NYR locker room. pic.twitter.com/jvaQLfA69S
The dramatic drop-off in play has been alarming with the group. Now, head coach Mike Sullivan will need to adjust without his best defenseman. Yes, the power play has been improving, but the Rangers will need someone to quarterback the first unit. Perhaps Morrow, who played this role successfully in his stardom college days with UMass, will be able to keep the power play at least functional.
The problems go beyond Fox’s injury. The Rangers, as of late, have been getting hemmed in their own zone for extended periods and relying on goaltending to bail them out. Adjustments must be made, and the hope is that Borgen’s return will stabilize the blue line for the short term. Anywhere the coaching staff thinks it can get help within the system must be considered, which may include calling up top prospects Gabe Perreault and Brennan Othmann. Right now, the roughly .500 record just about accurately defines the Rangers – a mediocre hockey club, but they will get the opportunity to change that.
