Rangers’ Retool: Can They Rise? | New York Rangers News

Corey (0:00)

On September 13, The New York Rangers are gearing up for the 2026-2027 season with a lot of new faces.

General Manager Chris Drury is calling it a retool, and he's been busy all offseason bringing in talent. The team missed the playoffs last year, finishing with 34 wins and 39 losses, and a big part of that was their defense struggling, when key player Adam Fox was out. Despite the struggles, there were bright spots. Their power play was fifth in the league, and the top line of Gabe Harrow, Mika Zibanejad, and Alexis Lafrenière showed real promise. This offseason, Drury made some significant moves, trading away Vincent Trocheck and acquiring players like Sean Durzi and Cole Beaudoin. Draft night was a big success, with the Rangers picking Alberts Šmits fifth overall and signing Pavel Dorofeyev to a long-term deal. They also brought in veteran players like Oliver Bjorkstrand and Joe Veleno on one-year contracts, looking for them to contribute immediately.

Looking at the projected lineup, the top six forwards seem strong, especially with the addition of Dorofeyev alongside Zibanejad and Lafrenière. The defense pairings are also looking more solid, with Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov leading the way. Goaltending remains anchored by Igor Shesterkin, with Junas Korpisalo expected to be the backup. Overall, expectations are tempered for the Rangers this season, but there's definitely potential.

If they can improve their execution on the ice, from finishing plays to building chemistry, they could surprise a lot of people, and maybe even make a deep playoff run.

I'm Corey with the story. That's your New York Rangers News Today update, AI-powered and always on.