ROAD RANGERS
Boasting a 4-0-0 record this year on the road, the Rangers have continued their road strong play from the last few years. New York has scored 5.50 goals per game on the road this season, the most in the NHL, and their eight road points rank tied for second in the league.
On the road last year, the Blueshirts had a 25-12-4 record for 54 points. It marked the fifth time in team history they had 25 or plus road wins in a year. Their 25 road wins ranked tied for third in the NHL.
PANARIN’S POINTS
Artemi Panarin has 15 points (6G-9A) on the year and points in all eight games this season. He joins Nathan MacKinnon (13 GP in 2019-20 & 9 GP in 2018-19) as the second active player to record a season-opening point streak of at least eight games in consecutive seasons (also 15 GP in 2023-24).
Panarin ranks tied for second in the NHL in points per game (1.88) and tied for third in points (15).
Panarin was the first player in franchise history to record multiple points in each of the first four games of a season. The only other active player to accomplish the feat is Connor McDavid in 2021-22 (6-5—11 in 4 GP).
Panarin’s 38 multi-point games since the beginning of last season are the fifth most in the NHL.
Among NHL skaters since 2015-16, has the second most assists (525) and fifth most points in the NHL (796).
In addition, Panarin’s 56 three-point games since joining the Rangers in 2019-20 are the third most among all players through that span. Connor McDavid (83) and Leon Draisaitl (66) rank first and second.
LIVE, LAF, LOVE
Alexis Lafreniere agreed to terms on a seven-year contract extension on October 25.
He has points (4G-4A) in seven of his eight games to start the season. With his five game point streak to begin the season, he tied Tomas Sandstrom (5 GP in 1986-87) and Mike McEwen (5 GP in 1978-79) for the second-longest season-opening point streak by a Rangers player age 23 or younger.
Among Rangers skaters this season, Lafrenière ranks first in even strength goals (4), second in even strength points (8), third in goals and tied for second in points.
On October 12 against Utah, Lafreniere skated in his 300th career NHL game.
Since his rookie season in 2020-21, he has the fifth most points on the Blueshirts (156) and in that same frame, ranks third on the Rangers in even strength goals (74) and even strength points (144).
Last year, Lafreniere had a career high in goals (28), assists (29) and points (57) in 2022-23 and was one of five players on New York to play in all 82 games. On the Rangers, he ranked second in even strength goals (26) and third in even-strength points (51).
PUCK STOPPING SHESTERKIN
Igor Shesterkin has four wins on the young season, allowing one or fewer goals three of four victories.
Since the beginning of last season, the 21 games in which Shesterkin has allowed one or fewer goals rank first among NHL goaltenders.
Since the 2021-22 season, Shesterkin has ranked among the best in the NHL.
FANTASTIC MR. FOX
Adam Fox has eight assists in his last seven games, including two three-assist games.
Since 2019-20, Fox ranks tied for second in the NHL in assists (263) and fifth in points (316). In that span, he has 75 multi- point games, which ranks fourth among NHL defensemen.
Last season, Fox set a career-high in 17 goals and posted 56 assists and 73 points last season. He scored the most goals by a Rangers defenseman since Brian Leetch in 2000-01 (21). Among NHL blueliners, he ranked tied for sixth in goals, sixth in points, and eighth in assists.
KREIDING INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS
Chris Kreider has five goals in his first eight games of his 13th season, including his 46th career game-winning goal which tied Jean Ratelle for the second most in franchise history.
Kreider has 111 career power play goals, the second most in franchise history.
Since 2021-22, Kreider’s 10 shorthanded goals are tied for the most in the NHL (Travis Konecny, Adrian Kempe) and his 53 power play goals rank third.
FORECHECK, BACKCHECK, TROCHECK
Vincent Trocheck has seven points (2G-5A) through the first eight games of the season, including his fourth career four-point game on October 17 at Detroit. Among skaters with 150 or more faceoffs, Trocheck ranks fourth in faceoff percentage (57.3).
Trocheck sits one goal away from 200 in his career.
In 2023-24, Trocheck posted a career-high in assists (52) and points (77). On New York, he finished fifth in goals, third in assists and second in points. With a 58.7 percent clip in the faceoff dot, Trocheck had the fourth highest percentage in the NHL among players who took 700 or more draws.
Trocheck was named last year’s winner of the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award, which is presented annually to the Ranger who, as chosen by the fans, “goes above and beyond the call of duty.”
MIKA’S MISSION
Mika Zibanejad is in his ninth season with the Rangers after being acquired ahead of the 2016-17 season. In that time frame, Zibanejad ranks fifth in the NHL in power play goals with 101 which is also the fifth most in Rangers history.
On October 19 in Toronto, Zibanejad became the 13th player in Rangers history to notch 300 assists with the team. He has six points (2G-4A) in his last six five games.
