PRESEASON IN THE PAST
New York went 4-2-0, including a 3-0-0 mark at home, in their preseason slate against the Devils, Islanders and Bruins.
2023-24 RECAP
The Rangers earned a trip to the Eastern Conference Final last season, after defeating Washington in the First Round and Carolina in the Second Round. Their playoff run came after a regular season that saw them finishing with a 55-23-4 record for 114 points.
They earned first place in the League standings for the fifth time in franchise history, won the Metro Division and eighth division title in franchise history. New York set the franchise record in wins (55) and points (114).
Other notes from the 2023-24 season include:
- The Rangers recorded a 26.4 power play percentage, the second-best mark in franchise history (1977-78) and third best in the NHL.
- With an 84.5 clip, the Blueshirts finished with the third highest penalty kill percentage in the NHL.
- New York’s 52.3 faceoff percentage ranked tied for the third highest in team history and highest since the 2007-08 season.
- The Blueshirts had a franchise record and league-high 28 comeback victories. Fourteen of the 28 came when trailing during the third period, tied for the most in the league. The Blueshirts also had 20 wins when trailing first in a game, the most in a single season in franchise history.
- The Rangers’ 106 third period goals were the eighth most in franchise history and the most since 1991-92. In the NHL, the goal number was the second best in the NHL.
- At home, New York finished with a 30-11-0 record for 60 points, tying the franchise record for the most home wins (1970-71).
BREAD WINNER
Artemi Panarin tallied a career-high 49 goals, and 71 assists for a career-high 120 points in 82 games this season. His point total was the second most for a Rangers skater in a single season (Jaromir Jagr – 123 points in 2005-06) and the fourth highest in the NHL this year.
He notched a point in 67 of his 82 games this year, establishing the franchise record for the most games with a point.
Among NHL skaters since 2015-16, has the second most assists (516) and fifth most points in the NHL (781).
FORECHECK, BACKCHECK, TROCHECK
In 2023-24, Vincent 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.”
LIVE, LAF, LOVE
Last year, Alexis 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).
When he scored a goal during the season, the Blueshirts were 21-1-1.
With 28 goals and 29 assists, was the first Rangers skater aged 22 or younger since Tony Amonte (1992-93) to have 25-plus goals and 25-plus assists in a single season.
He has the fifth most points on the Blueshirts since 2020-21 (148) and since 2020-21, ranks third on the Rangers in even strength goals (70) and fourth in even strength points (136).
PUCK STOPPING SHESTERKIN
Last season, Igor Shesterkin finished tied for third in wins (36), tied for fifth in save percentage (.913), and seventh in GAA (2.58).
He posted his third consecutive 30-win season. Only two other goaltenders in franchise history have had three 30-win campaigns in their career: Henrik Lundqvist (11) and Ed Giacomin (5).
He also finished 16-5-1 in his last 22 games of the year.
FANTASTIC MR. FOX
Adam 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 is entering his 13th season with the Rangers, which will be tied for the eighth most in team history. Rod Gilbert leads with 18 seasons.
Kreider has 110 career power play goals, the second most in franchise history.
Last year, Kreider scored 39 goals and added an additional 36 assists for 75 points in 2023-24 while changing the Rangers record books:
- Scored his 300th career goal, becoming the third player in franchise history to reach the feat (Rod Gilbert - 406, Jean Ratelle - 336).
- Surpassed Rod Gilbert (108) for the second most power play goals in franchise history.
- Played in his 800th career game on Mar. 16, becoming the 10th skater in franchise history to reach the number
- Surpassed Adam Graves for the third most goals in Rangers history (281)
- Surpassed Adam Graves for the 10th most points in team history (508)
- Recorded his 500th career point
- Surpassed Camille Henry for the fourth most road goals in franchise history (137) • Became the fifth Ranger to tally 100 career power play goals
- Recorded his 166th career goal at MSG (regular season and playoffs) to surpass Rod Gilbert for the most in the building’s history
MIKA’S MISSION
Mika Zibanejad enters 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.
Last season, he notched 40 assists in a season for the third consecutive year and 25 goals for the sixth time in his career in 2023-24.
He had double-digit power play goals (12) for a seventh straight season. The only other player that has reached 10-plus power play goals in the last seven seasons is Steven Stamkos.
