TOP RANGERS SCORERS IN PRESEASON
Chris Kreider - 5 Pts (3G-2A)
Filip Chytil - 4 Pts (2G-2A)
Zac Jones - 3 Pts (2G-1A)
Adam Edstrom - 3 Pts (2G-1A)
Jacob Trouba - 3 Pts (3A)
RANGERS SCORE THREE IN THE FIRST, BEAT BOSTON AT MSG
In their third preseason game and second at home, the Rangers scored three goals in the first and tacked on one in the second and third to remain perfect in the exhibition season.
Both Brennan Othmann and Chris Kreider scored a goal and notched an assist while Jonathan Quick played the first two periods of the game.
FIRST GARDEN PARTY
The Rangers returned home to MSG last Tuesday where last season they were 30-11-0, tying the franchise record for the most home wins (1970-71), and came away with a dramatic 6-4 victory against the Islanders.
After trailing 3-0 after two periods, the Blueshirts responded with a six goal third frame. Chris Kreider and Zac Jones both recorded three points (2G-1A) while Adam Edstrom and Jacob Trouba each had two points.
In the win, both Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick saw their first action of the preseason.
BEANTOWN TO BEGIN
For their preseason opener, the Rangers shipped up to Boston for a Sunday evening affair and came away with a 3-2 win.
Victor Mancini and Filip Chytil led the way for the Blueshirts, each recording one goal and one assist. Dylan Garand and Louis Domingue split time in net for New York, each allowing one goal.
63 PLAYERS INVITED TO TRAINING CAMP, 45 REMAIN
The Rangers invited 63 players to Training Camp this season, made up of 36 forwards, 21 defensemen and six goaltenders. Of the 63 players, 28 played in at least one game for the Blueshirts last season.
Of the 63 players, 45 remain in camp (27 forwards, 14 defensemen, four goaltenders).
NEWBIES
On July 1, the Rangers signed forward Sam Carrick and acquired forward Reilly Smith in a trade with Pittsburgh.
Carrick, 32, tallied 10 goals and six assists for 16 points in 77 games with the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks last season. He has compiled 28 goals and 25 assists for 53 points in 240 career NHL games between the Oilers, Ducks, and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Smith, 33, tallied 13 goals and 27 assists for 40 points in 76 games for the Penguins in 2023-24. He has played parts of 13 seasons in the NHL split between the Penguins, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights, registering 513 points (213G-300A) in 840 regular- season games.
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).
- On the road, the Blueshirts had a 25-12-4 record for 54 points, 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.
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.
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 this 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
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.
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 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 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.
