Just under 60 games into the regular season, the New York Rangers have been a consistent and dominant force on the ice for the better half of the year.
After climbing the ladder to the top of the Metropolitan Division and adding explosive rookie Matt Rempe, the group has found themselves in the spotlight. While the team was relatively strong last season, finishing third in the division with a 47-22-13 record, the group has been much more consistent this year.
The newfound success of the Rangers might not come as much of a surprise as they parted ways with head coach Gerard Gallant after 2023’s major postseason disappointment. Last year, the Rangers fell to the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the postseason.
Gallant’s replacement, Peter Laviolette, not only has a massive resume but has appeared to quickly change last season’s morale.
Laviolette, who previously coached the New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers, Nashville Predators and Washington Capitals, is no stranger to the Rangers, as he played 12 games with the franchise in the 1988-89 season.
As a coach, Laviolette has been immensely successful. With 1,430 games to his name, his 752-503-150 record favors victory. The veteran coach also ranks no. 8 all-time NHL coaching wins with 752.
Laviolette also has an encouraging record in the postseason, which is critical for New York after last season’s upset. Throughout his 21 seasons as a coach, Laviolette led his teams to the postseason 12 times. Additionally, he brought his teams to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2006, 2010 and 2017 and went on to win the 2006 Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes.
As a result of his versatility and resilience as a head coach, Laviolette has shown great promise for the future of the Rangers.
Despite their success, New York’s 10-game winning streak came to an end as they fell to the Maple Leafs this past Saturday in a 3-2 overtime upset.
Despite this unforeseen fall, New York has been skating circles around their opponents.
The team has also gained significant media attraction as rookie Rempe has become one of the main topics of conversation for the NHL. The newcomer has already made waves and sparked some controversy for the league, as he’s made his mark after appearing in just seven games. The rookie can often be found dropping his gloves to throw a punch, taking on veterans in fights and most recently, sporting a black eye.
The Canada native was called up to the NHL as an injury replacement for Blake Wheeler following a season-ending injury.
Prior to his NHL debut, Rempe was local to Connecticut, as he played in the AHL for the Hartford Wolf Pack for two seasons. During his first year in Hartford, Rempe put up six goals and four assists.
Now, the forward has already made waves in the league. Rempe made history as the first athlete to make their NHL debut at an outdoor game during the Rangers series against the Islanders.
After taking his solo lap, Rempe continued to make history. In his first-ever shift on the ice and just over one minute into the game, the rookie dropped his gloves to face off with Islanders veteran Matt Martin. After trading several punches, the officials stepped in, but Rempe already had the crowd electric.
Now, Rempe has already made a name for himself as a “fighter on the ice” after getting into several more tussles in his short time in the NHL. While the reviews are mixed and viewers appear to either love or hate him, there’s no denying the old-school spark he brings to the ice. With mixed headlines calling him a “fan favorite” and others claiming he needs to be “saved from himself,” the young star has certainly brought new heat to the game.
As for the veterans, Artemi Panarin is arguably having his best season yet. With 35 goals, 49 assists and resilience like no other, Panarin has consistently led the team to victory. Interestingly enough, the last time Panarin had similar stats was his first season with the Rangers, where he earned 32 goals and 63 assists. While the 2023-2024 season is far from over, Panarin is on the trajectory to make this year his best to date.
Coming up, the Rangers have a stacked lineup of opponents and are looking to get back on track with their previous winning streak.