There was a lot that went wrong for the New York Rangers during the 2025-26 NHL season that culminated in them finishing in last place in the Eastern Conference with only 77 points.
Positional groups on the roster underwhelmed, with the blueline being a major weakness. Injuries crippled what was already questionable depth, with defenseman Adam Fox, goalie Igor Shesterkin, and forwards Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller all missing portions of the season.
Constantly having to shuffle lineups led to a lack of cohesion and chemistry on the ice and lackluster results. Not only was the team’s production a surprise, but their struggles also raised eyebrows.
The Rangers struggled mightily when on their home ice at Madison Square Garden. New York lost its first seven games of the season at home, going 0-6-1 to set a sour tone for the entire campaign as they were shut out five times.
An offense that struggled all year long really couldn’t put the puck into the net with any regularity at MSG, which made it hard to believe that head coach Mike Sullivan believed his team was playing some great hockey; the results said otherwise.
