If we really want to lean into the metaphor with our Rangers report card for the 2023-24 season, let’s just say the Blueshirts had some trouble with the (Eastern Conference) final exam. Will this affect your grades?
In fact.
The Rangers had a tremendous regular season – A grade above 82! – but it all ended with a disappointing loss to the Florida Panthers, one stop short of the Stanley Cup Final. They didn’t end their 30-year Cup drought with a nice bow, no matter how many 1994 calls we all dreamed of.
Here’s how the Blueshirts rank for the season:
GOALKEEPERS
Igor Shesterkin: At the start of the season, he was a little shakier than we’re used to and the Rangers gave him a much-needed reset. So he was amazing and actually the biggest reason the Rangers got this far. He had a 2.34 goals-against average in the playoffs and a .926 save percentage, regularly avoiding shooting attacks. He even put his numbers in shape in the second half of the season, finishing at 2.58 and .912, although his save percentage was the lowest of his career.
Grade A
Jonathan Quick: Future Hall of Famer as backup? Yes please. Quick shined while Shesty sat, recording a 2.62 GAA and .911 save percentage.
Grade A
ADVANCED
Artemi Panarin: He became one of the best offensive players in the NHL with a great season (49 goals, 71 assists, 120 points), but failed again in the playoffs after a strong start. He went eight straight games without scoring before the Rangers’ final goal of the tournament with 1:40 left in Game 6 against Florida. His totals were good (5-10-15) and he boxed in the game winners, but Rangers needed more from their top scorer.
Grade: B-plus
Chris Kreider: The oldest Ranger scored 39 goals to climb the club’s record books and had that head-in-the-rafts spree in Game 6 of the conference semifinals with the natural hat trick that doomed Carolina. But he only scored one goal in the ECF. The Rangers needed more of him, too.
Serie B
Mika Zibanejad: He set a regular-season baseline higher than his numbers this season (26-46-72) and then followed it up with uneven playoffs. He had three goals and 13 assists, but didn’t score a goal after Game 1 against Carolina. Yuck.
Grade: B-minus
Vicente Trocheck: Trocheck is annoying. And we mean that in a good way for the Rangers. He is difficult to play against, brave and talented. He had career highs in points (77) and assists (52) and scored 25 goals and then was the best skater in the playoffs, going 8-12-20. He helped the Rangers overcome the shortcomings of previous meetings because he is very good at points.
Grade A
Alexis Lafrenière: Welcome to the Rise of a Star. The former first-round pick, criticized by some for not exploding into the NHL stratosphere right away, is on his way now after a 28-goal season and playoffs in which he proved he’s someone to lean on. He even adopted some physicality into his game. The Rangers can use all the sandpaper they can get.
Grade: A-minus
Filip Chytil: The injury ruined his season, but he was able to return after a long recovery. He did not score all season in 10 regular season games and six playoff appearances. We will never know how much a healthy Chytil could have helped.
Note: Incomplete
Blake Wheeler: The injury also ruined his season, but he returned after a long rehabilitation. He took a penalty at ECF, but it was actually Zibanejad’s fault after a horrible turnover left the Rangers vulnerable.
Note: Incomplete
Kaapo Kakko: He was a healthy scratch in Game 3 of the ECF, which is certainly a comment on his contributions at the time and perhaps also on his future in blue. Only six Rangers have scored more than Kakko’s 13 goals, but the 23-year-old hasn’t lived up to his promise.
Grade: C-plus
Will Cuylle: He brought a solid physical game to the bottom six and led the Rangers in hits, scoring 13 times. Lots to like here going forward.
Grade: B-plus
Barclay Goodrow: A brave, courageous, stick-together guy who makes teams better by being around. He scored six goals in the playoffs, including some important goals, after scoring just four times during the season. Rangers need more like him.
Serie B
Jimmy Vesey: The Rangers missed the penalty when he was injured in the playoffs and scored 13 goals during the season and one in the playoffs.
Grade: B-minus
Jack Roslovic and Alex Wennberg: Grouped together because they were key additions at the trade deadline rather than a high-end, high-end winger. While they contributed – Wennberg scored the game-winning OT in the playoffs – the Rangers, in hindsight, needed greater impact from both.
Grade: C
Matt Rempe: Even a sneeze from Rempe during the playoffs apparently brought a whistle, so his reputation for chaos was well established even in just 17 NHL games. The Rangers used him in 11 playoff games and he received penalties in five of them, including four of the first five. But the jelly he brings could be useful. It’s certainly fun, judging by how fans have embraced it. Can he make strides in his skating this summer and cause regular damage next season?
Grade: C-plus
DEFENDERS
Adam Fox: A key part of the power play and an excellent source of offense on the blue line, it’s fair to wonder how healthy he was in the playoffs when he didn’t score. The knee blow he took in the Washington series could have had long repercussions. He had a career-high 17 goals and was third in blocks during the season.
Serie B
Braden Schneider: “Schneids” ranked second on the Rangers in blocked shots and fifth in hits and was generally sharp during the playoffs. The 22-year-old could be a blueliner on the rise.
Serie B
Jacob Trouba: The Ranger captain struggled during the playoffs, being hampered when he tried and missed a check that helped lead to Florida’s first goal in Game 6. He also took 11 penalties in 16 playoff games and was fined for a wild elbow that probably should have it was a huge penalty at the time. Still, he is the Rangers’ most fearless shot blocker, leading the team in that category for the third consecutive season, and was also second in shots.
Grade: C
Ryan Lindgren: A pulsating type of player, Lindgren’s resistance gives seriousness to the Ranger’s blue line. He was one of four Blueshirts to have more than 100 hits and blocks.
Serie B
K’André Miller: His long reach is an uncanny asset and he ranked second on the Rangers in average ice skating time, behind only Fox, and second among defensemen with eight goals. He also contributed a shortie during the playoffs. He’s only 24, so there’s more to come.
Grade: B-minus
Erik Gustafsson: Reliable for puck movement or possession, he scored six goals and 25 assists, ranking second in scoring among Ranger defensemen with 31 points. Only Raposa (73 points) had more.
Grade: B-minus
TRAINER
Pedro Lavioleta: It was a strong first season for Laviolette – the Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy, showed recovery and reached the quarterfinals before losing to a better team. He instilled daily competition in training, something the players embraced. Now, of course, he and the Rangers have to prove they can go even further in June next year.
Grade: A-minus
