It appears as though the New York Rangers, who have already struggled badly with putting together consistent efforts in their first campaign under new head coach Mike Sullivan, may have hit rock bottom after one of the worst losses in franchise history on Saturday against the Boston Bruins.
By the time the horn sounded to mercifully put an end to the contest, the Rangers had surrendered a total of 10 goals as part of a 10-2 setback at Boston’s TD Garden.
With the loss, the Rangers now stand at 20-20-6, and are only three points ahead of the last-place Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division standings. They’re also six points back of the final Wild Card playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.
Not only was this not what was expected when Rangers general manager Chris Drury terminated coach Peter Laviolette and hired Mike Sullivan, but their struggles on home ice could be what ultimately prove to be their undoing for the season.
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New York Rangers Forced To Admit The Sad Truth After Their Latest Embarrassing Loss
Following their latest humiliating loss, the Rangers were forced to come to grips with the reality of their current unideal situation.
“We’re all grown men with pride and egos and that’s as bad as it gets,” team captain J.T Miller said afterward. “The only thing that matters now is that this should sting. … This should make you want to puke and then respond tomorrow and the next day. The only thing that matters is the response.”
As far as Sullivan is concerned, it’s up to the entire team to come up with the solution for what currently ails them.
“Obviously, no one wants to go through a humbling experience like we just did,” a dejected Sullivan said. “These guys care about what’s going on and it’s not easy when you don’t have success, or don’t live up to expectations. When that doesn’t happen, everyone feels it.”
Since beating the Florida Panthers by a 5-2 final score in Miami in the NHL’s 2026 Winter Classic, the Rangers have dropped three straight contests and done further harm to their already perilous position in the Eastern Conference standings.
“I’m not going to sit here and point fingers on why we’re at where we’re at,” Sullivan said. “Where we’re at is because of all of us and we’ve got to figure out the solutions to try to get back on the right track and give ourselves a chance.
“Here’s what I know: We’re a way better team than we put on the ice today, and for whatever reason, it was a struggle,” he said. “I don’t have the answers on why, but we’ll work with the players, we’ll dig in and we’ll find a way to play to the level we think we’re capable of.”
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The Rangers Could Very Well Miss The Playoffs Again This Season
The Rangers are already severely shorthanded thanks to the unavailability of goaltender Igor Shesterkin and top defenseman Adam Fox, both of whom are on Injured Reserve.
The Rangers made the aforementioned coaching change at the end of last season after they missed the postseason, only a year removed from advancing to the 2024 Eastern Conference Final.
But if they can’t figure things out quickly, the Rangers are faced with the very real possibility of two straight seasons on the outside looking in at the postseason.
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