NY Rangers Are Finally Trending in the Right Direction

Following a strong offseason, the New York Rangers appear to be heading in the right direction.

Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan speaks to reporters after an 8-1 win against the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers have been one of the most active teams in the league this summer in trying to improve their roster. With a plethora of moves made, the team has improved. 

It has been a tough couple of years on the ice for the Rangers, who have missed the playoffs for the last two seasons. Furthermore, with the team having the worst record in the Eastern Conference, it felt like things hit a new low. 

General manager Chris Drury did speak to the fans and the media about the plan for the team being to retool and not rebuild. That announcement was certainly met with some resistance based on how the team was performing, but it has been a balancing act that he has been able to pull off. 

Drury set the team up for success with having a good amount of cap space and some nice draft capital. The Rangers were able to use this to their advantage to have a strong offseason in which they got better and got younger. 

Now, as the team starts to plan for the future, they have to be pleased with what they have been able to accomplish this summer. 

Rangers Trending in the Right Direction

Apr 15, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (23) controls the puck against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second period at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

To kick things off this summer, the Rangers made a major move to acquire Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for, most notably, two first-round draft picks. 

Considering the team came in last place in the Eastern Conference, it was a bold decision to trade draft capital. However, with the young forward being just 25 years old, there is reason to believe he is going to be a key part of the team for many years to come. Also, as a 30+ goal scorer each of the last two seasons, he will help fix a major need for New York. 

Furthermore, while the addition of Dorofeyev was the biggest splash for the team, the Rangers also addressed some needs on their blueline. The second-pair for the group has been completely revamped with the additions of Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson. 

With the addition of these two, and hopefully a healthy Adam Fox, the Rangers are going to be a far better team on the blueline on both ends of the ice. 

While this roster still might not be ready to contend for the Stanley Cup, they should be in the mix for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, assuming everyone stays healthy. For just one summer, that is an impressive turnaround for the team.