NY Rangers Have Six People Make the NHL Player Tiers

The New York Rangers have a stronger roster than people give them credit for.

Apr 21, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (23) and goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) congratulate each other after defeating the Washington Capitals 4-1 in game one of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

It wasn’t very long ago that the New York Rangers were the cream of the crop in the Eastern Conference, battling the Florida Panthers for a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals.

That was going on in 2024. Fast forward just two years, and the Rangers were at the opposite end of the spectrum, bringing up the rear in the Eastern Conference with only 77 points. Something had to be done with the roster, and it was reshaped this offseason.

Heading into the 2026-27 campaign, optimism is starting to rise for New York. There are still some long-term concerns about how Chris Drury has gone about business this offseason, but there is no doubt the talent on the team has improved.

That is evident from the fact that the Rangers have six players who landed in the NHL Player Tier rankings done by The Athletic (subscription required). The 150 best players in the league were placed into five groups: MVP cornerstones, franchise pillars, All-Star candidates, the true stars and elite support.

Who are the highest-ranked players on the Rangers?

Nov 24, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (23) celebrates the 3-2 win against the St. Louis Blues with New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) during the third period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

New York has two players land in the second tier: goalie Igor Shesterkin and defenseman Adam Fox. Shesterkin is in the 2B tier for the second straight year after being in 2A in 2024. He remains an elite goaltender, good enough to carry the Rangers into the postseason with his level of performance.

Another stellar season has been predicted, with a save percentage of .908 and a Net Rating of +13.1.

Fox, who was a 1B player in 2023 and 2024, has dropped to 2C for the second consecutive year. There are still some naysayers who will knock his foot-speed style of play, but the results speak for themselves. Some evaluators believe he should be in the third tier.

Despite battling injuries last season, Fox remained a near point-per-game player. The same is expected this season, with a projected 14.2 goals and 63.8 assists, for a total of 77.9. A Net Rating of +17.8 is truly elite and is projected to be the third-best among defensemen.

Joining those two are four players who have landed in the support tier: winger Pavel Dorofeyev, centers J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad and winger Alexis Lafreniere. The first three are all in the top of the tier as 5A players, while Lafreniere is a 5C player.

Rangers have elite supporting cast behind stars

Apr 15, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad (93) (center) reacts with left wing Alexis Lafrenière (13) (left) and center J.T. Miller (8) (right) after scoring a goal 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

Dorofeyev was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights and signed to a massive seven-year extension. There will be some pressure on him to continue the goal-scoring prowess he showed previously, recording 35+ goals in back-to-back campaigns.

Miller’s first season back with the Rangers fell woefully short of expectations. He battled injuries and never got comfortable shifting roles. This season, he is locked in as the No. 2 center, and a stronger supporting cast will help with a bounce-back campaign.

Zibanejad had a nice rebound campaign in 2025-26 as one of the few bright spots. He is locked in as the No. 1 center, ready to shoulder another heavy load of responsibility.

Lafreniere has real breakout potential. It would not be a surprise to see him move up these rankings, as this is the first time in his career that he is locked into a top-line role both at even strength and on the power play.