NY Rangers Receive Bold Playoff Prediction From NHL Scout

Will the New York Rangers be able to make the playoffs this season?

Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan speaks to reporters after a 4-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers are coming off an incredibly disappointing 2025-26 season.

Not only did they miss the playoffs for a second straight year, but they also finished in last place in the Eastern Conference. That meant having a lot of work to do with the roster this offseason to get things back on track.

While there were some missteps by team president and general manager Chris Drury along the way, there is no doubt that the floor of the team has been raised. Their talent level has increased, and head coach Mike Sullivan has a better roster to work with.

The question is: Has enough been done for the Rangers to get back into the playoffs? One scout who spoke to Peter Baugh and Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic (subscription required) certainly believes so.

NHL scout believes Rangers will make playoffs

Apr 13, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; New York Rangers right wing Gabe Perreault (94) celebrates with left wing Alexis Lafreniere (13) after scoring against the Florida Panthers during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I would say they’re in,” Scout 2 added. “There’s no way it’s going to go sideways like last year at the start.”

The start that the scout is referring to is when New York went 3-5-2 out of the gate and failed to score a goal in their first three games at Madison Square Garden. Adding more scoring punch was on their to-do list this offseason, and they achieved that.

Pavel Dorofeyev was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights in a trade, and the team signed Oliver Bjorkstrand as a free agent. That duo has the potential to score 60+ goals combined, raising the offensive potential.

The Rangers also made major improvements to their defensemen depth chart. Last season, the loss of Adam Fox to an injury derailed the team’s performance at the blueline. Vladislav Gavrikov had a career season, but Braden Schneider failed when thrust into a larger role.

No one was going to be able to replicate what Fox brought to the team, but seeing the defense crumble in the fashion it did was concerning. Marcus Pettersson, acquired from the Vancouver Canucks, and Sean Durzi, part of the return package from the Utah Mammoth for Vincent Trocheck, will slide right into the No. 2 pairing.

Healthy Igor Shesterkin will propel Rangers to success

Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin (31) guards the net against the Washington Capitals during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Of course, staying healthy is important. Along with Fox, goalie Igor Shesterkin, Trocheck and J.T. Miller all missed time and battled injuries. Having your most impactful players out of the lineup will hurt any team.

And as long as Shesterkin is in net, one executive believes New York has a chance to make the playoff field.

“We’re not talking about challenging for the (Metropolitan Division),” he said. “We’re talking about battling for playoff spots.”

An excellent goalie and good defensive scheme can help compensate for a lot of issues. The Rangers now look to have both in place to anchor the team’s success.