NY Rangers Receive Shockingly Poor Placement in NHL Power Rankings

Where should the New York Rangers be placed with the start of the season one month away?

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 are getting set for the upcoming season, and the pressure will be on to be a better team than last year. However, not everyone is optimistic about what the team might be able to accomplish. 

Coming off a year to forget, the Rangers were one of the most aggressive teams in the league this summer. With draft capital and cap space, the possibilities for the team to get better were endless, and there was no shortage of needs for the team. 

Fortunately, Chris Drury seemingly did a good job with the beginning of his retooling plan. While New York isn’t going to be a Stanley Cup contender, the hope is that they will be improved. 

While it isn’t easy to go from being in last place to being a playoff contender, that is certainly the goal for the Rangers. However, while some are optimistic this can happen, others believe the team still might be a ways off, which would raise some major concerns.  

Lyle Fitzsimmons of Bleacher Report recently released an NHL Power Rankings heading into September. For the Rangers, they shockingly came in near the bottom of the league at 27th. 

New York Should Be Higher

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

After what appears to be a very strong offseason on paper, the Rangers still being ranked as one of the worst teams in the league is surprising. With a ranking of 27th, that would mean that New York would have the sixth-worst record in the league. 

Being near a potential top five pick for the second year in a row would be considered a massive failure for the Rangers. This was a team that traded away three first-round picks this summer, and if they aren’t significantly better because of it, they would be in big trouble not only for the short-term, but the long-term as well. 

With the additions of Pavel Dorofeyev, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Sean Durzi, and Marcus Pettersson, the Rangers have added talent for both their forward group and on the blueline. 

Furthermore, fifth overall pick Alberts Smits might be able to come in and help this season as well. Pairing all of the new faces with established stars like Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin should result in success for New York. 

While they will have to go out and prove what they can do on the ice, it would be surprising to see them finish that low once again if the team stays healthy.