NY Rangers Unfortunately Not Seen as a Sleeper Contender Next Year

Will the New York Rangers be a playoff contender next year?

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. / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers are coming off another campaign in which they missed the playoffs. As the team prepares for the offseason, the ultimate goal should be to be a contender once again. However, that might not be easy. 

As the Rangers continue to go through their retooling, the team will be seeking to have a good summer and to get things back on track for the franchise. New York will have a good opportunity to add some serious talent to their prospect pool with the fifth and 26th overall picks. 

While the Rangers have struggled a bit drafting in the lottery over the last 10 years, they will have a golden opportunity this year to change that. Furthermore, while the draft picks for the team will be important, they will also have about $26 million in cap space to be able to pursue free agents. 

This combination is a good one for the Rangers to have, but whether or not the moves they make this summer will be enough to be a contender remains to be seen. 

Adam Gretz of Bleacher Report recently predicted some teams that could be sleeper playoff contenders for next year. Unfortunately, the Rangers did not make the list. 

New York Still Has Work To Do

New York Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury / The Journal News-Imagn Images

When thinking about a team that could be a sleeper contender, they are usually a franchise that is on the upswing and is looking to take a step forward. Considering the Rangers were the last-place team in the Eastern Conference, making the playoffs next year would be a significant jump up, and that would certainly constitute a surprise. 

However, while New York will be hoping to be better, it is not going to be easy for them to be a contender next year. With the free agency class not being the strongest, the cap space for the Rangers might not be the answer for them.

When looking at the roster for New York, there are going to be a few notable spots to fill. Help in the top six will be a priority, especially in the scoring department. Unfortunately, that will be the most challenging thing for the team to try to accomplish. 

While the Rangers would love to be a playoff contender, how they attack the offseason will be key. If they aren’t able to make some significant upgrades, they likely will miss the playoffs for the third straight year.