NY Rangers Wisely Seen as One of the Most Improved Teams in NHL

The New York Rangers have been seen as one of the most improved teams in the NHL. Is that correct?

Jan 14, 2021; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers players huddle around the center ice logo as they prepare for the home opener against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden. / USA TODAY Sports

With the dust starting to settle from a busy offseason, the New York Rangers have to be pleased with how things have gone this summer. This was a franchise that wanted to improve, and they have certainly accomplished that. Now, just how much did the team improve this offseason?

Coming off a terrible year, it was no secret that the Rangers wanted to get better. Chris Drury spoke about this summer being a retool and not a rebuild, and that was certainly the case.

New York was able to use both their draft capital and cap space in order to reshape the team in a positive way. With the prospect pool for the Rangers still being a bit of a work in progress, they were able to get creative with some of their deals in order to move some veterans to help for both next season and in the future as well. 

While the team might still look to add one or two more players in either free agency or perhaps a trade, this is a team that looks much better on paper. 

Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about the most improved teams this offseason. With the Nashville Predators coming in first, it was the Rangers right behind him. 

New York Has Fantastic Offseason

NY Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury speaks during a press conference to introduce new head coach Mike Sullivan at the MSG Training Center in Tarrytown, New York May 8, 2025. / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Seeing the Rangers being ranked as the second-most improved team is certainly fair, and New York should be really proud of what they have been able to accomplish this summer. 

Starting things off, the team addressed their biggest need in the top six with the addition of Pavel Dorofeyev. The 25-year-old forward from the Vegas Golden Knights was able to record 37 goals last season and instantly provides New York with a nice jolt offensively. 

Furthermore, the team was able to add veteran Oliver Bjorkstrand on a very team-friendly one-year deal. He is also capable of helping them offensively and is a strong middle-six forward. 

On the blueline, the additions of Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi give the Rangers a much-improved second-pair compared to last year. Improving in this area was a goal for the team, and adding these two players will certainly help with that. 

Overall, there is plenty to like about what the team was able to accomplish. While they did trade three first-round picks, they really improved, and two of those picks went for the 25-year-old Dorofeyev, who is going to be part of the team long-term.