Successful Road Trip Highlights Why NY Rangers Can Be Playoff Team

The New York Rangers should be pleased with how they were able to perform on their recent road trip and what it means for the team going forward.

Nov 13, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; New York Rangers goalie Dylan Garand (33) handles the puck against the Vancouver Canucks in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers wrapped up their road trip with a convincing win over the Vancouver Canucks, going 3-1 in an ideal scenario. 

Coming into their road trip, the Rangers were starting to play a bit better after going through a bit of a funk. Following the injury to Igor Shesterkin, there was a lot of concern about the goalie situation, and Dylan Garand’s usage was through the roof. 

However, Joonas Korpisalo has returned and has won both of the games that he has started so far. Furthermore, one of the reasons for some of the struggles was breakdowns in the defensive zone and really just not playing their brand of hockey. 

The Rangers are never going to be the most explosive offense in the league, and a lot of their success is going to be from playing and winning tight games with their defense. 

While it might have been the offense that shined on Friday night against the Canucks, New York also only allowed one goal in the victory. Now, the team will be heading back home, and they are officially at the quarter mark of the season. This road trip was a great swing for them, and the Rangers are solidifying that they can compete. 

Rangers Head Home With Momentum 

Nov 13, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (40) battles with New York Rangers forward Tye Kartye (24) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Following the 3-1 road trip, New York now has a record of 12-8-1 at the quarter-mark of the season. The Metropolitan Division was not expected to be great this season, and the door figured to be open if the Rangers were a better team to contend for a playoff spot. 

That has been the case with New York in third place in the Metro behind the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils. The Hurricanes obviously won’t be going anywhere and should be one of the top two teams in the division, but the Devils have also been improved. 

Due to the Atlantic having a lot of talented teams, a wild card team coming out of the Metro doesn’t seem overly likely. For New York, winning games and stacking points is what’s important now, and good performances as they had on the road are key for that. 

Next up for the Rangers is going to be a bit of a challenging stretch. On Monday, they will be home against the Montreal Canadiens, who are playing some good hockey to start the year. Following that game will be a nice break before a massive showdown with the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday afternoon.