Why NY Rangers Contending Next Season Feels Unrealistic Right Now

Can the New York Rangers be a contender next year?

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. / Pool Photo-Imagn Images

With the offseason getting going for the New York Rangers, the team is going to have a lot of big decisions to make regarding their future. 

Following two straight years of missing the playoffs, the Rangers are entering what feels like a pivotal offseason for the franchise. This is a group that has not performed well, and coming off a last-place finish in the Eastern Conference, it feels like a rebuild is either ongoing or needed. 

However, the front office has been claiming that they are looking to retool instead, and that implies that they are going to be trying to contend. Finding the balance between getting young and contending is not easy, and after the terrible campaign, the team has to be better next season based on expectations set by the front office. 

While things didn’t go well last year, there are avenues for them to improve. New York has a ton of cap space to use in free agency, but this is unfortunately a weak class. Furthermore, a major bright spot can be the two first-round picks the team has. Getting some young talent into the organization has been a goal, but whether or not they are going to be able to do enough to be a playoff contender remains to be seen. 

Rangers Contending Next Season Feels Unrealistic

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

Due to the last-place finish, turning things around and being a contender after just one offseason seems like a long shot. While New York can do things to improve for the future, the type of turnaround that Chris Drury is going to be seeking seems unrealistic at this point. 

In free agency, there are some good players available, but this is a class that is lacking star power. The Rangers are in need of some help in the scoring department for their top six, and options are going to be limited in that area. 

Furthermore, while having a top-five pick is a great asset, there is no guarantee that the player they choose will be able to make an impact or even be part of the team in year one. 

Overall, while the plan might be retooling, it is hard to envision a way that the Rangers are a true contender next season. While they will hope for some internal development that would help, it would be a really significant turnaround. New York might be able to change that narrative with a splash or two, but as of now, contending feels unlikely.