With the New York Rangers now just a couple of weeks away from the start of training camp, it is almost time to embark on a new journey, a new season, and for some Ranger players, the opportunity to start with a clean slate.
Though the Rangers managed to finish atop the NHL with a franchise-record 114 points last season, there are some individual players who did not exactly live up to their standards or expectations in the regular season and/or in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Of course, every player goes through their ups and downs throughout a season and during his career, but when playing at Madison Square Garden in front of 18,000 passionate New York fans, you are expected to perform night in and night out. With that in mind, here are three Rangers who could really help New York remain a powerhouse with bounce-back seasons.
3 bounce-back candidates for Rangers
3. Mika Zibanejad
Mika Zibanejad did not have a “bad” 2023-24 season by any means, but, it certainly was not up to his standards. He had a significant drop in goals (26) and points (72) from just one season prior, where he scored 39 goals and set an NHL career high with 91 points. He also scored just 12 goals on the power play as opposed to a career-best 20 the season prior.
He also came under fire for being held in check as the Rangers went deeper into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He failed to score a goal in his final 11 postseason games.
As New York’s No. 1 center, Zibanejad should be primed for a bounce-back season. Hopefully, coach Peter Laviolette will find a suitable right wing for him and linemate Chris Kreider, and the trio will find some chemistry. If Zibanejad can find his scoring touch once again both at even strength and on the power play, it would be a massive boost for the Rangers. Getting back toward the 90-point mark should certainly be on his radar.
2. Jacob Trouba
Jacob Trouba could really use a bounce-back season for the Rangers in 2024-25. Trouba has steadily regressed over the past two seasons after he had an outstanding 2021-22 season, when he scored 11 goals, had 39 points and registered a plus-25 rating. Last season, he had just three goals and 22 points along with a minus-4 rating in 69 games. It was just the second time in his career that his plus/minus rating was negative.
Then there were his woes in the playoffs, though he was likely still hobbled by an ankle injury that sidelined him late in the regular season.
The Ranger captain now enters 2024-25 with a chip on his shoulder after general manager Chris Drury attempted to trade him to free up salary cap space. How that Trouba trade got shut down is still unknown for certain, but it definitely left a sour taste in Trouba’s mouth coming into training camp. The best thing for him to do would be to go out and have an incredible season, proving Drury and everyone who wanted him traded wrong.
1. Kaapo Kakko
Time is certainly ticking for former No. 2 overall pick Kaapo Kakko. After signing a one-year contract for a modest $2.4 million, this seems to be a “prove it” situation for the 23-year-old. Last season, Kakko dealt with what looked to be a gruesome leg injury. Even so, he still suited up for 61 games. However, he registered only 13 goals and 19 points, failing in a prime opportunity to produce playing with Zibanejad and Kreider to start the season. And he scored just one goal in 15 playoff games on the third line.
There is still potential for Kakko to become more of a consistent scorer. Keep in mind that in 2022-23, the only season he has ever played a full 82 games, Kakko had 18 goals and 40 points as well as a plus-12 rating, all NHL career highs. Last season we saw his defensive game mature quite a bit, as well. But without a major rebound season in 2024-25, Kakko will likely be on the move out of town.
