The New York Rangers could look much different come Opening Night of the 2025-26 NHL season.
The Rangers failed to make the playoffs a year after winning the Presidents’ Trophy, which is awarded to the team with the best record in the regular season. After the disappointing year, NHL insider Jim Biringer of RG.com reported a source told him to expect major changes this offseason.
“They are probably not going to change course in terms of the roster construction and what they’re trying to build,” said a source to RG.com, close to the situation. “They’ll continue to be aggressive. It’s clear they are in a win-now window for how they believe it to be.”
Another source, meanwhile, expects the Rangers to shake up their core group and look much different next season.
“They have decisions to make this offseason on key players, and how they approach it is anyone’s guess,” another source told RG. “There will be a long evaluation process about who is the right fit for this room. But there will be changes… Change is coming to the roster and to the core of the team. Chris Kreider’s name will be out there again. There is no way you can run it back with the same group.”
The Rangers were rumored to be involved in trade talks surrounding Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. Those two could once again be involved in trade talks this summer as New York looks to rebuild its roster.
“Oh yeah, things are going to change in New York this summer,” said an additional source on the matter. “This is a foundation shake to their core. I can’t see the Rangers just ignoring all this.”
The Rangers went 39-36-7 this season.
Insider Expects Rangers to Make a Coaching Change
Along with major changes to their roster, Biringer spoke to a source who expects the Rangers to fire coach Peter Laviolette.
Laviolette has been the Rangers’ head coach for two years now. But, after missing the postseason, one NHL executive told Biringer that Laviolette will likely be fired.
“If they decide to make a coaching change, is the GM that far behind him?” an anonymous NHL executive said. “How many coaches will he be allowed to hire? Continuously doing this every two years is not an ideal situation. Owners do not like that. Plus, who would want to coach there?”
Despite his name being rumored to be on the chopping block, Laviolette has made it clear he wants to remain as the coach of the Rangers.
“Those are things I can’t control… The year certainly wasn’t where it needed to be,” Laviolette said. “But right now, I’m here, and this is where I want to be.”
Rangers Coach Says Season Played a Toll
New York struggled this season, and Laviolette says the year played a toll on everybody.
The coach says the ups and downs of the year took an emotional and physical toll, which hindered their play.
“I think for everybody,” Laviolette said. “For players, for staff, for coaches, organization, fans, it’s everybody. It was a lot of ups and downs, too many downs. I think that takes an emotional toll, sure.”
The Rangers enter the offseason with just over $9.6 million in cap space.
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