More than halfway through the 2025-26 season, the New York Rangers are somewhat surprisingly one of the best defensive teams in the NHL. If they’re going to be a serious playoff contender, that must continue into the 2026 calendar year.
After their memorable 5-1 Winter Classic win over the Florida Panthers on Jan. 2, the Rangers (20-18-5) own the sixth-lowest team goals-against average in the NHL (2.72). That’s significant for many reasons, not the least of which is that the Rangers are also 31st in the League, averaging 2.60 goals per game.