The lesson Rangers can take from their historic 1992-93 post-Presidents' Trophy flop
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First in a three-part series.
The 2024-25 Rangers were etched onto a very, very short list of NHL teams that have gone from winning the Presidents' Trophy one season to missing the playoffs the next.
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They were just the fourth group of skaters to do so since the league started handing out the trophy in 1986, as well as the second in franchise history. Joining the 1991-92/1992-93 Rangers, this current Rangers team will be under a microscope when the 2025-26 campaign begins in four and a half months.
Where will the Blueshirts go from here? Well, how did the other three teams do? The Post dives into the history and aftermath of the previous three teams to experience such a drastic drop-off from one season to the next.
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Leon Draisaitl scores in overtime to lift Edmonton to a Game 1 win at home Getty Images The Oilers have beaten the Panthers 4-3 in overtime of Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final thanks to Leon Draisaitl's game-winning goal. Edmonton leads a Stanley Cup Final series for the first time since 1990, the year of the team's last championship. This year's Final is a rematch of last season's, which Florida won in seven games. In addition to his OT goal, Draisaitl also opened the scoring just 66 seconds into the game. The Panthers fought back with three straight goals, however, benefitting from a failed coach's challenge by the Oilers on the first before capitalizing on the subsequent power play to score the second. Edmonton then got goals from unlikely sources, Viktor Arvidsson and Mattias Ekholm, to come from behind and force overtime. GO FURTHER Leon Draisaitl plays OT hero as Oilers defeat Panthers in Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final: Takeaways Connections: Sports Edition Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms OT 12:54 - Panthers 3, Oilers 3 What a move by Kapanen! He splits a pair of defenders and breaks free on goal, but can only hit the outside of the post with his ensuing shot. What a moment that would have been if he had ended Game 1 there. OT 15:00 - Panthers 3, Oilers 3 Reinhart feeds Rodrigues, setting him up with a great scoring chance near the slot. Barkov screens Skinner but the Oilers goalie still manages to make a huge save. If the Panthers end up winning this game, we'll remember that Eetu Luostarinen block. He took that Jake Walman shot off of his knee before it went out of play for a stoppage. OT 15:59 - Panthers 3, Oilers 3 Bobrovsky pushes a Kane shot away from goal but it sets Walman up with a big opportunity to unleash a slap shot from the opposite side. Luostarinen, however, makes a great play to lay out and block the shot. The Panthers had two (!!) shots on goal in the third period. They already have five in overtime and we're about four minutes in. OT 17:45 - Panthers 3, Oilers 3 Podkolzin and Janmark lead the Oilers' first real attack of overtime, which tells you that the Panthers have been controlling play since we began the period. Earlier, Verhaeghe had a gilt-edged chance to win the game but couldn't poke the puck home from next to the crease. OT 19:41 - Panthers 3, Oilers 3 An immediate chance for Reinhart right in front of net, but Skinner stands tall to make the save. OT 20:00 - Panthers 3, Oilers 3 Here we go! Buckle up! Strap in! We could be here for hours, or this could be over in a flash. Game 1 hangs in the balance, don't go anywhere! The Oilers outshot the Panthers 14-2 in the third period to force overtime. Regardless of which team wins it in OT, it's hard to see how Edmonton a year ago would have kept its poise the way the Oilers did tonight to come back. That's the difference a year makes. The last time a Stanley Cup Final game went to overtime was Game 3 of the 2023 series between Florida and Vegas. Carter Verhaeghe scored the OT winner that night for the Panthers, the only game they won in that series. In addition to Verhaeghe, one other player involved tonight has previously scored an OT goal in the Cup Final: Corey Perry for the Stars against the Lightning in Game 5 of the 2020 series. The Panthers have four players in the lineup that have scored a playoff overtime goal: Carter Verhaeghe (5) Brad Marchand (4) Matthew Tkachuk (3) Sam Reinhart (2) The Oilers have eight: Corey Perry (5) Connor McDavid (2) Leon Draisaitl (2) Adam Henrique (2) Kasperi Kapanen (2) Victor Arvidsson (1) John Klingberg (1) Evan Bouchard (1) After none of the seven games in the Stanley Cup Final between these two teams last year went to overtime, Game 1 tonight immediately bucks that trend. This the first time since 2022 that Game 1 of the Final has gone to OT and 21st time overall. In those previous 20 Game 1 overtimes, the road teams led with a 11-8-1 record. The lone tie was a 0-0 final score between the Bruins and the original Senators to open the 1927 Final, the first after the NHL took over sole control of the Stanley Cup competition. This is the 98th overtime game in Stanley Cup Final history. Road teams surprisingly own a 51-43-3 advantage in the previous contests (.526). Getty Images End of regulation - Panthers 3, Oilers 3 The Oilers fail to do anything with the late Panthers icing despite one of the Florida players breaking their stick immediately after the faceoff. We're getting some sudden death to decide this one! P3 0:49 - Panthers 3, Oilers 3 The Panthers ice the puck with less than a minute left in regulation. Here's a chance for the Oilers to steal a late win. P3 2:15 - Panthers 3, Oilers 3 Podkolzin has a rare scoring opportunity, holding off a defenseman as he crashes the net. Bobrovsky stands tall to make the stop before Arvidsson is unable to do anything with the loose puck afterward. P3 4:16 - Panthers 3, Oilers 3 The Oilers give the puck away deep in their defensive zone, but Barkov is prevented from capitalizing on the opportunity by a pair of fantastic blocks by Skinner. If you're watching the Cup Final on Sportsnet like I am, the constant infusion of Alberta rockers Nickelback isn't a surprise. Sportsnet has gone back and forth between playing 'If Today Was Your Last Day' and 'Burn It To The Ground' at different points during their broadcast. There's some time left but we're heading towards overtime in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. We haven't experienced overtime in the Final since Game 3 of the 2023 series between Florida and Vegas. Carter Verhaeghe scored the OT winner that night for the Panthers, the only game they won in that series. You have to go all the way back to 2006 for Edmonton's last overtime Cup Final game, which came against the Hurricanes. Two words: Fernando Pisani.
