Rangers reflect on poor season, Drury's trade memo and accountability: ‘Something broke'

New York Times

21-04-2025

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. — Coming into the 2024-25 season, the New York Rangers did not envision being at the team training center in April for exit interviews. Why would they? They were coming off a Presidents' Trophy season paired with an Eastern Conference final appearance. They entered the year considered a near-certainty to at least make the playoffs if not go on a deep run.
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But after a season of underperformance, a third coach firing in four years and, in Mika Zibanejad's words, 'a lot of noise,' the Rangers were at the facility preparing to break for a summer that could bring plenty of change.
Sixteen other teams are in the postseason, and all the Rangers can do is watch.
'It's the worst feeling ever,' Zibanejad said.
'The last couple days have sucked,' K'Andre Miller added. 'Watching the playoffs and realizing the position we're in and not being there, it's hurting.'
Owner James Dolan addressed the Rangers as a group, according to a team source, and the players went through exit meetings and physicals Monday. Many will leave town in the coming days.
While fighting for their playoff hopes in recent weeks, some Rangers veterans delayed going in depth on specific elements of their season that went wrong. Now that it's all over, Monday was a chance to reflect publicly.
'In my mind, something broke during the season,' goalie Igor Shesterkin said.
Now they're faced with the difficult task of fixing it.
Drama engulfed the Rangers from before the season began. General manager Chris Drury put alternate captain Barclay Goodrow on waivers to get around his no-trade list, and the San Jose Sharks — a team on his list — claimed him. Drury then tried to trade captain Jacob Trouba before free agency opened July 1.
'It's part of professional sports, but obviously at a certain point it does become somewhat of a distraction,' said Chris Kreider, the team's longest-tenured player. 'Two guys that were massive leaders for us and a big part of our room.'
After Drury finally traded Trouba in December, the defenseman told reporters the summer made it hard for him to lead. Adam Fox referenced that Monday, saying Trouba was open with fellow leaders on the team about those struggles.
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'(The team) started off good, even with some noise,' Fox said. 'Once it started to spiral, it was hard for us to grab that back.'
'We didn't get up to the level of play we can,' Zibanejad added. 'There was a lot of noise around our team this year. I'm not saying that is the cause of (the season), but it wasn't the calmness I felt we had the year before.'
In November, with the Rangers off to a 12-6-1 start but having been outplayed in losses against the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers, Drury sent a memo to other teams saying he was open to trading roster players. He mentioned Trouba and Kreider by name.
'It wasn't the first time, won't be the last time that kind of stuff comes out,' Kreider said. 'It's part of professional sports, unfortunately. I'm lucky I don't have any social media. I wasn't really aware of it until people close to me brought it to my attention. Just try to show up and do your job to the best of your abilities. Guys come and go, unfortunately.'
The Rangers went through a 5-14-0 stretch in November and December that dropped them out of the playoff picture. Vincent Trocheck mentioned it felt like 'the end of the world' after the Calgary and Edmonton games, the first two losses in the stretch. Did Drury's memo contribute to those feelings of pressure?
'For sure, especially if you're one of the guys being named,' Trocheck said. 'It's tough not to feel that way. But pressure is going to happen. Everybody has pressure on them. We're the New York Rangers. In a city like New York, we're going to have pressure every year. It's on us to harness that pressure and use it for good.'
Clearly, the team struggled to do that.
Zibanejad said he was unhappy with how he played, especially the first half.
'Mentally, what I went through the first few months was probably the toughest I've ever been through in my career,' he said.
His confidence took a downturn, he said, and he struggled to play freely, which he believes he needs to do to be at his best.
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Looking beyond his personal play, Zibanejad also stressed the need for communication throughout the organization.
'Us players, we have to take ownership of what we do and how we go about things, but it has to be cohesive with everyone,' he said. 'This organization doesn't work without the players. The organization for us players doesn't work without the people that work above us. We have to work together as one.'
The center emphasized that they all have the same goals — winning the Stanley Cup — but noted they're not at that level. Everyone, in his eyes, has to take accountability.
'I think there could be better communication from us players, too,' he said. 'It's not about blaming people. If you start blaming each other, we're not going anywhere. But we have to be able to realize what our areas of growth could be.'
Given the fact Drury mentioned Kreider in the November memo, the general manager could look to trade or buy out the left wing this summer. Asked if he's concerned his time with the Rangers could be coming to a close, Kreider said he's focusing on what he can control: getting healthy and in position to play as many games in 2025-26 as possible.
'This is home for me,' Kreider added. 'This is the organization that gave me an opportunity to live out my dream. I have so many incredible relationships, spent so much time in this area. Obviously, this is where I want to be.'
The Rangers fired coach Peter Laviolette and associate coach Phil Housley on Saturday. Laviolette lasted two seasons, just like Gerard Gallant, his predecessor.
'I wish it didn't go down like this,' Miller said, adding that it's been difficult having three coaches in four years. 'I thought our coaches were great for us this year in standing up for us and really taking the heat of the season.'
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'After a season like last year, to come in here and not perform the way we needed to, to make another run, you always have worries,' Trocheck added. 'Coaches are often looked at and blamed. It's tough. I love Lavi and (Housley).'
Matt Rempe referred to Laviolette as a mentor and expressed appreciation for giving him an NHL shot.
'Me and Lavi were really close,' he said. 'He was great to me. … He helped me a lot, and I wish him nothing but the best.'
'I thought he was a great coach,' Braden Schneider added. 'Last year, we had a great season, and I felt with him as coach, I thought I learned a lot. … I grew a lot with him. It's more just unfortunate that we weren't able to figure it out this year.'
Kreider, whose production dipped this season, said he dealt with multiple ailments. He dealt with back spasms, as he told reporters in November, over the first part of the season. When he felt that had stabilized, he had an illness coming out of the Christmas break that went to his inner ear. It resulted in vertigo.
As he started to feel good again, he hurt his left hand against the Buffalo Sabres in the first game after the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
'Tried to tape it up a bunch and play through it,' he said.
He said he might need surgery to repair his hand in the offseason.
Rookie Adam Edström, who played the first 51 games before suffering a season-ending lower-body injury, did not disclose exactly what ailed him but said he got surgery. He has resumed skating and will be ready for the start of next season.
Schneider, who missed the final two games, had surgery to repair a torn labrum and has a large sling on his right arm. Schneider said he first suffered the injury in the 2022-23 season and felt soreness. In 2023-24, he knew there was a tear, and then this season, 'They said it was pretty bad.'
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'Us and the staff did a really good job at communicating and making sure that I was able to go, and I wanted to go because we had a big run and I wanted to be here for this year,' Schneider said. 'It's something they said I could go the rest of my career playing with it, but it puts me at more risk for down the road in my life.'
Schneider found the injury didn't take away from his shooting ability or puckhandling, but it led to him being more hesitant playing with physicality. He expects to be ready for the start of next season.
• Artemi Panarin again declined to comment when asked if he was ready to speak about The Athletic's report that he and Madison Square Garden Sports, the company that owns the team, 'paid financial settlements to a Rangers employee last year after she alleged that Panarin sexually assaulted her.'
• J.T. Miller was not at exit interviews after the death of a close friend.
• K'Andre Miller is a restricted free agent, but he did not comment much on a potential extension. He said his agent will help him through the process.
'I love New York,' he said. 'I wouldn't want to play anywhere else right now.'
• Miller said he is thinking about the possibility of joining Team USA for World Championships but hasn't heard from the team. Mika Zibanejad is also considering going with Team Sweden. The tournament is in Stockholm, where he's from.
Juuso Pärssinen will represent Finland, the country's hockey association tweeted out. Urho Vaakanainen is considering joining Pärssinen on the Finnish team but isn't sure yet. He has 'a couple things physically' he wants to get sorted.
Alexis Lafrenière said he's talking with his agent about the possibility of representing Team Canada.
• Calvin de Haan again expressed frustration at playing only three games after coming over from Colorado in the Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey trade.
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'I'm old in hockey years,' the 33-year-old said. 'My career could be over this summer for all I know. Just not having that opportunity to compete and use that as a tryout for the rest of the NHL was very frustrating.'
He thought communication 'could've been better' and, going into his exit interview, did not feel he was given enough of an explanation as to why he wasn't playing.
(Top photo of Chris Kreider: James Guillory / Imagn Images)