Are the New York Rangers the team to beat in the Metropolitan Division?
The New York Rangers are off to an excellent start to the 2024-25 season. The blue shirts have posted a 4-0-1 record through their first five games, and there’s a lot to like about what’s currently happening on Broadway.
Rangers forward Artemi Panarin is tied for the league lead with 12 points early on, meanwhile, Alexis Lafreniere has six points in his first five contests, and appears set for a monster season. In goal, Igor Shesterkin continues to lead from the Rangers’ crease, recording a 1.97 goals against average and .935 save percentage, in his four appearances.
The Rangers are cooking, there’s no doubt about it. Their +14 goals for/against differential is second in the NHL, behind only the undefeated Winnipeg Jets.
On Monday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and Colby Cohen discussed the Rangers’ start, and how they stack up against the likes of the New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals and the rest of the Metropolitan Division.
Yaremchuk: Igor (Shesterkin) is driving the Rangers. He is a massive reason why, I know a lot of people are getting into the sexy pick of the New Jersey Devils, but to me, the Rangers are still the Cup favorite coming out of the Metro. I look at Shesterkin – he’s so good, the production they’re getting from Artemi Panarin is still insane. I think the Rangers have the best shot at winning the Stanley Cup out of the Metro. Am I crazy or am I right?
Cohen: No, you’re right. I think there’s no way you can look at the way this Rangers’ team is built, look at the way this Rangers’ team has started, and look at the goaltender. I mean, I will die on this hill seven days a week, if you have the goaltender you find a way to make it work. There isn’t a lot of these guys.
I know we have this new school, and this new mentality, and our guy Frank Seravalli is one of them, they don’t want to pay goaltenders, they’d rather piece it together. And, here’s what I say to that – that’s because teams don’t have them, they don’t exist. There’s only five or six of them in the entire National Hockey League.
Igor Shesterkin you’re seeing on a daily basis, why you need to get this guy locked up for eight years. Why you can’t let him go to open market, for the Vegas Golden Knights to come in an offer him $11.5 or $12 million a year, in a tax-free environment. Where his take home pay will be 30-to-40% more.
For more on the Rangers’ start, and the rest of the very latest buzz from around the NHL, watch the full episode here.