Considering how they started off a year ago, the New York Rangers should be pleased with where they’re at through the first 10 games of the 2026-27 season.
In fact, despite one painful reminder of how bad things were last season, the Rangers (6-3-1) largely put the past in their rearview mirror and impressed with mostly strong play so far. Of course that one reminder was an atrocious overall performance in a 7-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, which had a collapse eerily similar to what we saw all too often a year ago.
That said, the Rangers were mostly solid in their first 10 games, and cautious optimism prevails, especially buoyed by a perfect 5-0-0 start on home ice at Madison Square Garden.
That said, let’s dive into several key areas with our second Rangers report card of the season.
Goaltending: Grade A
Even with the season-ending knee injury sustained by Igor Shesterkin on Oct. 9 and the fact that backup Joonas Korpisalso is also injured and hasn’t played a single minute this season, the Rangers goaltending has been absolutely terrific. And, yes, that’s still the case after Dylan Garand (four goals on 13 shots) and Spencer Martin (three goals on 18 shots) getting lit up by the Devils this past Thursday.
Garand showed all you needed to see with a sensational bounce-back 28-save performance Saturday in a 1-0 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 24-year-old is a legit NHL goalie, and his 1.82 goals-against average and .927 save percentage in six games (five starts) are not a mirage. He’s positionally sound, has a great glove, and carries himself with extreme confidence that borders on a positive arrogance. Simply, Garand, even with that clunker in Newark, was excellent over the first 10 games.
As was Shesterkin before he got hurt against the Washington Capitals. In five starts, Shesterkin saved 4.9 goals above expected, per Money Puck, and had a 1.79 GAA and .927 save percentage. Unfortunately, we won’t see him again until next season.
Defense: Grade B+
To be fair, one of the reasons the goalies looked so good over the first 10 games and why the Rangers have the fourth lowest team GAA (2.20) at this point is their overall commitment and buy-in to play a more sound and structured defensive game. That’s why their unsightly play in front of Garand and Martin against the Devils was so glaring. They simply haven’t been that bad all season, and hope that game remains an anomaly.
The vastly improved defensive play is not just about the defensemen — though make no mistake that newcomers Sean Durzi, Marcus Pettersson, and Alberts Smits have really helped pull that positional grouping together. But it’s the commitment of the forwards to play more of a 200-foot game that’s been a huge difference maker. And that charge is led by the two oldest players on the roster, 33-year-old centers J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad — though Miller’s had his share of blunders with the puck, no doubt. But seeing Alexis Lafreniere, for example, follow suit by getting back to cover for the defensemen and not jumping the defensive zone before it’s safe to do so, is a a major help overall.
Coach Mike Sullivan likes to use the word “connected,” and that’s how the Rangers look defensively, for the most part, through 10 games.
Offense: Grade B-
Quite a bit of New York’s offense has come off strong defensive play in their own end or in the neutral zone. So, the two go hand-in-hand, and the Rangers were right to address their need for puck-moving defensemen in the offseason. It’s made a world of difference to get the Rangers into a flow offensively. And the Blueshirts have also done a decent job winning board battles in the offensive zone and getting bodies to the net.
That said, there’s some concern about the Rangers offensively, especially at 5v5. The Rangers scored 16 goals 5v5, one more than they’ve given up, but have just a 9.04 shooting percentage, per Natural Stat Trick. They’re being out-shot and out-chanced at 5v5, and carry a 46.00 percent expected goal share.
Overall the Rangers scored 28 goals in the first 10 games. Six of those were empty-netters, including one famously scored by Shesterkin, and six others on the power play. Pavel Dorofeyev’s slow start is a bit concerning — he has two goals, one at even strength, though does lead the Rangers with 30 shots on goal. Zibanejad also has two goals — one empty net and the other on the power play. And Miller’s scored just once. The fourth line hasn’t produced a single point in 10 games. And the Rangers were shut out twice.
The positives are that Lafreniere had a six-game point streak and leads the Rangers with seven goals and 11 points; defenseman Adam Fox has nine assists; and Gabe Perreault (six points; three goals, three assists) is popping in his second season.
Special Teams: Grade B
Let’s start with the penalty killing, which is another key to New York’s strong start this season. The Rangers are tied for second in the League on the PK, with a whopping 93.5 percent success rate. They’ve allowed only two power-play goals in 31 times short-handed, and killed off a full two-minute 3-on-5 against the Devils on Thursday without allowing a single shot on goal. Defensemen Vladislav Gavrikov, Braden Schneider, and Pettersson each has excelled on the PK so far.
While they’ve been elite on the PK, the Rangers power play looks so-so over the first 10 games. They’ve scored a single power-play goal in six of their 10 games and convert at an even 20.0 percent, tied for 16th in the NHL, smack dab in the middle of the pack. That’s not what you expect for a team that has a top unit featuring Fox, Zibanejad, Dorofeyev, Lafreniere, and Miller. Dorofeyev scored 20 power-play goals with the Vegas Golden Knights last season, second most in the NHL, and has one so far with the Rangers, who continue to move him around to find the best fit 5v4. And Zibanejad seems a bit lost moving around too on the power play, not stationed often enough in his prime shooting spot in the left circle.
Coaching: Grade A-
Sullivan’s done an excellent job getting this team ready to jumpstart the season, which they’ve done. Starting play Sunday, the Rangers are second in the Metropolitan Division and have the third most points in the Eastern Conference — though they’ve also played the most games. But with most of the other teams outside of the Carolina Hurricanes treading water within the division, the Rangers are banking points and looking early on like serious playoff contender.
Credit Sullivan for having his team ready for fast start, and for not hanging their heads after Shesterkin sustained his injury. And there was no overreaction from the coach after that debacle in New Jersey, just a steady hand and a prepared team the next game in Columbus, even if they did lose a tight one against the Blue Jackets.
For sure, the coaching staff needs to figure out the power play and how to get more production at even strength. Plus Sullivan must trust his fourth line with a bit more ice time or else the Rangers risk burning Miller and Zibanejad out.
Credit Sully and defensive assistant David Quinn for how they’re bringing along Smits, the 18-year-old rookie, as well.
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