It’s often said that Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, a season filled with joy and good will. Sadly, the New York Rangers have experienced little of either during December.
After a humiliating 5-0 defeat to the New Jersey Devils on Monday, the Rangers have slipped to the bottom of the Metropolitan Division, tied with the struggling New York Islanders at 33 points.
For Chris Drury, this marks the first time in his four years as general manager that the Rangers enter the Christmas break outside of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Typically, the holiday season would prompt discussions about potential trade targets for the Blueshirts ahead of the deadline. However, their current form — a 4-13-0 slump dating back to November 21 — has cast uncertainty on their future, leaving their chances as a contender up in the air.
Though they are only five points behind the second wild card spot in the East, the road to the playoffs still feels distant. It’s hard to imagine a Stanley Cup playoff run, let alone a deep one, during one of the franchise’s worst stretches in recent memory.
Needless to say, the Rangers could certainly use a little holiday magic, but this season’s wish list might look different than usual.
Here’s what the New York Rangers should wish for this Christmas.
New York Rangers 2024-25 Christmas wish list
Mika Zibanejad waives his no-movement clause
The Rangers’ underperformance can’t be pinned on just one player, but Mika Zibanejad’s struggles have been a focal point, especially after his disappointing showing in last spring’s Eastern Conference Final.
With 21 points in 35 games, Zibanejad is on track to have his lowest point-per-game rate in his nine seasons with the team.
It’s not just his offensive inconsistency, an issue he also faced last season, especially at even strength. Now, Zibanejad appears to be struggling defensively as well.
While plus-minus isn’t the definitive stat, his minus-19 rating ranks among the worst in the NHL, tied for fourth-worst out of 793 players. His analytical metrics also tell a grim tale, with a -5.1 goals above replacement, placing him in the bottom one percent of skaters defensively.
As a result, his role has diminished. A player the Rangers once expected to be their top-line center is now being used less frequently. This was especially evident on December 15, when he logged just 13:04 of ice time in a game against the St. Louis Blues — his lowest total as a Ranger outside of a 2019 game when he left early due to injury.
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