Rangers Miss Playoffs, Coach Fired After Disappointing Season

After reaching the Eastern Conference Final last year, the New York Rangers faced a disappointing 2024-25 season, missing the playoffs and prompting the firing of coach Peter Laviolette. Key players and management cited a lack of team cohesion and confidence, with goaltender Igor Shesterkin describing the season as one where 'something broke' and the team couldn't recover its rhythm. The loss of important leaders like captain Jacob Trouba and assistant captain Barclay Goodrow, along with significant roster changes, reportedly caused distractions and a rift between players and management. Several core players, including Shesterkin, Mika Zibanejad, and Adam Fox, experienced a drop in performance, and the team suffered a critical midseason slump. Players acknowledged that the constant change and off-ice 'noise' undermined their stability, contributing to the team's struggles. As a result, the Rangers are now searching for their fourth head coach since 2021.