3 Bold New York Rangers Predictions for 2026-27 – The Hockey Writers – New York Rangers

With the 2026-27 NHL season beginning next month, now is the time to make some bold predictions for the season to come. The New York Rangers are going to be one of the more interesting teams to follow this season as they look to get back into the playoffs after missing for the past two. straight seasons. Here, we’ll make three bold predictions on what might happen to the Rangers over the course of the season.

The Rangers Find a New Dominant Top Line

When the Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy during the 2023-24 season, the majority of the offense came from one line consisting of Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Alexis Lafreniere. Those first two players are no longer Rangers, but Lafreniere is, and to end last season, he had a good thing going with Mika Zibanejad and Gabe Perreault. If they start this season together and can find that chemistry again, the Rangers might have themselves a new dominant top line going forward.

Lafreniere matched his career-high in points with 57 last season, a majority of those coming after Panarin was traded to the Los Angeles Kings, and he was able to get more consistent power-play time. Zibanejad bounced back with 34 goals and 78 points, proving he still has what it takes to be a top-line NHL center. Perreault got called up in early December and was able to stick with the team the rest of the way, finishing the season with 12 goals scored and 27 points recorded in 49 games. If Zibanejad can mentor these two younger wingers and keep up his offensive production, this line could be one of the top lines in the NHL this season.

Adam Fox Silences the Doubters, Wins Second Norris Trophy

One player around the league who has become underrated and underappreciated is Adam Fox. Ever since he had a poor showing in the 4 Nations Face-Off last season, which led to him being left off Team USA for the 2026 Winter Olympics, many began to question whether he is still a top-five or top-10 NHL defenseman. It is safe to say that if the Rangers did not have Fox on their team, their defense would be one of the worst in the league. He is still an elite offensive creator and contributor, while also being one of the top defensemen in his own zone when he needs to be.

While he might not score 20-plus goals per season or have the skating ability of Cale Makar or Quinn Hughes, Fox makes up for it by having one of, if not the best, Hockey IQs in the entire league. He can see plays before they happen and can make plays happen that no one would ever expect. The Rangers are lucky to have him on their team, and fans need to stop taking him for granted. If he can remain healthy, expect him to get back in the Norris Trophy conversation, and more importantly, expect him to win it for the second time in his career.

The Rangers Finish in a Top Two Spot in the Metropolitan Division

Although they finished last in the Eastern Conference last season, the Rangers should not be that bad again this season. They play in the Metropolitan Division, which is seen by many as the weakest division in the league, and that should not change this season. Outside of the Rangers, the only team that made major moves to improve was the Washington Capitals, who added Jordan Kyrou and Alex Tuch while also bringing back Alexander Ovechkin for one more season. They are also going to have to contend with the current Stanley Cup Champions in the Carolina Hurricanes, but outside of those two teams, the rest of the division is wide open.

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers both barely got into the playoffs last season after teams like the Capitals, New York Islanders, and Columbus Blue Jackets fell off to end the season. Besides the Capitals, none of those other teams made any major changes this offseason to help make their team better. While it is possible for the Flyers and Penguins to be back where they were, it’s also possible they regress from what they were a season ago. This leaves the top of the division open for the taking: If all goes well for the Rangers, they could finish with a top-two spot in the division and start the playoffs with home-ice advantage.

It’s entirely possible that none of these predictions come true, but that is why they are called bold predictions. The Rangers are hoping to be a better team than they were these past two seasons, and that means they are going to need their top players to come through. If they do, they should be back to being a playoff team and maybe, with a little luck, could even compete for the Stanley Cup.