Overview

• The Rangers fired head coach Peter Laviolette after a disappointing season in which they failed to make the playoffs following a Presidents' Trophy win last year.
• Players cited poor performance and off-ice distractions, including management's controversial roster moves, as key factors behind the team's collapse.
• Goaltender Igor Shesterkin described a loss of confidence during the season, saying, 'something broke,' as the team struggled to recover from a midseason slump.
• Key players like Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad underperformed, with Kreider battling injuries including back trouble, vertigo, and a hand injury that may require surgery.
• General Manager Chris Drury has begun a search for a new coach while facing uncertainty over the futures of core players and the team's power-play identity.