Why Rangers coach doesn’t ‘buy into’ Thanksgiving benchmark
Thanksgiving is a popular benchmark in the NHL, and perhaps rightfully so.
Since the League adopted its current postseason format in 2013-14, roughly 77 percent of teams in playoff spots on United States Thanksgiving advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs at season’s end.
At face value, that could be interpreted as bad news for the New York Rangers, who sit outside the playoffs 25 games into the 2025-26 season. Even after back-to-back wins, the Rangers (12-11-2) are tied for last in the Metropolitan Division with the Columbus Blue Jackets (26 points), just four points out of the cellar in the Eastern Conference.
For Rangers coach Mike Sullivan, the Thanksgiving benchmark isn’t a point of concern.
“I’m not sure I’d buy into that,” Sullivan said postgame after a 2-0 road victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thanksgiving Eve “I’ve had experiences where it’s been just the opposite, where teams have been out of the playoffs and ended up winning championships. So the reality is, we’ve got to keep trying to get better.”
A closer look at the standings reveals a more favorable situation than their last-place position might suggest. The Rangers are just one point out of a playoff spot, and five shy of the first-place New Jersey Devils, who lead a jam-packed Eastern Conference with 31 points.
Even still, it’s been a bumpy start for the Rangers, complete with inexplicable woes on home ice and sporadic production from their top players. The fact that the top seed in the East remains so close within reach likely says more about the conference itself than it does the Blueshirts’ performance through two months.
Mike Sullivan thinks Rangers have played ‘good hockey’ through 25 games
The Rangers certainly have the talent to reach the postseason. Whether or not they actually do is another question.
New York fell six points shy of a playoff berth last season, despite returning the majority of their 2023-24 roster — a squad that won the Presidents’ Trophy and reached the Eastern Conference Final, setting numerous franchise records along the way.
Though the current group made notable strides from 2024-25, particularly on defense, it’s yet to culminate in a consistently cohesive product.
“As far as my assessment overall with our group, I think we played a lot of really good hockey, and then we’ve had moments where we’ve gotten away from it,” Sullivan noted. “I think that’s the journey that we’re on, and we’ll continue to do that. We’re just going to try to move the needle every day.”
New York ranks ninth in expected-goals-for percentage at 5-on-5, and leads the NHL with 8.54 high danger chances allowed per 60, according to Natural Stat Trick.
But expected metrics can only get you so far. After 25 games, the Rangers average 2.56 goals per game, the third-worst mark in the League. Their 9.5 shooting percentage is tied for fourth-worst.
“We’re going to try to just get incrementally better with each game and see where that takes us,” continued Sullivan. “But when you look at the first 25 games or so, I feel like the effort and the intentions that have been put on the ice have been pretty strong for the most part, and we got to continue to do that.”
Sullivan’s system, which champions a responsible defensive game that doesn’t come at the expense of offensive chances, should translate to postseason success, in theory.
It’s shown in hard fought wins already. Back on Nov. 1, the Rangers earned a 3-2 overtime victory in Seattle, limiting the Kraken to 13 shots on goal over 62 minutes of game time. More recently, they edged the Columbus Blue Jackets in a 2-1 shootout win, shutting down a dangerous 5v5 offense.
But momentum continues to be fickle. Too often, their finishing has failed them. Too often, they’ve pressed for offense and paid the price.
The Rangers have another 57 games to iron out the kinks. And with the East up for grabs, this is as good a year as any to buck the Thanksgiving trend.
