Which team is skating in MSG to start the 26-27 season, and what have they done to last year's New York Rangers? After failing to win their fifth game on home ice until December 20th last season, the Blueshirts have a perfect 5-0-0 home record to start the 26-27 season, following their 4-1 win against Tampa Bay last night. Two games after the dreadful loss of Igor Shesterkin, this team has refused to let it stop them on their quest to bounce back. A team that actually looks complete, that actually cares, that's actually winning, yet still only eight games into the season. As New York fans continue to feel on top of the world with a start like this, is it too early to consider the New York Rangers the real deal?
The biggest upgrade at the start of this season has no doubt been the defense GM Chris Drury added this offseason. The first pairing of Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov continues to do what they do, but adding Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson has truly given this team the defense fans haven't seen in a while. Although Albert Šmits continues to adjust to the NHL, the 2026 fifth overall pick continues to put up solid ice time with Braden Schneider on that third pairing, occasionally experimenting with Fox as well. With defense at last up front, it's as if this team doesn’t need to rely solely on goaltending to compete, and that’s been the story of these recent wins.
With a goal and an assist already in the season, Shesterkin was showing good signs for yet another outstanding season, possibly carrying them to the playoffs. Sadly, disaster struck in Washington: their Vezina-winning goaltender is out for the season, and their backup, Joonas Korpisalo, is out at least until mid-November. They asked someone to step up, and Dylan Garand did, posting a 5-0-1 record since his NHL debut last season. Clearing waivers at the start of the season, the rookie goaltender wanted his chance in the NHL, and now he has it as the full-time starter. The Rangers have been winning with him in net, but none of those wins have been solely because of stellar goaltending; it's been the team in front, something these fans will need to get used to if this continues. With a team looking at long-term completion, are they the real deal just yet?
Rangers fans no doubt understand any team can start hot just like this and fall off; that 24-25 team is a constant reminder. However, seeing a Rangers team look this complete so early, especially without their star goaltender, understandably gives fans a sense of what this season could be. Goalscoring-wise, fans couldn’t ask for a better start from Alexis Lafrenière, with seven goals through the first eight games. The best part: the goalscoring has yet to reach its best potential, with Pavel Dorofeyev still looking to find the back of the net after just one goal so far this season. The goals start coming from their veterans, and this group could become quite dangerous later on. A great start for the Blueshirts, and while just eight games into a longer regular season, they’ve certainly shown the early signs of a team looking to compete, but can they stay consistent with that?
