Time to Call It: Why the Rangers Reset Can’t Wait

New York fans may not have expected much coming into this season with the Blueshirts, but boy, have they hit a new low. If there's anything their dreadful 10-2 loss in Boston has shown them, it's that it's time to call it quits with this group. Coming into this season, it may have made sense to see if they could bounce back, but halfway through, there's no debate that the most brilliant move is to sell away for a new beginning. The youngsters need their time on ice, and it seems there won't be a better chance than this offseason. As the season can't seem to go any faster for the Blueshirts, what makes this offseason so perfect for the Rangers to start from scratch?

When you look at this Rangers team, it doesn't seem too hard to tell who needs to go. Teams would surely pay a pretty penny for veterans like Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, or Vincent Trocheck, especially teams with a stacked prospect pool. For example, Panarin, arguably the biggest name on the market for this offseason, would no doubt get the best return for the Blueshirts. As he's coming up on the last few months of his contract, what they get in return is all that should matter in the end, even if it comes to sending him to a division rival. Their second biggest haul should no doubt be Trocheck, a player many fans believed to be the true captain before J.T. Miller stepped in. With his presence alone being enough, as well as how he performs in the postseason, plenty of teams could use a player like him. Bidding farewell to these veterans is one thing, but what exactly makes this offseason different than the next?

As of right now, the Rangers currently hold two first-round draft picks in 2026. It's as if destiny is making it no more straightforward for the Blueshirts to start over in the coming October. Now, though unlikely to happen, the number could change from two to three really quickly if Panarin were to be traded at the deadline. He'd have to agree, of course. When it comes to selling, any more waiting just sinks this team lower into the ground; a simple trade will not bring them back to contention. Not only would selling be the most brilliant move, but it would also make these horrid losses actually mean something in the 2026 NHL Draft. Another half of the NHL season remains. Is it finally time to call it quits, or are they not convinced just yet?