The New York Rangers are in complete free-fall mode in their last several games, especially after the injuries to both starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin and top defenseman Adam Fox.
Not only did they get blown out by a whopping 10-2 final score to the Boston Bruins earlier this week, but they followed that up with arguably an even more hollow effort on home ice, where they have inexplicably struggled all season long.
By the end of the first period of Wednesday evening’s matchup against the Ottawa Senators at Madison Square Garden, the host Rangers were trailing 4-0. A loud and vocal chorus of boos from the frustrated Rangers fans, who shell out for some of the most expensive tickets in the NHL to watch their club play, rained down upon the players.
Additionally, the same demanding chant of “Fire Drury”, referring to embattled general manager Chris Drury, was once again prevalent at various points during the contest, which ultimately ended in an 8-4 win for the Senators.
As of now, the Rangers have dropped to the last-place spot in the Metropolitan Division standings with a record of 20-22-6. They are also 2-6-2 in their last 10 games.
Their season is hanging on a dangerous precipice, and they have no choice but to start putting together more consistently winning efforts if they have even the most remote hope of keeping the quickly dwindling possibility of a return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since advancing to the 2024 Eastern Conference Final alive.
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New York Rangers Fans Are Fed Up With Their Club’s Dismal Performances
Not only have the Rangers only won two of their last 10 games, but their inexplicable struggles on home ice continued.
With their latest loss to the Senators on Wednesday evening, an 8-4 defeat in which fans could be excused for wondering where the effort was after a humiliating 10-2 defeat at the hands of the Boston Bruins, the Rangers’ home record fell to 5-13-4, the worst of any team in the NHL on home ice.
Being in free-fall mode is the last thing that the Rangers envisioned when they decided to make a major switch behind the bench after missing the playoffs last season, dismissing Peter Laviolette and hiring former Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan.
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Rangers Owner James Dolan Still Believes In Chris Drury
However, based on the latest words from Rangers team owner James Dolan, who also owns the NBA’s New York Knicks, Drury’s job isn’t remotely in danger.
He was directly asked earlier this month if he still has faith in Drury, to which he emphatically responded in the affirmative.
“Chris Drury is a winner and competitor,” Dolan said. “He can’t stand to lose….The culture doesn’t turn around overnight.”
“They play pretty well, and then they have these moments where things go bad,” Dolan continued. “They find it hard to pull themselves up. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. They just have to learn to do it. They have to believe in themselves.”
This isn’t going to sit well with Rangers fans, who have made their desires perfectly clear with loud chants calling for Drury’s job in each of their last handful of home games, all losses.
Angry New York Rangers Fans Make Vocal Demand Of Owner James Dolan