New York Rangers Are Officially ‘Cooked,’ NHL Insider Claims

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NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Mike Sullivan of the New York Rangers handles bench duties during the game against the New Jersey Devils in preseason action at the Prudential Center on September 21, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

This is a turning point for the New York Rangers. This could be the year.

Remember when this was the thought surrounding the Rangers early in their 2026-27 season?

But once netminder Igor Shesterkin faced the dreaded injury bug, all bets were off.

Now, an NHL insider is standing firm in her belief that New York is “cooked.”

New York Rangers Stuck in Downward Spiral

It’s not like the Rangers were entirely squared away, free of concern, when they kicked off their campaign.

But Shesterkin’s injury made fans feel as though New York’s success was too good to be true. Maybe it was.

Sara Civian of Bleacher Report summed up the Rangers’ situation with one word: “cooked.”

She added, “Losing Igor Shesterkin at the beginning of a season that felt promising for the Rangers stunk, but it’s just the reality of the situation. And that reality is showing that it’s extremely difficult for a team that’s going through changes and looking for a new identity to survive without its world class goaltender.

“The Rangers are still in the middle of the pack in the Metro due to their hot start, but they’re trending down and you can’t blame them given the circumstances.”

To add to this reality, an NHL team was never meant to rely solely on one player.

As valuable as it was to have Shesterkin behind the crease, the most successful teams carry a next-man-up mentality and find a way to win against all odds.

Instead, New York is suffering.

Is There Any Hope for the Rangers?

What’s saving New York right now is its impressive start to the season, which has allowed them to stay in the middle of the Metropolitan Division.

But each loss pushes them further down.

Right now, they’re riding 8-7-1 overall and have been edged out by the New Jersey Devils (10-5-0) and the Carolina Hurricanes (12-3-2).

It would be foolish to assume New York is completely doomed, but it’s not lost on me that escaping their spiral will be incredibly difficult.

Change is certainly needed, but don’t lose all hope just yet.