The New York Rangers spent much of the offseason reshaping their roster, but as training camp approaches, one major question continues to hang over the franchise: Did the Rangers do enough to fix their offense?
After a disappointing 2025-26 campaign, New York entered the summer determined to retool rather than completely rebuild. General manager Chris Drury made several significant moves designed to make the Rangers younger, faster and more competitive, but the club still appears to have one glaring weakness.
And it could become a major problem once the puck drops.
The Rangers need more scoring
The biggest concern surrounding New York is the team’s depth beyond its top offensive players.
The Rangers added Pavel Dorofeyev in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights and brought in Oliver Bjorkstrand, giving the club two important offensive additions. Dorofeyev was acquired specifically to provide scoring after the departure of Artemi Panarin, while Bjorkstrand gives the lineup another experienced offensive option.
Those additions have improved the roster.
But there are still questions about whether they are enough.
Recent analysis has identified the middle six as an area where New York could use another established forward before the season begins. The Rangers appear to have several candidates capable of filling bottom-six roles, but adding another proven scorer could provide greater stability.
That becomes particularly important for a team hoping to make a dramatic turnaround after finishing last in the Eastern Conference last season.
Pavel Dorofeyev carries major expectations
Dorofeyev could be one of the most important players on the entire roster.
New York desperately needed scoring help after moving on from Panarin, and the Rangers ultimately made Dorofeyev a major part of their offensive retool.
The winger now faces significant pressure to prove that he can become the scoring threat New York envisioned when making the trade.
If Dorofeyev produces at a high level, the Rangers’ decision to acquire him could look like one of the best moves of the offseason.
If he struggles, however, the Rangers could quickly find themselves searching for offense again.
The defense looks considerably different
New York didn’t limit its offseason changes to the forward group.
The Rangers also reshaped their blue line, bringing in Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi.
The two defensemen have already begun developing chemistry, and both are expected to play important roles in New York’s attempt to improve defensively.
Pettersson gives the Rangers size, defensive responsibility and experience, while Durzi provides another puck-moving option.
Their arrival could have an important secondary benefit: potentially giving star defenseman Adam Fox more freedom to focus on what he does best.
Recent analysis suggests that the Rangers’ blue-line makeover could put Fox in an even better position to challenge for another Norris Trophy-caliber season.
Igor Shesterkin remains the Rangers’ biggest advantage
If there is one area where New York doesn’t have much reason for concern, it’s goaltending.
Igor Shesterkin remains the foundation of the Rangers’ roster.
Despite the team’s struggles, Shesterkin’s individual quality has remained unquestioned. His ability to steal games gives New York something many rebuilding or retooling teams don’t have: a legitimate elite goaltender capable of changing the outcome of a playoff series.
That also raises the stakes for the Rangers.
With Shesterkin still in his prime, New York cannot afford to waste another season without putting a competitive team in front of him. Recent analysis has specifically highlighted his ability to potentially carry the Rangers back into postseason contention.
The Rangers are getting younger
Another major theme of the retool is youth.
New York has begun creating more opportunities for younger players to establish themselves, while recent contract agreements with players such as Scott Morrow, Vincent Iorio and Braden Schneider have added more clarity to the organization’s developing defensive group.
Morrow is particularly intriguing.
The young defenseman has been identified as a potential under-the-radar breakout candidate heading into training camp. If he can establish himself as a reliable NHL contributor, he could give the Rangers another important piece without requiring the team to spend additional assets on the trade market.
Training camp could determine everything
With camp approaching, several roster battles will be worth watching.
The Rangers already have a group of forwards competing for roles, including Mika Zibanejad, Gabe Perreault, Alexis Lafrenière, J.T. Miller, Dorofeyev, Bjorkstrand, Will Cuylle, Noah Laba and Tye Kartye.
The competition for the bottom-six spots could become particularly interesting.
Players such as Laba and Kartye have an opportunity to prove that they belong in the NHL lineup, while established veterans will be expected to provide consistency.
The question is whether the Rangers can generate enough offense from that group.
The pressure on Mika Zibanejad is enormous
Another major storyline will be Mika Zibanejad.
If New York wants to return to the playoffs, it needs Zibanejad to continue producing at a high level.
His performance could be one of the biggest swing factors of the entire season. The Rangers need him to provide dependable scoring and leadership while helping stabilize an offense that has undergone significant changes.
A strong season from Zibanejad, combined with improved production from Dorofeyev and Bjorkstrand, could dramatically change the outlook.
Could the Rangers still add another forward?
That may ultimately be the biggest question before opening night.
New York has already made substantial changes, but the possibility of adding another winger or middle-six forward remains a topic of discussion.
The Rangers have options, but another established scorer could provide insurance against injuries, inconsistent young players or disappointing production.
For a team trying to rebound quickly, that kind of depth could make the difference between fighting for a playoff spot and watching the postseason from home again.
The bottom line
The Rangers have clearly tried to change the direction of the franchise.
They moved away from parts of the previous core, added younger players, reshaped the defense and brought in offensive reinforcements. But the roster still has questions that training camp must answer.
The biggest one is simple:
Can New York score enough goals to make its retool work?
If Dorofeyev delivers, Zibanejad stays productive, the young forwards take a step forward and Shesterkin continues playing like an elite goaltender, the Rangers could surprise people.
But if the middle-six offense struggles, the team may quickly find itself searching for another solution.
With training camp approaching, the Rangers’ retool has officially reached the prove-it stage.
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