Unfortunately, things did not go to plan for the Rangers this season. The team’s Stanley Cup aspirations were a house of cards balanced on a high wire. The team gave off the illusion of being a playoff team from Halloween up till about the Winter Classic. The team’s outstanding goaltending combined with a strong power play kept them around.
After the Winter Classic, the team caught the injury bug and it derailed the season beyond repair. The big two injuries were Kevin Shattenkirk’s meniscus tear and Chris Kreider’s blood clot. It is no coincidence that the team’s power play stalled when two of the unit’s most important players went out of the lineup.