3 New York Rangers bounce-back candidates for 2025-26 feat. Igor Shesterkin

The New York Rangers went from a Presidents’ Trophy season in 2023-24 to missing the playoffs in 2024-25. That sour campaign led to the dismissal of Peter Laviolette, who was replaced by Stanley Cup-winning coach Mike Sullivan.

Sullivan’s arrival promises to help the Rangers’ veteran core turn things around. That could bode well for three specific key team members.

So, here’s a look at the top three New York Rangers bounce-back candidates for the 2025-26 season.

3 New York Rangers bounce-back candidates for 2025-26

#1 Mika Zibanejad

NHL: New York Rangers at Carolina Hurricanes - Source: Imagn

Mika Zibanejad was under the microscope the entire 2024-25 season. His sliding numbers have led to questions about his longevity. He went from a 91-point campaign in 2022-23 to a 62-point year two seasons later.

While Zibanejad’s numbers are not awful, they aren’t commensurate with his top-line center status. But with Sullivan taking over, Zibanejad will get a chance to push the reset button and potentially return to his former 30-goal, 70-point level.

Given the Rangers’ investment in Zibanejad, he’ll get every chance to prove he’s still among the league’s top centers.

#2 Vincent Trocheck

NHL: New York Rangers at San Jose Sharks - Source: Imagn

Vincent Trocheck is another player who had a subpar 2024-25 season, by his standards. Trocheck's offensive output dropped considerably, going from 77 points in 2023-24 to 59 in 2024-25.

Like Zibanejad, Trocheck should greatly benefit from Sullivan taking over behind the bench. Sullivan’s experience with high-level players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin should translate well to Broadway.

That’s why Rangers fans should expect Trocheck to hit the ice next fall with a new lease on the game. Most importantly, Trocheck will be looking to earn his coach’s confidence throughout training camp and early in the season.

#3 Igor Shesterkin

NHL: Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Rangers - Source: Imagn

Igor Shesterkin dominated much of the team’s narrative last offseason due to his potential free agency. That didn’t happen as the Blue Shirts made Shesterkin the highest-paid goalie in the league.

Unfortunately for them, Shesterkin had somewhat of a down year, especially by his standards. Shesterkin played a career-high 61 games, but saw his numbers dip. He went from a respectable 2.58 GAA and a solid .913 SV% in 2023-24 to a 2.86 GAA and a .905 SV% in 2024-25.

Shesterkin’s numbers weren’t terrible, but they weren’t in line with a $92 million goalie. But like the other players on this list, having Mike Sullivan take over the bench boss role will give him a chance to start over and potentially re-emerge in the Vezina Trophy conversation.