NY Rangers Face Backlash for Odd Word Use in MSG Banner

The New York Rangers are facing some backlash after unveiling their latest banner at Madison Square Garden, celebrating their 2023–24 President’s Trophy win.

Last season, for the first time in franchise history, the Rangers won 55 games and racked up 114 points, making both figures all-time records in New York.

As is usual in the NHL, the franchise hung a banner to the rafters of their arena highlighting the regular-season triumph as the team with the most points through the campaign.

The problem this time, however, is that instead of the usual “President’s Trophy Winners” label, the Rangers opted for a rather odd choice of words to include in their banner.

"Regular Season Champions" is what the Rangers stitched on the banner, an odd choice that has drawn ridicule from former NHL player and host of the "Spittin' Chiclets" podcast Ryan Whitney.

Whitney, while supportive of recognizing the team’s President’s Trophy achievement, made it clear he wasn’t a fan of how the Rangers chose to phrase the banner.

“I don't get this banner," Whitney said. "And I would be 100% down with a 'President’s Trophy Winners' or 'President’s Trophy Champions' banner.

"But to write ‘Regular Season Champions’ like that... You can’t put 'champion' on 'regular season.' You can’t use that word.”

Whitney’s comments make sense considering the term “champions” should be reserved for winning the Stanley Cup, not for finishing the regular season with the best record.

The former NHLer went as far as pointing out the real champions of last season, making clear how that word should be used when it comes to putting it on banners.

“The champions are the Florida Panthers,” Whitney said bluntly.

The Rangers finished the 2023–24 season atop the NHL standings, but they ultimately fell short in the playoffs. So much so, in fact, that they were eliminated by those Panthers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

While the Rangers' regular season record was significant, the decision to label the team as "champions" sparked Whitney's reaction as he, as well as fans from other teams, believes it diminishes the weight of true championship winners.

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