New York Rangers bold predictions for 2024-25 NHL season

The puck is set to drop on the start of the 2024-25 NHL season for the New York Rangers on Wednesday. Their clash against Sidney Crosby and a key division rival in the Pittsburgh Penguins begins a seven month grind — and that’s not including what they hope will be a long run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Expectations are high for the Rangers — as well as for many individuals on the team.

So, let’s have some fun, forecasting what might happen in Rangers land this season.

Related: Rangers Stanley Cup or bust: Staff predictions for 2024-25 season

Bold predictions for New York Rangers in 2024-25

Our staff predictions have been posted already. But let’s take a shot at some bold — yet realistic — takes.

Alexis Lafreniere 100-point season

A nod to Jonny Lazarus from Daily Faceoff and Morning Cuppa Hockey for putting the coals in the engine on this train. Alexis Lafreniere broke out last season, but that won’t be all for the 22-year-old stud.

The 2020 No. 1 overall pick is poised to have a monster season at some point down the line, and why can’t that be this season? Lafreniere lines up with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck, who aren’t slowing down following their career seasons (197 points combined).

If Lafreniere, who had 57 points last season, goes on a heater, he could boom and add 40 points between goals and assists. Panarin stated in an interview with The Hockey News , “Playing with [Lafreniere] right now, he can take it back in the zone and it gives me an extra second. I have the right guy to give me an extra second to get to the goal and the net.”

Lafreniere created several something-out-of-nothing plays in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this past spring. Imagine that sample in an 82-game season.

CLICK TO WATCH: Rangers season preview podcast with Jim Cerny and Jonny Lazarus

Igor Shesterkin ‘s best season yet

Igor Shesterkin’s last preseason game indicates he is already in midseason form. If the 28-year-old goaltender can tighten up and avoid a down month like January last season, he will earn himself the massive payday he desires, if not in New York then certainly elsewhere as a UFA next summer.

It says here he will avoid prior in-season dips and put together his best season yet in the NHL.

He posted the fifth-highest wins in a season by a Rangers goaltender in 2022-23, and an all-time Vezina Trophy winning season in 2021-22  (.935 GAA, 2.07 GAA, 6 SO).

If he gets 60 starts, expect Shesterkin to crack the 40-win plateau for the first time. Yes, he’s going to be that good.

Show me the money, indeed.

50 goals again for Chris Kreider

Chris Kreider is playing better in the second half of his career than before he inked his six x $6.5 million deal in February 2020.

The 33-year-old forward has scored 147 goals since 2020-21. That’s 10 shy of the 157 he scored from 2012-13 to 2019-20. In the past three seasons, he’s averaged 42 goals, capitalizing in all situations.

The premier speedster and net-front master is not slowing down; he’s getting better with age. I wouldn’t count another 50-goal campaign out of the picture with expectation of a Mika Zibanejad bounce-back and stronger support with 2023 Stanley Cup champion Reilly Smith on his line.

Kreider will become the only New York Rangers to score 50 goals more than once with the Rangers; Vic Hadfield (1971-72), Adam Graves (1993-94), and Jaromir Jagr (2005-06) are the only Rangers to have scored 50 or goals in the club’s history.

He has the pen and is writing his name in the Rangers history books. Kreider is the Rangers’ all-time leader in playoff goals (48), third all-time in regular-season goals (304) , and eight behind Rod Gilbert for the club’s all-time power-play goals record.

This season, he’ll do what no one else has done in a Rangers uniform. Book him for 50 goals a second time.

Matt Rempe spends time in the AHL

Matt Rempe is an improved player all around this season. Skating with physical specimen Kreider, sparring with George Laraque, and gaining wisdom by living with Jonathan Quick were helpful things to do this offseason.

This will serve him well moving forward. And one can see the many improvements in his game already.

But that doesn’t mean the popular 6-foot-8 forward is a lock to be in New York all season. In fact, it says here he will spend time north of the city, in Hartford with the AHL Wolf Pack this season.

But that’s not a terrible thing. Rempe is 22 and there’s still a lot of growth needed in his game. He can build on things by getting more ice time in the minors, so when he’s back in New York, Rempe is even more of a force.

This also gives Adam Edstrom more of an NHL opportunity, one he’s earned with an outstanding training camp and preseason.

Rangers end decades-long drought, win Stanley Cup

This time next year we will be discussing how the Rangers can repeat as Stanley Cup champions. That’s right, they’re winning the Cup next spring.

They did right in keeping this core together for another run. It’ll pay off with a championship, the organization’s first since 1994. There’ve been hard lessons learned the past three seasons — losing twice in the Eastern Conference Final and stunned by the New Jersey Devils in the 2023 first round.

All of that pain will help fuel a championship run. Shesterkin will cap a brilliant season (as stated above) by winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

As I stated in our staff predictions story, “No. 31 nullifies the 31-year drought.”

Rangers take it all in the spring of 2025. Book the Canyon of Heroes for a late- June parade.

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