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3 Rangers who need to have a bounceback 2026-27 NHL season
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- 3 Rangers who need to have a bounceback 2026-27 NHL season
The Rangers are coming off an extremely disappointing season.
While the team underperformed as a whole, there are some key areas in which you could point towards behind their dip in production.
Here are three players in need of a bounce back this season…
J.T. Miller
Miller's first season as Rangers captain went about as poorly as it could've.
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With the 'C' now on his chest, it was his responsibility to lead the team back to contention, and they ended up failing miserably with a last place finish in the Eastern Conference.
Miller was expected to miss the start of the season after suffering an injury in camp, but he decided to play through it without seeing any preseason action, and his production dipped.
That became a trend for the majority of his campaign.
The veteran put up just 53 total points (17G, 36 A) across 68 games.
While those numbers aren't exactly terrible on paper, they are certainly down for a top-performer who was expected to come in around the 70-80 point mark
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For the Rangers to get back into contention, they'll need much more from the man tasked with leading the charge.
Oliver Bjorkstrand
The Rangers made a couple of flashy moves this offseason, but bringing in Bjorkstrand on a one-year pact is one of the more low-profile additions.
Bjorkstrand doesn't exactly move the needle so to speak, but the Blueshirts are banking on him as a cheap gamble if he can return to form.
The winger topped the 20-goal mark in every season from 2018-25, topping out at 28 with Columbus in 2022.
He continued that production after being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning ahead of the deadline two years ago, but ultimately saw it drop off mightily last year.
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Oliver Bjorkstrand (22) handles the puck Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period at Benchmark International Arena. / Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images
Bjorkstrand remains a play-driver, but he only found the back of the net a dozen times and totaled 32 points while missing only two games.
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Is it the start of a decline for the 31-year-old, or just a blip?
The Rangers are certainly hoping that it's the latter, and he's able to provide a nice boost in the scoring department potentially sliding in next to Miller on their second line.
Joonas Korpisalo
Acquiring Korpisalo was one of the trades that left Rangers fans scratching their heads over the offseason.
The veteran netminder is coming off a second consecutive down season with the Bruins, finishing with a 3.15 goals against average over 31 appearances.
Granted Korpisalo is only here to back up Igor Shesterkin, New York needs him to round back into form in case their All-Star starter does go down to injury again.
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The Blueshirts, of course, had to turn to veteran backup Jonathan Quickfor a period of time last year after Shesterkin was forced to the press box a lower-body issue.
Korpisalo likely has too big of a cap hit to stash down in the AHL and is under control next year, but he'll have to perform with young Dylan Garandknocking at the door.
