The New York Rangers have completed the first quarter of the 2025-26 season, with 21 games played and 61 remaining. There’s still a long way to go before we find out exactly what kind of team these Blueshirts can be, but there’s also a big enough sample to start forming opinions.

The Rangers are 10-9-2, right smack in the middle of the jumbled Eastern Conference standings. They were one of four teams tied for the second and final wild card spot with 22 points entering play Wednesday, but they ranked the lowest of that group based on points percentage. As further evidence of the parity in the conference, they’re only five points behind the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils for the No. 1 seed and just four points up on the basement-dwelling Buffalo Sabres. It’s tight from top to bottom, leaving the door open for any team to make a run.

New York’s first 20-plus games have been defined by two constant themes: A vastly improved defense under new coach Mike Sullivan, and an offense that’s sputtering due to underperforming stars and a lack of scoring depth. The result is identical goals for and goals against averages of 2.48 — the former ranking 30th in the NHL, while the latter sits fourth.

It’s made for an interesting evaluation process. Many Rangers are playing the best defense of their careers, but their point production is sagging across the board. I’ve tried to balance all factors while ranking the team’s top 20 players through a quarter of the season.

The order is based on all-around impact, which can come in many forms. Those who log the most ice time, are tasked with more responsibility and haven’t missed time due to injury, inherently bring more value, with those players likely to be ranked higher. Above all, results matter. I’ve combed through statistics from various sites and gathered opinions from trusted sources around the league to help determine the effectiveness of each player. I’ve also watched and dissected nearly every game while also observing countless practices and speaking to Sullivan and players almost daily. It’s all helped shaped these rankings.

It’s an admittedly inexact science, but it’s also a fun way to analyze what we’ve seen so far this season. Let’s dive in: (All stats listed prior to Wednesday’s games.)

1. Adam Fox — On a team filled with underproducing players at the top of the lineup, Fox stands out as someone who’s mostly giving the Rangers what they expect. His 16 points (three goals and 13 assists) are tied for fifth among NHL defensemen, and his 6.2 net rating sits third, according to Hockey Stat Cards. He’s achieved this while taking on a larger shutdown role defensively, with his 1.49 quality of competition rating indicating he’s faced the toughest matchups of any New York defenseman.

2. Igor Shesterkin — Has Shesterkin been lights out every night? Not quite. There have been several moments when he looks human, particularly against high shots on the glove side. But fans nitpicking every goal speaks more to the high standard he’s set and fragile state of the offense than anything else. The 29-year-old ranks seventh among goalies who have appeared in at least 10 games with a .911 save percentage and sixth with 9.5 goals saved above expected, according to MoneyPuck. He remains the Rangers’ backbone and player most capable of stealing wins.

3. Vladislav Gavrikov — New York’s big free-agent signing has helped turn what had been one of the league’s worst defenses into one of the better ones. Gavrikov is rarely out of position, physical when he needs to be and excellent at using his 6-foot-3, 210-pounds to clog lanes and poke away pucks with his stick. He’s been a stabilizer next to Fox, with their 59.7% expected goals-for rate ranking third among all D pairs that have logged at least 200 minutes together, according to MoneyPuck.

4. Mika Zibanejad — The choices get pretty tough in this range because there’s a clear group of go-to forwards, but they’ve each had offensive struggles. Zibanejad has been more consistent than the others while reestablishing himself at his natural center position, which is why I gave him a slight edge, but 12 points through 21 games is well short of what the Rangers need. He leads the team with seven goals, 68 shots and 25 individual high-danger scoring chances at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick, which indicates he’s been more aggressive after playing tentatively much of last season. He looks better, but it hasn’t always translated to results.

5. Artemi Panarin — After enduing one of the worst slumps of his career to start the season, with only seven points in his first 14 games, Panarin shaved his head and cranked it up 12 points in his last seven, including five straight. His 19 points overall (five goals and 14 assists) leads the team, with his 4.0 net rating ranking second only to Fox. But there are legitimate questions about whether the Rangers should re-sign a pending free agent who just turned 34 and has shown signs of slippage.

6. J.T. Miller — The captain deserves a fair share of credit for the defensive turnaround, with his 2.3 defensive rating ranking first among New York forwards. That’s come while facing the stiffest quality of competition of any Ranger at 2.24, according to Hockey Stat Cards. But the 32-year-old was acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Vancouver Canucks to be a driving force on offense and has been a shell of that player. He’s looked a step too slow while registering 10 points (four goals and six assists), including only five at five-on-five. Does it stem from a lingering lower-body injury sustained at the end of training camp? Or did the Rangers hitch their wagon to a player whose point-per-game days are behind him? Miller was hard on himself following Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, saying, “I certainly expect a hell of a lot more production than what I have.”

7. Will Borgen — The 28-year-old defenseman isn’t helping the offensive cause, either, but that’s not his role. The Rangers requested him as part of last year’s trade that sent Kaapo Kakko to Seattle because they valued his mobility and steady defense, and he’s making that look like a smart move. Opponents are averaging just 0.97 goals per 60 minutes at 5v5 with Borgen on the ice, according to Evolving Hockey, with he and Gavrikov tied for fourth in the NHL with a 4.2 defensive rating. He’s been a stalwart.

8. Alexis Lafrenière — There have been vocal critics of Lafrenière, with some of it deserved, but there’s a lot to like under the hood. He’s one of only four Rangers with a positive offensive rating and ranks first among their lineup regulars with a 59.36% xGF, according to Evolving Hockey. It wasn’t resulting in many points early on, but the 24-year-old winger has seen an uptick since being reinserted on a dynamic line with Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. He’s sitting on 12 (four goals and eight assists) for the season.

After slumping early this season, Will Cuylle appears to have found a rhythm in his past 12 games. (Tim Fuller / Imagn Images)

9. Will Cuylle — Another young winger the Rangers are counting on this season, Cuylle has matched Lafrenière with 12 points (six goals and six assists). All but one of those has come in his last 12 games. The 23-year-old slumped early while being given his first extended look in the top six, which could be a sign that he’s better served in a third-line role. Sullivan made that adjustment Tuesday, but shouldn’t mess with Cuylle on New York’s top power-play unit, where he’s proven to be the best option at the net-front position.

10. Jonathan Quick — How can we put a player in the top 10 who’s only appeared in five games? Part of it has to do with underwhelming performances from others, but the biggest factor has been Quick’s tremendous play. He’s approaching his 40th birthday in January but doesn’t seem to be slowing down one bit. He leads the league with a .951 SV% and has been at that number or higher in four of his five starts. Quick’s 1.257 GSAx per 60 ranks second among goalies with multiple appearances, according to MoneyPuck.

11. Sam Carrick — The Rangers are facing legitimate concerns about their depth, but there’s no question about their fourth-line center. The 33-year-old has been reliable at 5v5, where he’s posted a 52.12% xGF and anchored what Sullivan calls his “momentum line,” and rates as the team’s best penalty killer according to Evolving Hockey’s xGA/60. He also brings an element of toughness New York has lacked in the past, galvanizing the team by standing up to some of the NHL’s toughest customers.

12. Noah Laba — The Rangers appear to have found their third-line center, as well. The 22-year-old rookie hasn’t looked out of place after surprising everyone by making the team out of camp. His defense has been excellent, with a 1.01 GA/60 that ranks first among New York’s regular forwards. He’s also brought a speed element the roster sorely lacked, with his 23.04 mph max skating speed landing in the 94th percentile league wide, according to NHL Edge. The next step is growing Laba’s offensive confidence and building on the six points (three goals and three assists) he’s posted so far.

13. Vincent Trocheck — The 32-year-old center should be in the top five based on the quality of his play, but missing 14 games due to an upper-body injury has drastically limited his impact. His return has lengthened the lineup while adding a necessary blend of skill and snarl. With six points (three goals and three assists) through seven contests, Trocheck’s 0.86 points per game average ranks second to only Panarin. He’s reunited with Lafrenière and Panarin to give the Rangers an offensive-minded trio that can generate off the rush and create quick-strike opportunities, which was badly needed. They’re averaging 5.89 goals per 60, which ranks third among all NHL lines that have logged at least 75 minutes together, according to MoneyPuck.

14. Taylor Raddysh — A hat trick on Oct. 23 against the San Jose Sharks inflated Raddysh’s statistics, but he’s been a solid all-around addition to the bottom six. Not only can he chip in some secondary scoring, which has been a glaring need for the Rangers, but he’s a big body at 6-foot-2, 201 pounds who skates fairly well (61st percentile in max speed) and has been very good defensively. Opposing teams are only scoring 1.29 goals per 60 with the 27-year-old winger on the ice at 5v5 and his 2.03 xGA/60 ranks first among New York’s regular forwards, according to Evolving Hockey.

15. Carson Soucy — It looked like the Rangers made a mistake by surrendering a 2025 third-round pick to acquire the 31-year-old defenseman from Vancouver last season, but he’s largely salvaged that deal by outplaying low expectations. The defense has been steady, as evidenced by a 1.9 defensive rating, but his puck skills have left much to be desired.

16. Braden Schneider — Speaking of expectations, it may be time to adjust them for Schneider. The 24-year-old has shown a bit more physicality following surgery to repair his right labrum, but he’s the Rangers’ only sub-50% xGF defenseman (47.89%, per Evolving Hockey) and hasn’t seized the opportunity as quarterback of the second power-play unit.

17. Conor Sheary — It’s hard to complain about a player who signed for the league minimum after coming to camp on a professional tryout contract and has registered a 2.2 defensive rating that ranks second among New York forwards behind only Miller. But it’s also fair to wonder if the Rangers will eventually require an upgrade, whether it comes via trade or promoting a prospect.

18. Adam Edström — The 6-foot-7, 232-pounder has brought an enticing combination of size and speed, with his 23.8 max skating speed sitting in the NHL’s 99th percentile. But after starting strong, he’s been scratched in three of the last seven games. The Rangers’ best lineup absolutely includes the 25-year-old winger, but his line hasn’t been as effective since losing Edström’s close friend and bash brother Matt Rempe to an upper-body injury on Oct. 23.

19. Matthew Robertson — Out of nowhere, the 24-year-old defenseman has forced his way into the Rangers’ plans. It took Robertson six years after being selected in the second round of the 2019 draft to make his NHL debut, but he kept his head down and has outplayed Urho Vaakanainen for the left-handed spot on the bottom pair. The Edmonton native has registered a 55.57% xGF and a 1.7 defensive rating.

20. Jonny Brodzinski — We should know by now not to count out the Rangers’ 32-year-old utility man. He seems to begin every season as a healthy scratch before eventually working his way into the lineup. He’s only played 10 of 21 games, but that includes eight of the last 11. Get this: Brodzinski’s 60.13% xGF ranks best on the team, according to Evolving Hockey.

Not enough games or impact to be ranked: F Jaroslav Chmelař, D Scott Morrow, F Brennan Othmann, F Juuso Pärssinen, F Gabe Perreault, F Matt Rempe and D Urho Vaakanainen