TORONTO – J.T. Miller and the New York Rangers expected big things when they broke training camp back in the fall.
Coming off a playoff-less spring that resulted in forward Chris Kreider and defenceman K’Andre Miller getting shipped out of town, the club believed its remaining core — led by star goaltender Igor Shesterkin — along with the addition of decorated head coach Mike Sullivan and blueliner Vladislav Gavrikov would get the club back into the NHL’s spring dance.
The Original Six franchise is instead headed toward another long summer of big questions.
The Rangers (28-35-9) became the second team officially eliminated from post-season contention Wednesday when they fell 4-3 in Toronto.
New York, which tied a franchise record with just 10 shots on goal in Monday’s ugly 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators, directed 43 pucks on target against Maple Leafs netminder Joseph Woll, but were unable to avoid the axe finally falling.
“I don’t think anybody thought we’d be where we are,” said Miller, the team’s captain. “It sucks … it’s the worst. We don’t want that. But right now we’re just worried about playing good hockey games during the season and feeling good going into summer — feeling good about our game, at least, and trying to move in the right direction.
“We failed to reach our goal.”
The Rangers made the Eastern Conference final in both 2022 and 2024 to go along with a first-round exit in 2023.
“Nobody’s thrilled with where we’re at,” said Sullivan, who won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017 before leading the United States to gold at the Milan Cortina Olympics. “We’re doing everything we can to try to instil a certain standard here that we can build on moving forward.”
General manager Chris Drury could be in line for some tough conversations once the Rangers, a group with plenty of veterans on big-money deals, play out the string and turn to 2026-27.
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“This is not what we wanted,” said centre Mika Zibanejad, who scored twice Wednesday to give him 32 goals on the campaign. “It’s tough, but it hasn’t come as a surprise in terms of (elimination) happening. It was just a matter of time if you look at the standings. You can do quick math, but it still hurts.”
“We get to evaluate more of it when we play all the rest of the games.”
Sullivan said if the Rangers put in more efforts like Wednesday’s down the meaningless stretch, they will be in better shape moving forward.
“If we play like that, with those intentions, that type of intensity, we’re gonna win games,” he said. “We deserved a better fate (in Toronto) … it didn’t happen, but I thought we played a pretty good game.”
GETTING CHIRPED
Maple Leafs defenceman Jake McCabe said his kids were giving him a hard time before puck drop for not scoring since Nov. 18.
The gritty blueliner, who leads the NHL with 173 shot blocks, promptly went out and buried the game’s first goal — and his fourth overall — with a nice finish off a scramble after pinching down from the point.
“They said, ‘Dad, you never score goals. When are you going to score a goal?’” McCabe recounted with a smile of the conversation back at home. “It’s nice to get one, especially in the first period when I know they’re still up watching. Looking forward to seeing them in the morning.”
GOOD VIBES
Toronto, which is on course to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016, picked up a 4-2 triumph in Boston against the Bruins on Tuesday before bagging Wednesday’s result to sweep the team’s mentors trip.
The annual event sees players bring important people from their lives into the Maple Leafs’ circle.
“A fun couple games,” McCabe said. “It’s been tough sledding around here, so it’s nice to collect some points.”
BOYS OF SUMMER
Members of the Toronto Blue Jays, including George Springer, Ernie Clement and Davis Schneider, attended Wednesday’s game — and were in Maple Leafs’ locker room before and after the victory.
“A little different type of preparation, but cool having them,” said Toronto centre John Tavares, who scored the game-winning goal against New York. “Regardless of circumstances for us, I think it’s great, the support for each other, and certainly what they did for this city last year, and what they’re hoping to do this year.”
The reigning American League champions, who lost Game 7 of the World Series at home to the Los Angeles Dodgers, open the 2026 season Friday at Rogers Centre against the Athletics.
“It was unreal taking in their run,” Tavares continued of the Blue Jays. “I know the excitement and probably the determination for them to go back out, and do it again and finish the job.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press