The New York Rangers are earning scathing criticism even after the season has concluded. One ESPN host, Don LaGreca, didn't hold back on the blue shirts, calling them "soft" more or less and blaming them for their poor season.![New York Rangers]()
The New York Rangers' 2024-2025 season was underwhelming and defined by underachievements.
After a Presidents' Trophy-winning season, the unit as a whole would lose its motivation. This soon came after Jacob Trouba was traded, which could be considered an all-time low for the team, as they looked up to him.
After the locker room was broken, they soon tuned out Peter Laviolette, which led to a string of games in which we saw the "No Quit in NY" catchphrase metaphorically tossed in the dumpster.
ESPN Host Don LaGreca would come out with a visceral, scathing tone, calling them soft.
«I put that on the players too. At what point do you get over it?,» Lagreca told Forever Blueshirts on the RINK RAP podcast. «I understand Trouba is your captain, and Trouba wouldn't waive his no-trade clause. So, what's [Drury] supposed to do? Something was missing and needed to be changed. So, should he just cave and say 'This guy doesn't want to go' and let it be? Or do I try and move him?
«Same thing with Barclay Goodrow. Could that have been handled better? Sure. But at the same time, it shouldn't cripple the locker room. It's on the players. At some point you've got to get over it. I understand these are popular players but you've got to get over it.»
LaGreca felt that they should've banded together as a unit and worked to do their best in spite of all the terrible things that happened this season, including a trade of Trouba, Kaapo Kakko, and Ryan Lindgren, and work towards a common goal.
Instead, they went 4-15-0 to close out 2024, and would prove to be a disappointment all around for Rangers fans.
«To allow that to cripple the room how fragile are you to allow that to happen?,» questioned Lagreca.
While LaGreca would make a concession that the GM Chris Drury has a share in the blame for the terrible year, he points the finger at the Rangers unit as a whole.
Not to mention, he believes that the team should move on from Mika Zibanejad, whose time has run its course here in New York.
«I think moving away from Mika Zibanejad would be a good thing, no offense to him, but I think his time is passed (here),» Lagreca stated, though he acknowledged that Zibanejad's no-move clause and desire to stay in New York all but eliminates that option.
Though it might be hard to paint with that broad of a brush, given how successful he was in the 2025 IIHF World Championships.
GM Chris Drury is trying to make the team better, yes, but it's arguable he broke the chemistry early on in the season, and before then by waiving Barclay Goodrow and trading Jacob Trouba.
The memo didn't help either.
There needs to be a kumbaya moment with Drury and the team before it devolves any further than it has last season, or else Mike Sullivan could be on the chopping block next.