It looks like things are only going south for the New York Rangers, as they are on a losing streak for the last four consecutive games and have found themselves in a questionable position in the NHL standings. It all started with a 3-1 defeat against the Carolina Hurricanes, followed by an even more disappointing game against the New Jersey Devils, where they lost the game by a 5-0 scoreline, and then a 6-2 defeat against the Tampa Bay Lightning and 5-3 against the Florida Panthers made things even worse for them.
In addition to the team's defeats, Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette faced criticism from defenseman Zac Jones, who disagreed with the decision to leave him out of an important match. As a result, Jones voiced his frustration and expressed his disappointment with the coach's decision.
Drama and disagreements in the Rangers' locker room
In an interview with Newsday Sports, Colin Stephenson Jones stated that despite his generally easygoing and positive attitude, he finds the decision of being left out frustrating and difficult. He also emphasized that while he tries to maintain a cheerful demeanor and stay optimistic, the circumstances of being left out of the team are upsetting to him.
"I’m just generally a pretty easygoing, happy person. And no matter what is going on in my life, I’m gonna try and come to the rink with a smile on my face… But it (expletive) sucks,” Zac Jones said.
This is not the first time Laviolette's decision has been criticized by Rangers players. One of their former players, Kaapo Kakko, who was traded to the Seattle Kraken in December 2024, also expressed frustration after being left out of the final lineup for their matchup against the St. Louis Blues. Kakko stated that he didn't believe he was the worst player, yet he found himself excluded from the lineup.
"I have not been the worst guy, but that was me out of the lineup. Haven’t been on the ice too much when [opponents] score a goal. I was surprised, yeah."
Amidst all the turmoil, the New York Rangers are set to kick off their 2025 season with a matchup against the Boston Bruins on Friday, hoping to turn things around.
