If you’re a New York Rangers fan, still buzzing from last season’s Presidents’ Trophy win, and dreaming of Stanley Cup glory. It’s not going to be the same this year. The Garden’s electric, Igor Shesterkin’s a wall in the net, and the team’s racking up points like nobody’s business. Then, like a plot twist in a gritty New York movie, it all unravels. Fast forward to April 12, 2025, and the Blueshirts are out of the playoff race, repeating a rare and painful history from 1993. What happened to the team that was supposed to dominate?

An X post from PuckEmpire shared the news. The tweet said, “The city that never sleeps has been put to bed. The New York Rangers will not be in the NHL’s playoffs for the first time since 2021.” It’s a stat that stings, especially for a fanbase that tasted success just a year ago. That loss wasn’t just a bad night; it was the culmination of a season-long collapse. The Rangers became only the fourth team in NHL history to miss the playoffs the year after winning the Presidents’ Trophy, joining the 1992-93 Blueshirts in infamy. The other teams included the Buffalo Sabres 2006-08 and the Boston Bruins 2013-15. It’s a stat that stings, especially for a fanbase that tasted success just a year ago.

The Rangers’ 2024-25 season started with promise, kicking off at 12-4-1. Fans were optimistic, shrugging off whispers of tension between management and players. However, a November road trip through western Canada became the first crack in the foundation—ugly losses in Calgary and Edmonton exposed flaws. General Manager Chris Drury’s decision to put Barclay Goodrow on waivers and force out former captain Jacob Trouba affected team morale, as they headed into the new year losing 15 out of their 19 games through November and December.

The “Presidents’ Trophy curse” talk is back, and it’s hard to ignore. Fans on X are already drawing parallels to ’93, hoping for a ’94-style rebound when the Rangers won the Cup. But with Drury’s roster shake-up looming and questions about Laviolette’s future, the road ahead looks bumpy. For now, after the loss to the Hurricanes, Rangers faithful are left wondering how a team built for greatness could fall so far, so fast.

New York Rangers players and coach react after NHL Playoffs elimination

The New York Rangers were riding high last season, clinching the Presidents’ Trophy and battling their way to the Eastern Conference Final. So, when the final buzzer sounded on their 2024-25 campaign, with no playoff berth to show for it, the mood at Madison Square Garden was heavy. A 7-3 thrashing by the Carolina Hurricanes on April 12 sealed their fate, marking a stunning fall for a team with Stanley Cup dreams.

“It’s disappointing for everybody,” head coach Peter Laviolette said, his voice carrying the weight of a season gone wrong. “It certainly wasn’t anybody’s plan coming into the year, especially coming off last year. Yet, here we are.” He pointed to the final 20 games, of which they lost 14. What’s even more frustrating is that the Rangers were just two points shy of the Canadiens for the second wildcard spot as late as April 4. “We had opportunities to make our own noise and make our own way, and we didn’t do that,” he admitted.

The players weren’t any less gutted. Forward Vincent Trocheck, a heart-and-soul guy, didn’t sugarcoat it either. “You can’t just show up and expect it to go the same way it did last year. We earned it last year. We certainly didn’t earn it this year.” he said. Along with the New York Rangers, the Boston Bruins, and the Pittsburgh Penguins will also be packing their bags early, thus marking the first time the three teams have failed to secure playoff berths in the same NHL season.

Interestingly, after the disappointment that was ’93, the Rangers came back the next year to win their first Stanley Cup in more than five decades. But any hope of another comeback of that stature is marred with questions now. A lot of questions.