Rangers Week Ahead: Schedule and Storylines – Shesterkin, Quick, Rempe and More – The Hockey Writers New York Rangers Latest News, Analysis and More

Here are the current storylines and upcoming schedule for the New York Rangers for the week of December 15-21.

The Gauntlet (5 games in 7 days)

The biggest topic of conversation is that of the team tiring schedule. As head coach Mike Sullivan noted, the Rangers have entered a “bad stretch” of seven games in 11 days leading up to the Christmas break. The week of December 15-21 is the highlight of this gauntlet, with five matches in one week, including two back-to-back sets (Mon/Tues and Sat/Sun). Fatigue management and goaltender rotation will be critical.

Fighting for consistency in a tight metropolis

The Rangers (16-13-4) are currently fighting to find their footing in a busy Metropolitan Division. Recent performances have been mixed, with them earning points in back-to-back games against top teams like the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche, but suffering a flat shutout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. They are currently trying to string together wins to differentiate themselves from the “mushy middle” of the standings.

Injury watch: Rempe, Fox and Quick

Matt Rempe: The young enforcer is reportedly “close” to returning next missed approximately 24 games due to an upper-body injury (stopped in a fight with Ryan Reaves in October). He has returned to training in a non-contact jersey.

Adam Fox: The star defenseman has missed (upper body) lately, which seriously affected the team’s power play (which went 0-for-8 in his absence). His health is an important daily concern.

Jonathan Quick: The veteran backup goaltender is expected to return to the lineup after a lower-body injury sidelined him in late November. With the shortened schedule this week, Quick is almost guaranteed to start at least one or two games to relieve Igor Shesterkin.

Igor Shesterkin’s heavy workload

Shesterkin has been the backbone of the team, recently starting seven straight games due to Quick’s injury and the team’s precarious position in the standings. With the massive eight-year contract he signed a year ago (December 2024) now in full force, expectations remain sky-high that he will guide the team through this busy schedule.

Rangers schedule December 15 – 21

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