Joe's Reaction of the Week: The Tipping Point
Ahead of the Winter Classic, the Rangers aren’t just at a tipping point for the season—they’re at one for the entire organization.
As of this writing—hours before the New York Rangers take on the Florida Panthers in a 2026 Winter Classic the NHL probably regrets putting the Rangers in there—the Rangers have the worst points percentage in the East.
That's a pretty alarming reality, especially considering this writer's optimism about the Rangers almost assuredly being a playoff team before the season. (My "Joe Was Wrong" column will not lack content this year, I assure you.)
There are "reasons" why this might be the case. J.T. Miller might have played in 35 games this year, but he's been objectively hurt in all of them. Adam Fox has missed a big chunk of time. Vincent Trockeck was out of the lineup earlier in the year. There have been a wealth of day-to-day's, week-to-weeks, and illnesses that have required Mike Sullivan to juggle this lineup in ways that would make a circus clown proud. And just wait until you see this lineup coming into the Winter Classic with the injuries to Noah Laba and Conor Sheary.
