Rangers vs. Kraken: Salt in the Wound
When these Game Notes stop being about the game and start being about the fallout, you know exactly how broken things have become.
- I don't know if there is a better way to frame what is the New York Rangers than this:
Nothing like playing against your former New York Rangers to jack guys up https://t.co/SwiKhvFpnt
— Joe Fortunato (@JoeFortunatoBSB) January 13, 2026
- Let's take a moment to zoom out to the big picture: Losses are far more valuable for this team than wins. The Rangers playing like crap, losing games, having the home crowd chant "Fire Drury," and boo them off the ice is the best outcome. It forces the Rangers to be critical about the organization—and for what it's worth, I think the media conversation about Drury waiting and seeing what the month holds is a joke—and allows no one to hide behind anything. It will force the right things to be done. The worse it gets now, the better it gets long term.
- Now let's take a moment to zoom back in to the micro here: Did you actually expect the Rangers to win that hockey game? The reaction on social media was akin to losing a playoff game. Did the Rangers blow an early 2-0 lead? Yes. Did they generate 11 shots after the first period? Yup. Did former players embarrass the Rangers? Of course! But, like, what did you expect (if you expected anything at all)? In the best of circumstances the best version of this team has proven they don't have enough scoring or skill, and that team isn't the team that was iced last night. They're missing Adam Fox, Igor Shesterkin, and J.T. Miller hasn't been healthy since preseason. What did you expect?
- Now, you can be frustrated about the situation. That I understand. But I return you to two points above: Losses are good. The worst it gets the better long term.
