Capitals vs. the Metro: Rangers Keep Roster Intact from 2023-24

Continuing the Metropolitan Division previews for the Washington Capitals, the New York Rangers finished the last regular season at the top of the mountain. They claimed the President’s Trophy for the most points accumulated in the league with 114 points. It was the first season for the team under head coach Peter Laviolette. They finished with a record of 55-23-4. What should the Washington Capitals and their fans expect from the Rangers come 2024-25?

New Offseason Additions

The New York Rangers did not make many changes in the 2024 offseason. A trade that general manager Chris Drury made was with the Pittsburgh Penguins. They acquired winger Reilly Smith in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick. Smith scored 13 goals and registered 27 assists for 40 points in 76 games last season for the Penguins. It was his only campaign in Pittsburgh.

In free agency, Drury made a move to strengthen and deepen the forward ranks. He signed Sam Carrick to a three-year contract worth $3 million. Carrick played the 2023-24 season with the Edmonton Oilers and played in 16 games for them. He also spent a few seasons between the Anaheim Ducks and their AHL affiliate, San Diego Gulls. Carrick’s best stats in the NHL so far were in 2021-22, where he scored 11 goals and accrued eight assists for 19 points in 64 games. He provides forward depth that can potentially factor in down the stretch later on in the season.

2023-24 Regular Season Series

The Capitals and Rangers played each other four times in the 2023-24 regular season. They split those four games, with both clubs winning two each. Washington won the first game on December 9 by a score of 4-0 at Capital One Arena. Sonny Milano, Anthony Mantha, Tom Wilson, and Nicolas Aube-Kubel scored for Washington, while goalie Charlie Lindgren made all 31 saves on 31 shots.

Both clubs would play each other one more time before 2023 drew to a close. They squared off at Madison Square Garden on December 27. This time, the Rangers won by a final of 5-1. The lone Capitals tally came from Mantha. Meanwhile, New York got goals from K’Andre Miller, Artemi Panarin, Braden Schneider, K’Andre Miller again, and Alexis Lafreniere. Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin stopped 26 of 27 shots in the winning effort.

The first clash in 2024 occurred on January 13 in D.C. Washington got offensive contributions from Mantha, Nic Dowd, and T.J. Oshie. Both Rangers’ goals came from Adam Fox. Charlie Lindgren made 25 saves in net for the Capitals.

The last regular-season matchup these two had was the next day on January 14 in New York. The Rangers took that victory 2-1. Panarin and Lafreniere netted the Ranger goals, while the Capitals got their goal from Oshie.

2024 Playoff Series

These two clubs also met in the 2024 playoffs. The Rangers won the series in the end in a sweep. The results of the four games are below:

• Game 1: New York Rangers 4, Washington Capitals 1
• Game 2: New York Rangers 4, Washington Capitals 3
• Game 3: New York Rangers 3, Washington Capitals 1
• Game 4: New York Rangers 4, Washington Capitals 2

Washington Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary (42) in action during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

The scoring from the Capitals in this series came from Martin Fehervary (who had two goals in the series), Tom Wilson, Connor McMichael, Dylan Strome, John Carlson, and Hendrix Lapierre. Alex Ovechkin was held without a point in that series. That was a massive advantage for New York during that series. The Rangers were able to limit the offense Washington could produce, and it led them to grabbing all four wins and advancing to the next round. Washington is going to try to be more offensive during the 2024-25 campaign. If they succeed, they should be able to get more wins, clinch a playoff spot, and potentially win at least one playoff series.

Capitals vs. Rangers in 2024-25

The Capitals and Rangers will go head-to-head a total of three times throughout the upcoming 2024-25 season. They will play against one another on October 29 in Washington, January 4 in D.C., and March 5 at Madison Square Garden. Dangerous Rangers players for the Capitals to keep an eye on are Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, and Adam Fox. Shesterkin can also be a problem if he is on top of his game. If he plays unstoppable against Washington, this regular season series could be a long one for Capitals fans.

This rivalry will be intriguing to watch, considering the recent playoff series. Capitals players could have a little extra motivation when those three matchups appear on the calendar.