Rangers at Canadiens: Pregame Notes
PANARIN’S POINTS
Artemi Panarin has 12 points (6G-6A) through the team’s first five games of the season, making him one of eight players in the NHL since 2007-08 to reach the feat. Panarin has the most points through five games in franchise history and his six goals rank tied for the second most through five games in team history.
For his efforts, Panarin was named the NHL’s Second Star of the Week for the week ending Oct. 20. Panarin ranks among the best in the NHL across the board this season.
Panarin was the first player in franchise history to record multiple points in each of the first four games of a season. The only other active player to accomplish the feat is Connor McDavid in 2021-22 (6-5—11 in 4 GP).
Panarin’s 38 multi-point games since the beginning of last season are tied for the fourth most in the NHL.
Among NHL skaters since 2015-16, has the second most assists (522) and fifth most points in the NHL (793).
In addition, Panarin’s 56 three-point games since joining the Rangers in 2019-20 are the third most among all players through that span. Connor McDavid (83) and Leon Draisaitl (65) rank first and second.
PUCK STOPPING SHESTERKIN
Igor Shesterkin has three wins on the young season, allowing one or fewer goals in all three victories. He has 18 career wins in the month of October (25 GP). His .720 win percentage is the highest in NHL history in the calendar month of October (min. 15 GP).
Among the 21 goaltenders to have played in four or more games this season, Shesterkin ranks fifth in save percentage (.935) and GAA (1.97).
Since the beginning of last season, the 21 games in which Shesterkin has allowed one or fewer goals rank first among NHL goaltenders.
Since the 2021-22 season, Shesterkin has ranked among the best in the NHL.
KREIDING INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS
Chris Kreider has five goals in his first five games of his 13th season and on Saturday, he notched his 46th career game- winning goal, tying Jean Ratelle for the second most in franchise history. His five goals are the most through five games in his career.
Kreider has 111 career power play goals, the second most in franchise history.
Since 2021-22, Kreider’s 10 shorthanded goals are tied for the most in the NHL (Travis Konecny, Adrian Kempe).
FANTASTIC MR. FOX
Adam Fox has two three-assist games over his last four contests (Oct. 12 vs. UTA, Oct. 17 at DET). His 13 career three-assist games are the second most by a Rangers defenseman behind Brian Leetch (37). Since 2019-20, his 13 such games ranks tied for fourth among NHL defensemen.
Since 2019-20, Fox has 75 multi-point games, which ranks fourth among NHL defensemen.
Last season, Fox set a career-high in 17 goals and posted 56 assists and 73 points last season. He scored the most goals by a Rangers defenseman since Brian Leetch in 2000-01 (21). Among NHL blueliners, he ranked tied for sixth in goals, sixth in points, and eighth in assists.
LIVE, LAF, LOVE
Alexis Lafreniere has points (3G-3A) in all five games to start the season. He has tied Tomas Sandstrom (5 GP in 1986-87) and Mike McEwen (5 GP in 1978-79) for the second-longest season-opening point streak by a Rangers player age 23 or younger. Darren Turcotte tops the list with an 11-game run in 1990-91.
On October 12 against Utah, Lafreniere skated in his 300th career NHL game.
Since his rookie season in 2020-21, he has the fifth most points on the Blueshirts (154) and in that same frame, ranks third on the Rangers in even strength goals (73) and even strength points (142).
Last year, Lafreniere had a career high in goals (28), assists (29) and points (57) in 2022-23 and was one of five players on New York to play in all 82 games. On the Rangers, he ranked second in even strength goals (26) and third in even-strength points (51).
FORECHECK, BACKCHECK, TROCHECK
Vincent Trocheck has seven points (2G-5A) through the first five games of the season, including his fourth career four-point game on October 17 at Detroit. Among skaters with 100 or more faceoffs, Trocheck ranks fourth in faceoff percentage (59.0).
Trocheck sits one goal away from 200 in his career.
In 2023-24, Trocheck posted a career-high in assists (52) and points (77). On New York, he finished fifth in goals, third in assists and second in points.
With a 58.7 percent clip in the faceoff dot, Trocheck had the fourth highest percentage in the NHL among players who took 700 or more draws.
Trocheck was named last year’s winner of the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award, which is presented annually to the Ranger who, as chosen by the fans, “goes above and beyond the call of duty.”
MIKA’S MISSION
Mika Zibanejad is in his ninth season with the Rangers after being acquired ahead of the 2016-17 season. In that time frame, Zibanejad ranks fifth in the NHL in power play goals with 101 which is also the fifth most in Rangers history.
On Saturday in Toronto, Zibanejad became the 13th player in Rangers history to notch 300 assists with the team.
Last season, he notched 40 assists in a season for the third consecutive year and 25 goals for the sixth time in his career in 2023-24.
He had double-digit power play goals (12) for a seventh straight season. The only other player that has reached 10-plus power play goals in the last seven seasons is Steven Stamkos.
2023-24 RECAP
The Rangers earned a trip to the Eastern Conference Final last season, after defeating Washington in the First Round and Carolina in the Second Round. Their playoff run came after a regular season that saw them finishing with a 55-23-4 record for 114 points.
They earned first place in the League standings for the fifth time in franchise history, won the Metro Division and eighth division title in franchise history. New York set the franchise record in wins (55) and points (114).
Other notes from the 2023-24 season include:
