TORONTO – J.T. Miller and the Recent York Rangers expected big things after they broke training camp back in the autumn.
Coming off a playoff-less spring that resulted in forward Chris Kreider and defenceman K’Andre Miller getting shipped out of town, the club believed its remaining core — led by star goaltender Igor Shesterkin — together with the addition of decorated head coach Mike Sullivan and blueliner Vladislav Gavrikov would get the club back into the NHL’s spring dance.
The Original Six franchise is as a substitute headed toward one other long summer of massive questions.
The Rangers (28-35-9) became the second team officially eliminated from post-season contention Wednesday after they fell 4-3 in Toronto.
Recent York, which tied a franchise record with just 10 shots on goal in Monday’s ugly 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators, directed 43 pucks on the right track against Maple Leafs netminder Joseph Woll, but were unable to avoid the axe finally falling.
“I don’t think anybody thought we’d be where we’re,” said Miller, the team’s captain. “It sucks … it’s the worst. We don’t want that. But immediately we’re just fearful about playing good hockey games in the course of the season and feeling good going into summer — feeling good about our game, a minimum of, and attempting to move in the correct direction.
“We failed to achieve our goal.”
The Rangers made the Eastern Conference final in each 2022 and 2024 to go together with a first-round exit in 2023.
Related Videos
“No person’s thrilled with where we’re at,” said Sullivan, who won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017 before leading america to gold on the Milan Cortina Olympics. “We’re doing all the things we will to attempt to instil a certain standard here that we will construct on moving forward.”
General manager Chris Drury might be in line for some tough conversations once the Rangers, a bunch with loads of veterans on big-money deals, play out the string and switch to 2026-27.
Get breaking National news
Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox because it happens so you will not miss a trending story.
“This is just not what we wanted,” said centre Mika Zibanejad, who scored twice Wednesday to present him 32 goals on the campaign. “It’s tough, but it surely hasn’t come as a surprise by way of (elimination) happening. It was only a matter of time in the event you take a look at the standings. You possibly can do quick math, but it surely still hurts.”
“We get to judge more of it once we play all the remaining of the games.”
Sullivan said if the Rangers put in additional efforts like Wednesday’s down the meaningless stretch, they might be in higher shape moving forward.
“If we play like that, with those intentions, that variety of intensity, we’re gonna win games,” he said. “We deserved a greater fate (in Toronto) … it didn’t occur, but I believed we played a reasonably good game.”
GETTING CHIRPED
Maple Leafs defenceman Jake McCabe said his kids were giving him a tough time before puck drop for not scoring since Nov. 18.
The gritty blueliner, who leads the NHL with 173 shot blocks, promptly went out and buried the sport’s first goal — and his fourth overall — with a pleasant finish off a scramble after pinching down from the purpose.
“They said, ‘Dad, you never rating goals. When are you going to attain a goal?’” McCabe recounted with a smile of the conversation back at home. “It’s nice to get one, especially in the primary period after I know they’re still up watching. Looking forward to seeing them within the morning.”
GOOD VIBES
Toronto, which is on track to miss the playoffs for the primary time since 2016, picked up a 4-2 triumph in Boston against the Bruins on Tuesday before bagging Wednesday’s result to comb the team’s mentors trip.
The annual event sees players bring necessary people from their lives into the Maple Leafs’ circle.
“A fun couple games,” McCabe said. “It’s been tough sledding around here, so it’s nice to gather some points.”
BOYS OF SUMMER
Members of the Toronto Blue Jays, including George Springer, Ernie Clement and Davis Schneider, attended Wednesday’s game — and were in Maple Leafs’ locker room before and after the victory.
“A bit different variety of preparation, but cool having them,” said Toronto centre John Tavares, who scored the game-winning goal against Recent York. “No matter circumstances for us, I feel it’s great, the support for one another, and definitely what they did for this city last yr, and what they’re hoping to do that yr.”
The reigning American League champions, who lost Game 7 of the World Series at home to the Los Angeles Dodgers, open the 2026 season Friday at Rogers Centre against the Athletics.
“It was unreal taking of their run,” Tavares continued of the Blue Jays. “I do know the joy and doubtless the determination for them to return out, and do it again and finish the job.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press