Tip: Struggling New York Rangers visit the Carolina Hurricanes

Swedish forward Mika Zibanejad is one of several Swedish NHL stars currently going through a tough period. He has faced heavy criticism, as has the entire New York Rangers organization. The team, which won the Presidents' Trophy last year, has even started discussing a rebuild. This may sound extreme, but considering how the team has performed this season, it's understandable that they need to reassess their long-term plans.

What’s Happening in New York?

For those of you who don’t follow the NHL closely, it might seem strange to label a team currently fifth in the Eastern Conference as being in crisis. The problem isn’t so much the results, but rather how they’ve looked on the ice. Over the last three games alone, the Rangers have allowed 132 shots on their goal, including being completely dominated by the St. Louis Blues in their most recent game on home ice. That’s bad. In fact, the Rangers have allowed the second-most shots against in the NHL this season, behind only Anaheim. Looking at the underlying numbers after 20 games, the stats read as follows: xG 68.07 - xGA 70.2. While not catastrophic, this isn’t what you’d expect from a team that aims to be among the NHL’s elite.

The team’s core of veterans has especially underperformed this season. Mika Zibanejad, in particular, has drawn harsh criticism, posting a -13 plus/minus rating and being blamed for conceding goals while failing to generate offense on his own. Although the Rangers are practically unable to part ways with Zibanejad due to his long-term contract, there have been calls for his departure. Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba have also been linked to trade rumors. Kreider missed the last game following these rumors but is traveling with the team and listed as day-to-day. Beyond Panarin, Fox, the goaltenders, and Lafrenière, there have been few bright spots.

Carolina Keeps Rolling

Before the season began, I placed a few futures bets on the Hurricanes based on how strong they looked heading into the year. They haven’t disappointed me—or anyone else. They’re steamrolling through the Eastern Conference, currently sitting second, just one point behind the Devils but with three games in hand. As always, Carolina boasts some of the best underlying numbers in the league and remains incredibly well-rounded with few weaknesses.

The biggest positive might be the breakout season of Martin Necas. The 25-year-old Czech forward has been absolutely dominant, scoring 12 goals and 23 assists in 21 games. For Carolina, it’s as if the final piece of the puzzle has fallen into place. They’re no longer reliant on Sebastian Aho or Andrei Svechnikov for offensive production. Seth Jarvis, one of the league’s best two-way forwards, has also looked outstanding since returning from a minor injury. The Hurricanes exude stability, and against a reeling Rangers team, it feels like the visitors are in for a tough night where they likely won’t measure up.

Conclusion and Betting Tip

Facing the solid Carolina Hurricanes doesn’t seem like an ideal matchup for the New York Rangers given their weak form in recent weeks. While it’s speculative, the number of shots Carolina is likely to fire at the Rangers’ net tonight could be massive. If things continue as they have, Igor Shesterkin will have his hands full. Carolina leads the league in shots on goal, while the Rangers allow the second-most. Shots aren’t everything, but there’s little doubt that Carolina should dominate this game. The Rangers reshuffled their lines after Kreider missed the last game, but the changes didn’t seem to improve things. One notable adjustment was splitting up the third line with Kakko and Cuylle—the only line that had been consistently effective.

I’m not saying the Rangers, with their individual talent, can’t disrupt Carolina and steal points, but their situation feels desperate, and the Hurricanes are likely the worst possible opponent in such a scenario.

My bet: Carolina Hurricanes FT @ +105 on bet365