Hey, NHL fans, buckle up if your favourite team is the New York Rangers! Why? The franchise made a crazy announcement today, and it’s turning heads. The financial move was terrible, and fans have reacted massively to it. As the New York Rangers are 5th in the Metropolitan division of the Eastern Conference, the fans are already fed up with the glacial pace with which the team is gearing up for the Stanley Cup playoffs. With 17 games upcoming against powerful teams such as the Capitals, the Canes, and the Blue Jackets, that playoff spot sure isn’t a cakewalk.

The New York Rangers organization is desperate for a playoff spot, and so are their fans. And with fans fuming over losses, the franchise dropped a major update on season subscriptions. As per NHL reporter Larry Brooks’ X post, “Rangers have informed season subscribers there will be a ‘moderate’ increase for next season but no increase if they don’t qualify for the playoffs.”

 Seems like they have already sent emails to subscribers ahead of the price hike decision. But the twist is IF they qualify for the playoffs. The subscription plan or membership includes discounts on purchases made from official stores. Besides this, subscribers receive 20% discounts on food and beverages at Madison Square Garden. But fans aren’t exactly happy with this move at all. It’s evident from the comments section that die-hard Rangers fans just want the team to win, if they have to shell out anymore money on the team. Now, is that guaranteed? Not so much.

The hike in subscription fee is a juxtaposed approach to how the Canes treat their fanbase. While the Carolina Hurricanes are striving to save dollars spent by fans with no-cost replacement jerseys over the ill-fated Rantanen trade, the Rangers are proposing just the opposite by asking fans to shell out more to watch games riddled with below the par performance.  

In the case of the Rangers, love for their fans just fails to shine through. Though the price raise is moderate, on the flip side, the extra charge will only be applicable if the Rangers make it to the play-offs. Hopefully, would this increased revenue opportunity to serve as a catalyst for better performances in the impending games? We’re hopeful.

New York Rangers faced another loss ahead of playoffs

 Mika Zibanejad expressed his frustration this way when they faced back-to-back losses in the last four games, “Once we get down there, we put pressure on them and get some good cycle games going, but obviously, scoring just one goal isn’t enough.” The latest fall was against the Winnipeg Jets, where the New York Rangers were defeated by 2-1. Though they are desperate to clinch the playoff spot, losing streaks such as this, is definitely not the way to make it happen.

In the past week alone, the Rangers’ winning drought hasn’t been alleviated. After playing 65 games in the regular season, the Rangers winning ratio is barely half with 31 wins. In total, they have accumulated 28 losses and six overtime losses. So, the situation is tight for the Rangers to claw their way into the top three spots now or never as the Capitals fared better with 43 wins to their name, and the Hurricanes are trailing just behind with 39 wins. 

But there is a catch. The task at hand seems mountainous since the New Jersey Devils are just 4 wins away from the New York Rangers. But it isn’t advisable to gamble on another team’s loss. That’s besides the point. The Devils, however, have been faring better with the confidence of winning the last back-to-back couple of games against the Blue Jackets and the Philadelphia Flyers. This complicates and shrouds the future of the Rangers’ Stanley Cup dreams. Seems like the fans’ disgruntled reaction over the subscription hike is justified.