Rangers core entering now-or-never season as they chase elusive Stanley Cup

The “Cup or Bust” narrative that has hung over this Rangers team for a couple years now has a different feel to it this season.It’s not a difference in pressure or expectations or standard of play, but there is this new presence of an understanding.The Blueshirts came awfully close to making a few major changes this offseason, and it has become clear those changes can’t be put off for much longer if the organization’s Stanley Cup drought goes any further into its third decade.The clock has been ticking on this core.“In all likelihood, this will probably be the last crack for this core,” said captain Jacob Trouba, who was supposed to be a casualty of one of those major moves.

“I don’t think that’s a secret by any means.We’re a group that’s grown together, spent some years together here and we have something we want to accomplish.”Attention has been focused on rookies trying to make the opening-night roster for the first time, like Matt Rempe, Adam Edstrom, Brennan Othmann and Victor Mancini.

That’s because, for the veterans and everyone else, it’s been pretty status quo.The Rangers are expected to be a serious contender for the Stanley Cup, returning 21 players who were either lineup regulars or with the club for an extended period of time during last season’s Presidents’ Trophy-winning tour de force and Eastern Conference Final finish.This training camp has felt more like a continuation of 2023-24 than it has a brand new campaign.Injuries to Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey have only made it feel more so.If it is indeed a continuation, the Rangers need to change the ending.If this is the core the Rangers want to win with, the time may be now or never.Thirteen current players will need new contracts next summer and that creates opportunity for significant alterations.

Nothing can last forever in a results-driven and hard-salary-cap league.It’s meant to be an open secret.Tick, tick, tick.Ranking seventh in the NHL in goals (278) an...