5 things to watch as Rangers enter second half of 2023-24 season

Coming out of the NHL All-Star Break, the Rangers are in first place in the Metropolitan Division, have one of the best power plays in the league and an upcoming schedule that mostly keeps them close to home for much of February.

It’s a nice spot to be in as the March 8 trade deadline looms, even if the Blueshirts haven’t exactly been aflame since their blazing 18-4-1 start.

Since Dec. 3, the Rangers are a pedestrian 12-12-2 and have won only five of 14 matches since the calendar turned to 2024. If that’s enough to start some unease among fans of a Stanley Cup contender, well, that’s how high expectations are for this team.

They remain, obviously, a Cup threat with hopes for at least a deep playoff run. But there’s plenty of work to be done over their final 33 games, including, perhaps, figuring out why Igor Shesterkin hasn’t yet been the Shesterkin of the last couple of seasons.

Here are five things to watch as the Rangers begin post-break life Monday night by playing host to the Colorado Avalanche at Madison Square Garden.

Netminder blues

Shesterkin is still one of the world’s best goalies, but he is not having his finest season, despite his All-Star nod. His .899 save percentage and his 2.86 goals-against average would both be career worsts and they are well below the numbers from his Vezina Trophy season of 2021-22 (.935, 2.07).

There have been a few times where the goals have just kept coming against Shesterkin this season – he’s allowed at least five goals in a game five times, including six twice. Last season, he gave up five goals in a game once.

Overall, Shesterkin is 19-12-1, tied for sixth in wins among goalies, and Jonathan Quick (.915, 2.43) has provided terrific backup work. Still, for the Rangers to do what they’d like to do come the…