The New York Rangers are in a tough spot this season as they continue to struggle after a slow start to their 2024-25 campaign. After trading both Jacob Trouba and Kappo Kakko, it seems as though they aren’t done making moves in hopes of fighting their way back into a playoff spot.

It is a brand new year, and one of the best practices of celebration is to reminisce on the prior one. In the world of hockey, a calendar year can mean a world of change for a fan, a player, a team, and an entire franchise.

The New York Rangers and Utah Hockey Club share a commonality of being .500 teams and facing similar deficits in the wild-card races of their respective conferences.

After Utah's first matchup against the Rangers delivered a high scoring and dramatic game, more of the same happened the second time around. Both teams went back and forth all night, but the Rangers secured the 4-3 win after it got its first lead of the game in the third.

The Flames said in a news release Monday that Al MacNeil died Sunday in Calgary. No cause of death was provided.

“The hockey world lost an icon today with the passing of Al MacNeil,” said Flames President of Hockey Operations Don Maloney. “‘Chopper’ was a Stanley Cup champion and a Calder Cup champion but most importantly ‘he was our friend and mentor. We will sincerely miss his company and our conversations.”

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of long-time Flames executive and former head coach Al MacNeil. Al passed away at the age of 89 years, on Jan. 5, 2025, surrounded by his family in Calgary: https://t.co/4KV9YBjYwA You will be so missed, Chopper. Rest in peace ❤️ pic.twitter.com/8JVVh6PS1B

Utah defeated the Blues in their previous meeting, 4-2 on Nov. 7 in St. Louis. Goaltender Connor Ingram only had to make 13 saves in that game and Dylan Guenther led Utah offense with a goal and an assist.

It’s yet another loss for the Utah Hockey Club at the Delta Center as they continue their extended homestand. This time, it was the New York Rangers who handed Utah their 11th home loss this season despite a close 5-3 game between the two.

Evan Bouchard scored the winning goal late in the third period, capping the Edmonton Oilers' rally from a three-goal deficit to beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 in Denver on Thursday night.

A perfect three-game road trip convinced the New York Islanders they were on the verge of mounting another midseason push for a playoff berth.

The intrigue about Canucks centers J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson continues, while the Sabres' Dylan Cozens and Islanders' Brock Nelson remain in the rumor mill.