New York Rangers facing major criticism after raising a questionable banner into the rafters
The New York Rangers are facing major backlash after raising a banner at Madison Square Garden celebrating themselves as regular season champions.
This has sparked a lot of discussion in the hockey world among fans & commentators like those on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast. Typically NHL teams only raise banners for division titles, conference championships or most importantly the Stanley Cup. Celebrating a strong regular season this way is unusual & leads to mixed reactions like we are seeing here from fans.
While it's not insignificant to recognize a successful regular season, after all it reflects a team's consistency & talent over many months, hockey culture in North America is very focused on the post season. Many fans view this banner as a consolation prize rather than a real accomplishment, especially since the Rangers haven't won the Stanley Cup since 1994.
European soccer often awards trophies for regular season success, but in the NHL, regular season achievements are usually just stepping stones toward the ultimate goal: playoff victories and a Stanley Cup. For the Rangers who are a team with a long history & a loyal fanbase the banner may feel like an attempt to celebrate something less meaningful then what the fans are really hoping for which is another Cup.
Although the Rangers had a dominant regular season last year without a deep playoff run or a championship win, the banner seems more like a target for criticism than a source of pride. True success in hockey comes from winning in the playoffs & that's where the Rangers will need to focus this season.
