The Rangers are 3-2-0 to start the 2023-2024 campaign. Matthew Mugno provides takeaways from the club's opening matches.

The team is just 16% into the season, but there is plenty to talk about in a New York minute. A takeaway for every game of the season thus far. 

Breadman of Arkham: Artemi Panarin is off to a hot start for the New York Rangers, recording 4 goals and a team-leading 9 points in the team's first 5 games. A productive start would fare well for the fifth-year Ranger, as his post-season performance was heavily criticized. The chemistry between Arkham's buzz-cut crusader and Alexis Lafreniere and Filip Chytil is combusting, a major plus on many fronts for the Blueshirts. 

The Kids Are Alright: The preseason brought out a lot of instant reactions, most surrounding the placement of Lafreniere and Kakko. Luckily for the organization, both players are finding their game and succeeding.

Lafreniere and Chytil are no passengers attacking opponents with Panarin and shining in the Ranger's three victories. Kaapo Kakko is playing in a complementary role with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider and just recorded his 100th career point on Saturday. 

When all three of "The Kids" tally a point in the same contest the team record stands at 22-0-2. Their success is the team's success, which is a pillar of the 2023-2024 season. They are off to a solid start.  

Stepping Stones: The team has bought into the Laviolette way. It's palpable at the practice rink. No player held back when assessing where they were a season ago, Jacob Trouba and Vincent Trocheck were vocal on the subject. 

With that stated, progress isn't linear. The Rangers lost to a rebuilding Blue Jackets team and Shesterkin was chased by a reset Nashville Predators squad. It will take some time before the Rangers put it all together, but Laviolette has drilled that home to the team and the press. His patience is already paying off as his group showed bounce-back ability, decimating the Seatle Kraken to open the longest road trip of the season. 

Quick Enough: Johnathan Quick relived Shesterkin against the Nashville Predators blocking 9 shots, and painted shades of his former self against the Kraken. It's a small sample size, but the two showings have turned the tables on his poor preseason showing. Last season, Jaroslav Halak was 0-7-0 to start the season in losses where the team did not support him from the anthem to the final buzzer. Quick is off to a better start with layers of defense to help. 

Thirst-Quenching Consistency: The same lineup for the first five games has helped the Rangers build a chemistry the team has lacked for a number of seasons. It is still a work in progress, but a principle that Chris Drury echoed when he was entrusted as the team's general manager was for each player to have a purpose before hopping over the boards. Laviolette also trusts the process and lets his lines mesh before aborting them. It's worked well, not one of the forward lines is aimless this season even if they have goal production. 

Follow Jonny Lazarus and Matthew Mugno for more on the New York Rangers.