No one should blame New York Rangers fans for being a little spooked on Halloween.

The Blueshirts jumped out to a stellar 6-2-0 start, but it’s been a frightening display the last few weeks. New York dropped five of its last six games (1-4-1), falling to 13th in the Eastern Conference after managing just three points since Oct. 15.

Perhaps it’s too early to slam the panic button. The Rangers are only a month into the 2026-27 season, having kicked off an 84-game slate on Sep. 29. New York still has 70 games to play and plenty of time to prove that this year’s club will not befall the same horrors that drove the Madison Square Garden faithful crazy in 2024-25 and 2025-26.

But it would be naive to completely ignore the warning signs lurking around the corner. Igor Shesterkin’s campaign was cut short after just five games, when he suffered a season-ending lower-body injury against the Washington Capitals on Oct. 9. It’s hard to think up a more devastating gut-punch for this Blueshirts squad, and Shesterkin’s dominance prior to the injury only adds salt to the wound.

So on Oct. 31, it feels right to ponder one pressing question — are the Rangers a contender, or were they simply dressing up as one?

Here are three tricks and three treats for the Rangers one month into the 2026-27 season.

Trick: Smits’ struggles

Arguably the biggest storyline from Rangers training camp was 18-year-old Alberts Smits, who became the youngest defenseman to break New York’s opening-night roster since former captain Dave Maloney in 1974.

The 2026 No. 5 overall pick is certainly experiencing some growing pains. Smits has yet to record a point in regular-season action and posted a minus-four rating in 14 games. His 41.16 percent expected-goal share at 5-on-5 ranks last among Rangers defensemen, according to Natural Stat Trick.

The metrics paint a rather ugly picture, but it’s a little hasty to take them at face value. Smits has largely skated on New York’s bottom pair alongside Braden Schneider, who’s had his own share of issues in the defensive zone.

He has all the physical tools necessary to be an excellent NHL defenseman for years to come, and he’s already flashed enough upside to suggest better days are ahead. Coach Mike Sullivan doesn’t appear to have any plans to change course with the rookie, who has dressed in all 14 games. The veteran coach noted Tuesday that Smits has already made progress through his first month in the NHL.

His slow start has the makings of a classic Halloween trick. There are elements of his game that need to be cleaned up, particularly in decision-making, but it’s far too early to hit the panic button on the talented Latvian blue-liner.

Treat: Kartye party

How many people had Tye Kartye as the Rangers’ third-leading goal-scorer entering November?

Sullivan promoted him to the second line just four games into the 2026-27 season, and the 25-year-old has reaped the benefits. Fresh off a two-point effort Monday against the Los Angeles Kings, Kartye has four goals and 10 points through 14 games, putting him on pace for a career-high 60 points.

Is Kartye an ideal fixture in the top six long term? Probably not. He’s not the traditional playmaker that snipers like Pavel Dorofeyev are accustomed to play with, and Kartye’s hard-nosed game is perfectly tailored for a bottom-six role.

Still, for a player New York claimed off waivers in February 2026, this level of production is a welcome surprise. Kartye might not sustain a 60-point pace over 84 games, but his contributions extend well beyond the scoresheet. He’s proven to be quite the find.

Trick: Home/road splits

Madison Square Garden was not a safe haven for New York last season. The Rangers needed four games to score their first goal on home ice, and eight games to record their first win, a 6-3 victory over the Nashville Predators on Nov. 10.

The Blueshirts finished with an abysmal 14-20-7 record on Garden ice — a rather lackluster way to celebrate their centennial season.

It appears the Rangers have successfully exorcised the spirits that haunted them in 2025-26. Monday’s 6-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings marked their first defeat at Madison Square Garden this season, snapping a 6-0-0 start on home ice.

But if “The Monkey’s Paw” taught us anything, it’s to be careful what you wish for. New York’s dominance at home has been accompanied by a 1-5-1 road record, including five straight losses (0-4-1). That’s a nasty trick.

Treat: The Lafrenaissance

A big question entering the 2026-27 season was whether Alexis Lafreniere could build on a strong finish to his 2025-26 campaign. The answer so far has been a resounding yes.

Lafreniere is tied for seventh in the NHL with seven goals and leads all Blueshirts forwards with 16 points through 14 games. His confidence in the offensive zone has been evident, and he’s secured a permanent role on New York’s top power-play unit.

It’s been a long time coming for the No. 1 overall pick in 2020, now in his seventh NHL season. Lafreniere has become an integral part of New York’s offense and one of its most effective play drivers.

Perhaps there’s a connection to Artemi Panarin’s departure. Since the Rangers traded the star winger, Lafreniere has produced at a point-per-game pace, recording 21 goals and 41 points in 39 games dating back to Feb. 26.

Regardless of the reason, New York will certainly take it.

Trick: Garand’s dominant start

Things move quickly in the NHL. Two weeks after being placed on waivers by the Rangers, 24-year-old goalie Dylan Garand found himself in New York’s starting crease following lower-body injuries to Shesterkin and backup Joonas Korpisalo.

To say that he met the moment would be an understatement. Garand posted a shutout against the Detroit Red Wings in his season debut and won each of his first three starts, allowing two goals or fewer in all three.

Unfortunately, that dominance proved difficult to sustain. Since Oct. 15, Garand has posted a 1-4-1 record with a 3.75 goals-against average and .875 save percentage. He’s struggled with rebound control, though the Rangers’ defense hasn’t done him many favors either.

His heavy workload adds another hurdle. Garand started seven straight games after Shesterkin’s injury. He finally got a chance to rest Monday, but had to take over for James Reimer at the start of the second period after the 38-year-old allowed three goals on eight shots.

That’s not to say the Rangers should be displeased with Garand’s efforts so far. He’s still the most capable option for the starting job, and there’s long-term value in giving the rookie an extended run in net.

But perhaps the bar needs to be adjusted. It’s unfair to expect Garand to follow the same path as Cam Talbot, who finished seventh in Vezina Trophy voting in 2014-15 after taking over for an injured Henrik Lundqvist.

Treat: Adam Fox

Don’t look now, but Adam Fox is still one of the premier defensemen in the NHL.

The 28-year-old leads all Rangers skaters with 17 points. His 16 assists are tied for the second-most in the League, behind only Connor McDavid. And, of course, he remains an analytical darling. New York’s top defensive pair, featuring Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov, owns a 58.9 percent expected-goal share in nearly 200 minutes of ice time, according to MoneyPuck.

Shesterkin’s injury takes some luster off this season, but the Rangers are getting an excellent version of Fox — and he may still have another gear.

“I got a rock”: Pavel Dorofeyev

I can’t let Halloween pass without watching the classic Peanuts cartoon, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” You can’t help but feel for Charlie Brown when he ventures out with his friends for tricks and treats, only to receive a rock instead of candy at every door — through no fault of his own.

A snake-bitten Dorofeyev might be able to relate this season.

The 26-year-old has scored just three goals through 14 games, though not for lack of trying. His 88 shot attempts lead the Rangers and rank 19th League-wide.

Luck simply hasn’t been on his side. Dorofeyev has rung the post five times — second-most in the NHL according to NHL stats — and the crossbar once. A couple of friendlier bounces might have made all the difference in Dorofeyev’s first month as a Blueshirt.

The underlying metrics suggest that, unlike Charlie Brown, Dorofeyev won’t be down on his luck much longer. He ranks third on the Rangers with 72 high-danger chances, according to Natural Stat Trick, and is tied for 10th in the NHL in high-danger unblocked shot attempts at all strengths, according to MoneyPuck.

Odds are, Dorofeyev won’t be kept quiet for long.