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[New York Rangers]

Why Rangers captain must help coach ‘make sure his message gets through’

Somewhere on their flight from New York to Milan, don’t you just hope that the coach and captain of the New York Rangers had a long talk? And not just about the immediate task at hand, trying to help the United States win a gold medal at the Milan-Cortina Olympics. But more importantly, Mike Sullivan and J.T. Miller must discuss how to team up and somehow keep the Rangers afloat once they return from Italy.

That’s because right now, not even rock bottom is too low for these last-place Rangers (22-29-6).

You can see how much all of this wears on Sullivan and Miller. Each showed variations of anger, bewilderment, and frustration when speaking to the media following a one-sided 2-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.

J.T. Miller on the message to the Rangers heading into the Olympic break:

"I don't know. We just need to enjoy or take time – I literally don't know. Come back with a better mindset I guess" pic.twitter.com/aKcb5M2KYz

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) February 6, 2026

Yet again, Miller was at a loss for words. And that didn’t sit well with NHL insider Elliotte Friedman.

“I watch Miller and understand he’s frustrated and I know losing sucks, but he’s got to find a better way to deliver the message. Because the way he’s doing it unfortunately right now it’s making it worse,” Friedman said Friday on his 32 Thoughts podcast. “I know he doesn’t want to talk and I know he’s frustrated, but you’re the captain and you have to do it.

“You have to go out there and come up with a better message than that.”

It’s up to general manager Chris Drury to find better players, preferably ones who are a combination of younger, faster, hungrier, and more physical, to enhance this current retool. But it’s up to Sullivan and his coaching staff, and Miller and the leadership group, to keep this season somewhat on the rails despite the retool. The culture, play style, and effort level under Sullivan in his first-year as coach must be enforced by the bench boss and captain so that future seasons do not end up in the same dumpster fire.

Asked Thursday what message he left his team with heading into the three-week Olympic break and following another dispiriting defeat, Sullivan said a mouthful.

“I thought tonight we lacked a certain competitive spirit,” Sullivan said. “That just is simply unacceptable on our part, and that was my discussion.”

Sullivan’s spent much of this season staying as positive as possible. This was as down and irritable as he appeared all season.

“You can see Sullivan’s frustration too. You can see he feels his message is not getting through. And I think that’s one of the reasons the Rangers are taking it down a bit, is they picked this coach, they gave him term, they gave him a big contract, two-time Stanley Cup champion, this is our guy, and they look at it that the message is not getting through, it’s the fault of the room as opposed to the fault of the coach,” Friedman explained.

“So, they’re backing their guy. But also, Miller’s your captain, and Sullivan and Miller have to find a way to make sure his message gets through.”

‘No excuse’ for Rangers not to push for strong finish despite miserable season​

Peter Carr/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It wasn’t supposed to be this way, of course. The Rangers hired Sullivan this past spring with the belief that his experience, and gravitas as one of the most respected coaches in the NHL would help make his message resonate with a team that embarrassingly went from winning the Presidents’ Trophy and reaching the Eastern Conference Final in 2023-24, to missing the playoffs last season.

It was a miscalculation that this group had it within itself to turn things around in 2025-26, even under Sullivan’s guidance. There’s a reason Braden Schneider and Mika Zibanejad each referred to the Rangers as being “fragile.” Long-term injury absences by Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin only exacerbated the situation. And the Rangers, teetering on the playoff bubble the first three months, cratered with a 3-13-1 record since Dec. 27.

Drury publicly threw in the towel on this season and proclaimed a retool is underway. That included trading Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings this week, instead of working out a contract extension with their most dynamic player, who was in the final season of a seven-year, $81.5 contract.

More trades are coming. More roster upheaval. But Drury’s not going anywhere. Neither is Sullivan. And Miller’s staying too. As Drury does his job, it’s up to the coach and captain to band together and do theirs, hold this team together and hold it accountable at the same time.

“You can’t just come back and waste your last six weeks of the season,” Friedman stated.

The Rangers schedule is hectic down the stretch; they play 25 games over the final 49 days of the regular season. The NHL Trade Deadline is March 6. Outsiders may suggest tanking as a strategy to try and win the NHL Draft Lottery.

Tanking likely isn’t in Sullivan’s vocabulary, nor Miller’s. And Friedman is on board with that.

“Even if you have a bad season and a nightmare year, as it’s unfortunately been for the Rangers, there’s no excuse [not] to try and make it end well.”

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/jt-miller-help-deliver-mike-sullivan-message

 

[New York Rangers]

‘We are where we are’: Rangers’ season looks hopeless after latest loss

The New York Rangers’ 2-0 home loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night was a fitting end to the pre-Olympic portion of their schedule.

At 22-29-6, the Artemi Panarin-less Blueshirts are dead last in the Eastern Conference and third from the bottom in the overall standings. The shutout loss was their NHL-worst ninth of the season, with seven of those coming at the Garden. They’ve lost four in a row and seven of eight. The Rangers won just three times in 18 games following the Christmas break and haven’t won in regulation at MSG since defeating the St. Louis Blues 3-2 on Nov. 24. Their six home wins are tied for the fewest in the NHL.

It was their first game since trading Panarin, their leading scorer and most dynamic player, to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. One night later, they played like a team that already threw in the towel.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

“I will acknowledge that we’re in a little bit of a difficult circumstance,” coach Mike Sullivan said postgame in perhaps the understatement of the season. “None of us really want to be in this position or having any enjoyment or fulfillment in the position we’re in, but the reality is we are where we are.

“I’m trying to be understanding of that as their coach, and (to) do our best as a coaching staff to support those guys and push them through the process.”

At least they can’t lose another game for three weeks.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The NHL is off for three weeks to allow players to compete at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. The Rangers don’t play again until the Philadelphia Flyers visit the Garden on Feb. 26. It’s the first of 25 games in the final 49 days of the season.

That should be a fun stretch.

The final score Thursday belied the Hurricanes’ domination. Carolina outshot New York 43-16, out-attempted them 86-37 and made Andrei Svechnikov’s goal 6:26 into the game stand up until Jordan Staal hit the empty net with 54 seconds remaining. Jonathan Quick’s 41-save performance was all that prevented a rout on the scoreboard.

“I think he did his very best to drag us into the fight,” said Sullivan, who was clearly unhappy with his team’s effort. “We needed more guys to do that for us.”

Rangers’ post-Olympic outlook bleak after loss to Hurricanes​

Quick was just about the only Ranger who showed up — in the words of an old Pete Seeger folk song, the rest of the team’s “get up and go, done got up and went.” That’s what really perturbed Sullivan; he made it clear after the game that he wants to see more pride from his players despite the fact that they’re all but certain to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight season

“I thought tonight we lacked a certain competitive spirit,” Sullivan said. “That just is simply unacceptable on our part, and that was my discussion.”

Captain J.T. Miller was a little more succinct.

“From the drop of the puck, we got outplayed all night,” Miller said afterward. “It wasn’t good enough. We wanted to go into the break feeling good about ourselves, and it’s quite the opposite right now. So, it sucks.”

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Three Rangers – Miller and center Vincent Trocheck (Team USA) and center Mika Zibanejad (Sweden) — are headed to the Winter Games, as is Sullivan, who will coach the United States, and assistant David Quinn, who will serve the same role under Sullivan in Italy.

“It’s a huge honor to be able to go over and represent your country — something I’ve dreamt of my whole life,” Trocheck said. “Going to make sure I take it all in.”

For everyone else, it’s a chance to get some time off before the sprint to what looks like a dreary finish. The Rangers missed the playoffs last season but were in the hunt until the final week or so; this year’s team is done like dinner.

Trocheck is among those who might not be a Ranger when play resumes in three weeks.

As a solid two-way center with a very manageable contract (three seasons remaining with a $5.625 million average annual value), he could find himself on the move after the roster freeze ends on Feb. 22. GM Chris Drury, who got very little in return for Panarin – largely because the Breadman had a full no-move clause that gave him all the leverage – said in “Letter 2.0” on Jan. 16 that the Rangers want to “target players that bring tenacity, skill, speed and a winning pedigree with a focus on obtaining young players, draft picks and cap space to allow us flexibility moving forward.”

Sounds great. The near-term reality is a lot bleaker. No. 1 goaltender Igor Shesterkin and top-pair defenseman Adam Fox figure to be back soon after play resumes, but the lack of scoring that’s been obvious all season is still a major issue. The Rangers can’t win with the kind of effort they put forth on Thursday – and getting his team to play hard as the season continues to collapse around them could be the biggest challenge of Sullivan’s career.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/mike-sullivan-assesses-dismal-effort

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers prospect Liam Greentree joins elite company with 300th OHL point

Liam Greentree is keeping some serious company these days. The New York Rangers forward prospect reached 300 points in the Ontario Hockey League, joining the likes of John Tavares, Mitch Marner, Nick Suzuki, and Jason Robertson as one of only 21 players to do so in the past 20 years.

The Windsor Spitfires captain had a goal and two assists Friday in a 5-2 win over the Sudbury Wolves to surpass 300 career points in the OHL. He reached the milestone with a second-period power-play goal, and then added a helper three minutes later on Windsor’s next goal. His third point of the night was a a power-play assist in the third period.

Liam Greentree nets his 24th of the year and his 300th career point pic.twitter.com/4U7H0f1ube

— Game Notes (@GameNotesBud) February 7, 2026

All this came one night after Greentree was assessed a 10-minute misconduct penalty for abuse of the officials midway through the third period of a 5-4 shootout loss to the North Bay Battalion. The 20 year-old is fourth on Windsor with 48 points this season and second with 24 goals.

He now has 302 points (134 goals, 168 points) in 225 OHL games, all with Windsor. Last season, playing on a line with dynamic Washington Capitals prospect Ilya Protas, Greentree established career highs with 49 goals, 70 assists, 119 points, 12 power-play goals, and five game-winners in 64 games.

The Rangers acquired Greentree from the Los Angeles Kings as the key return in the Artemi Panarin trade Wednesday. He’s a big (6-foot-3, 216 pounds) forward was a first-round pick by the Kings in the 2024 NHL Draft.

“Greentree has an NHL ready shot selection and has shown that he can score from anywhere on the ice. He knows exactly where his teammates are and has some strong passing skills,” noted Jess Rubenstein from The Prospect Park. “For a power forward, his creativity is what is going to stand out as he can create scoring opportunities out of any situation. He is not afraid to attack the net, nor does he lose many puck battles along the boards.”

Picture of the night: Introducing Liam Greentree (Image courtesy Windsor Spitfires) pic.twitter.com/QyYCTHZ02l

— Jess Rubenstein AKA Rangers Prospect Report (@TheProspectpark) February 7, 2026

Rubenstein believes fair NHL comparables in the NHL are Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn and Robertson, their talented high-scoring wing.

“Greentree is like them because he does not go looking for the big hits, but uses his size to protect the puck,” he explained.

Now, Greentree joined Robertson as one of only seven OHL players with 300 points since 2025-16. He’s 26 points from equaling Suzuki, who sits atop this particular list.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/liam-greentree-elite-company-300th-ohl-point

 

[New York Rangers]

Why Rangers would be wrong to give up on Brennan Othmann now

Not that long ago, a young forward named Brennan Othmann was the Big Apple of the New York Rangers eye.

Much like new Rangers forward prospect Liam Greentree, acquired as the principal asset in the Artemi Panarin trade with the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, Othmann was a first-round draft pick who put up serious offensive numbers in junior hockey. As general manager Chris Drury’s first-ever draft pick, Othmann also played with a fiery edge that represented exactly where the Rangers’ new head of personnel wanted to take the organization in the near future.

Nearly five years since being chosen 16th overall in 2021, Othmann’s star dimmed to the point where he’s teetering dangerously close to getting hit with the “bust” label. Over 41 NHL games in parts of three seasons with the Rangers, Othmann hasn’t come close to popping, with one goal and two assists.

That’s a far cry from Othmann’s 2021-22 season with the Flint Firebirds of the OHL, when he piled up 50 goals and 47 assists in 66 games, along with 65 penalty minutes. Or even his 21-goal rookie pro season with Hartford of the American Hockey League in 2023-24.

Despite his apparently arrested developmental track, however, it’d be a mistake if the Rangers gave up on Othmann now.

Brennan Othmann’s offensive game, confidence disappeared with Rangers​

Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

It’s true that Othmann has produced barely anything scoring-wise on the NHL level. What he has done is flashed, if briefly, the exact skills that Drury and the organization saw when they selected him. The 6-foot, 192-pound winger is quick and goes to the net, playing the north-south game that the Rangers so desperately need, and when he gets into position, will show off the quick release and potent wrist shot that he used so effectively in juniors to gain a reputation as a finisher.

That’s what happened when Othmann scored his first NHL goal Jan. 17 against the Philadelphia Flyers, coming in on a 3-on-1 break and firing a feed from Will Cuylle past goaltender Samuel Ersson in the first period of a 6-3 victory.

FIRST NHL GOAL ALERT

Congratulations, Brennan Othmann! pic.twitter.com/ZU1d2cm6c2

— NHL (@NHL) January 17, 2026

That milestone didn’t open the floodgates, though. Othmann didn’t record another point the next seven games and was a healthy scratch in the Rangers’ final game before the Olympic break, a 2-0 home loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.

So why is Othmann not on the rise since becoming a lineup regular in January? What’s clear is that the 23-year-old lacks confidence, with the jagged, irritating on-ice persona he exhibited with Flint nowhere to be found at the moment. For a player who thrives on bravado and an eagerness to engage with opponents – he readily dropped the gloves in juniors, the AHL and once last season with the Rangers – Othmann’s muted presence suggests he’s anything but comfortable at this point.

There are numerous potential reasons for that. The biggest is probably the fear of making mistakes, of which there have been more than a few – hardly an uncommon occurrence for young players trying to establish themselves in the NHL.

Coach Mike Sullivan made clear that Othmann needs to get better defensively and play more responsibly in all three zones. There’s little doubt that the winger is trying to prioritize that, and is overly cautious as a result. His impact has accordingly been tough to measure, even when he avoids gaffes that lead to goals or good scoring chances for opponents. And his Rangers tenure looks to be at its most precarious point after he sat out the loss to the Hurricanes.

When asked whether he scratched Othmann in order to keep him eligible to play in the AHL during the Olympic break, Sullivan replied tersely that had “nothing to do with it.”

“Well, ‘Otter’ and I have had a number of conversations, we had a conversation today, on why I made the decision I made,” he said Thursday . “And I think there are elements of his game that have to continue to improve in order for him to establish himself as an NHL player.”

Those comments were very similar to the ones Sullivan expressed when making Othmann one of the first cuts of training camp. It’s clear the coach feels like he isn’t seeing nearly enough to reward Othmann with increased responsibility.

The Rangers recalled Othmann for the second time this season Jan. 11, looking for a spark in the wake of an embarrassing 10-2 loss to the Boston Bruins. Other than the goal against the Flyers, though, it’s obvious that Othmann is at least partly in his own head, trying to justify the promotion by playing the way the coach wants him to. Right or wrong, being scratched against the Hurricanes doesn’t exactly send the message that what he’s doing is working.

Many reasons why Brennan Othmann is Rangers disappointment​

Danny Wild-Imagn Images

As accomplished as the two-time Stanley Cup-winning coach Sullivan is, it’s also fair to question his handling of Othmann, who is averaging 9:55 of ice time this season mainly on the fourth line, a role for which he’s largely miscast. The Ontario native of course shouldn’t be gifted a top-six spot, but what about a consistent role on the third line? Othmann certainly didn’t look out of place in that role, when he played several games there with Noah Laba and Cuylle.

With the Rangers (22-29-6) going nowhere, losing 15 of 18 before the break, it’s difficult to see what harm any more Othmann mistakes will do in a lost season, one which should be used precisely to allow youngsters to work through such bad moments in the name of their development. Of course, if Sullivan doesn’t feel like Othmann is committed to doing what the coach expects of him, his usage becomes a secondary issue.

The considerable shadow of the Rangers’ developmental program, in fact, hangs over Othmann and numerous other prospects that have stalled or failed to pan out entirely in recent years. The Blueshirts are anything but the NHL model for bringing along highly-regarded kids who were expected to grow into core players. Those failures have plenty to do with why the Rangers entered a formally-stated “retool” period as they look to get younger and faster.

The idea of trading veterans for prospects is all well and good. But the club should take a hard look at its processes and the potential for growth that’s already on the roster. The tantalizing player that Othmann was at the lower levels is still there; it’s worth remembering that he was also productive with Hartford of the AHL, scoring 39 goals with 44 assists in 117 games over parts of three seasons. The Rangers must take at least some responsibility for seeing if he can be that edgy, emotional player with above-average offensive skills again, this time on Broadway.

It’s been a disappointing season for Othmann, who along with his uncertainty on the ice, took a beating from top NHL enforcer Nic Deslauriers in an ill-advised fight Dec. 20 against the Flyers. The fact that he’s beaten down, however, is exactly why the Rangers should be trying to lift him up. Quitting on Othmann now only reaises more questions about whether the organization possesses the ability to competently administer this supposed retool – whether Othmann ends up being a part of it or not.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/brennan-othmann-future-retool-opportunity

 

[New York Rangers]

Ex-Rangers star ‘super-fan’ for Team USA 12 years after Olympics experience

When the United States men’s hockey team opens the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics on Thursday afternoon with their first game against Latvia, you better believe that Derek Stepan’s going to be watching. The former New York Rangers center is absolutely dialed in on Team USA’s bid to win gold.

Part of the reason that Stepan’s so invested is that he was a member of the U.S. squad that took part in the 2014 Sochi Games, the last time the NHL allowed its players to take part in the Olympics before this winter.

“I think it’s going to be great hockey. I’m obviously very biased about who I want to win. But I’m like a super-fan. I’m super excited,” Stepan told Forever Blueshirts on the RINK RAP podcast. “I’m excited for the U.S. group, I like the way they’re shaping up and how they’re going to compete over there. Yeah, I’m excited. I wish them all the best of luck over there, and I hope they come home with gold medals around their neck.”

Stepan and his teammates weren’t fortunate enough to medal in 2014. The United States won it’s three prelim games, including the epic 3-2 shootout victory over Russia, when T.J. Oshie recorded the decisive goal in the eighth round. However, after a quarterfinal victory, the U.S. lost to Canada 1-0 in the semis, and then dropped the Bronze Medal Game 5-0 to Finland and finished fourth overall.

At the time, Stepan was 23-year-old and in his fourth season with the Rangers. He dressed for only one game as the extra forward, playing six shifts with 4:59 TOI in a 5-1 win over Slovenia.

If you think for one second that Stepan’s bitter about not playing more, you’re completely wrong.

“It was super fun. I was young-ish, I should say, I wasn’t young-young. But to be a part of that team, great group of guys. I was grateful. I got to play in a game, wear the sweater, and it was a really special moment in my career,” Stepan explained.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Stepan didn’t come home empty-handed from Sochi, either.

“It was awesome. And we came home with one of the dogs, too, so he’s 13, 14, now. We got Jake when he was six months old or something. Yeah, what a great story for our family.”

The Rangers have quite the contingent of players and personnel from their organization representing Team USA in Milan. Forwards J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck are on the U.S. roster, which is coached by Rangers bench boss Mike Sullivan and his assistant David Quinn. Rangers general manager Chris Drury, a three-time Olympian as a player, is part of Team USA’s management group.

Likewise, back in 2014 Stepan joined then Rangers teammates Ryan Callahan and Ryan McDonagh on the U.S. squad. Future Rangers Jonathan Quick, Patrick Kane, and Kevin Shattenkirk also were on that 2014 team in Sochi.

All in all, it was a memorable experience for Stepan, one that he didn’t get the chance to repeat. The NHL didn’t allow its players to take part in the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics nor the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.

Stepan hopes the NHL players in Milan take the time to appreciate their opportunity, and absorb all that’s going on, even outside of their own competition. Just as he did 12 year earlier.

“When I wasn’t in the lineup, I got to experience the Olympics day to day. I’ve got nothing but great stories and great things that came along with it, but they’re great stories that come from just being a fan. That’s cool to me. It was super fun.”

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/derek-stepan-olympics-team-usa-hockey

 

[New York Rangers]

Why Rangers could view Travis Dermott as depth defenseman option

An NHL roster freeze is in effect during the three-week Olympic break from Feb 4-22. But that didn’t stand in the way of a veteran player addition to the New York Rangers organization this weekend

Travis Dermott signed a PTO with the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Rangers’ affiliate in the American Hockey League, on Saturday. Though this is a minor-league transaction, it has some significance to the Rangers moving forward.

UPDATE: The Hartford Wolf Pack have signed defenseman Travis Dermott to a professional tryout agreement (PTO). pic.twitter.com/tiDFljJID1

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) February 7, 2026

The 29-year-old defenseman has 348 games of NHL experience and another 22 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He had shoulder surgery in July and a was a free agent after playing 19 games for the Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild last season.

Signing with Hartford allows Dermott to get in game shape, prove that he’s healthy, and audition for an AHL or NHL contract. PTOs are for 25 games, though the player and/or team can terminate the deal at any point. These professional tryout agreements can be extended in similar fashion.

With the Rangers in a retool, and already in need of more organizational depth on the back end, they’ll watch Dermott closely to see if he might fit the bill as a defenseman worthy of an NHL contract at some point. The Rangers have 46 players under standard contract; the maximum for any one team is 50.

They already traded Carson Soucy to the Islanders, creating the need for another experienced left-shot blueliner in the system. The Rangers recently claimed Vincent Iorio, a right-shot defenseman, off waivers from the San Jose Sharks.

The worst-case scenario here is that Dermott provides better play for an underwhelming Hartford defense corps in front of top goalie prospect Dylan Garand. The best case is that the Rangers find a serviceable defenseman, who’s again healthy and ready for a regular NHL role.

Though Dermott battled injuries the past three seasons, the previous four he played 50 or more games, including 64 with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2018-19. The 2015 second-round pick (No. 34 overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft has 62 points (16 goals, 46 assists) and 130 penalty minutes with the Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Arizona Coyotes, Oilers, and Wild.

Dermott played only four AHL games since 2017-18, when he helped the Toronto Marlies win the Calder Cup championship. He didn’t play Saturday, when Hartford lost 2-1 in a shootout to the Providence Bruins. Dermott could make his Wolf Pack debut next weekend when they visit the Charlotte Checkers on Saturday and Sunday.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/travis-dermott-hartford-wolf-pack-pto

 

[New York Rangers]

Why Rangers stars, friends may battle for same spot in U.S. Olympic lineup

It’s only been two practices in Milan, and there are still several days before the preliminary round begins with a game against Latvia on Thursday, but it’s looking like New York Rangers stalwarts J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck very well could compete for the same spot in the lineup for the United States at the Winter Olympics.

Each expects to play a bottom-six role for Team USA at the Milan-Cortina Games, as opposed to the top-six assignments they fill with the Rangers. An incredibly deep and talented U.S. roster is the reason for that. And those roles are not unfamiliar for Miller nor Trocheck since that’s where they slotted in when Team USA finished second at the 4 Nations Face-Off a year ago.

The difference now, though, is that there might just be one opening in the lineup for coach Mike Sullivan to fill with either Miller or Trocheck.

Getting to work #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/j2kjrKe5pF

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) February 9, 2026

At practice Monday, Miller took a regular turn at left wing on the a fourth line centered by Brock Nelson, with Jack Hughes on right wing. Trocheck was an extra forward, along with Clayton Keller.

The day before, in their first practice since arriving in Milan, Team USA deployed Trocheck in the middle of Nelson and Keller on the fourth line. Miller rotated in, but Trocheck was more the constant.

Now, who’s to say that Sullivan isn’t trying out new looks first at practice before he leans into using a fourth line that features Trocheck in the middle and Miller on the wing? That very well could be the case, given the familiarity the players have with one another, and Sullivan has with them since he’s also their coach with the Rangers.

Or Miller could skate on the third line when the games begin, too. Dylan Larkin and Tage Thompson appear set on that line, remaining together the first two days. But Hughes skated on their wing Sunday, and Kyle Connor practiced there Monday. Perhaps Miller lands in that spot and Trocheck centers the fourth line? That’s certainly a possibility.

But for now it appears Team USA’s coach may decide between which of his star players with the Rangers sits and which plays in the Winter Games. Each is a respected leader, who plays a hard-nosed game, wins face-offs, and is a complete 200-foot player at each end of the rink. Miller and Trocheck also are excellent penalty killers, and were paired in that role together during the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Bottom-six opportunities await Rangers’ J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck at Olympics​

David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Sullivan seems set with his top-six forward group and all three defense pairings, though. The U.S practiced each day with Jack Eichel centering the Tkachuk brothers — Matthew and Brady — and Auston Matthews was flanked by Jake Guentzel and Matthew Boldy. The one thing that jumps out here is that Boldy replaced Hughes in that top-six spot compared to the 4 Nations lineup. Hughes battled injuries much of the season, and missed the final three games for the New Jersey Devils ahead of the Olympic break with a lower-body injury.

Boldy’s 32 goals are tied for third most in the NHL, and are more than any other player on the U.S. roster.

The defense pairings are Quinn Hughes and Charlie McAvoy, Jaccob Slavin and Brock Faber, and Zach Werenski and Noah Hanifin. The extra d-men are Jake Sanderson and Jackson Lacombe.

A little more clarity on the Team USA bottom-6 at Monday's practice. pic.twitter.com/uJj2C0MDig

— Daily Faceoff – Fantasy (@DFOFantasy) February 9, 2026

Despite being in the middle of a down season, the United States is expected to ride goalie Connor Hellebuyck, the reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner in the NHL.

Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad ‘game changer’ for Sweden​

Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Mika Zibanejad loves wearing the Tre Kronor sweater, and often lifts his game on the international stage. The Rangers forward famously scored in overtime for Sweden in the gold medal game at the 2012 World Junior Championship; and last spring, he had eight points (five goals, three assists) in nine games to help Sweden finish third at the 2025 IIHF World Championship. He also had one goal in two games at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Victor Hedman told Mollie Walker of the New York Post that Zibanejad brings “a lot” to Sweden’s lineup at these Winter Olympics.

“Not just the power play. His shot, but his leadership, too. His dedication to his two-way game. And that’s a tremendous guy, too, as well, like all other Swedes. He’s going to mean a lot. He’s a game changer. He’s going to be a big, important piece for us.”

Walker reported that Sweden held a closed practice Monday. But Elias Pettersson told reporters that he practiced on a line with Zibanejad and Rickard Rakell.

Sweden, which is in Group B, opens Olympic play Wednesday when they skate against host Italy.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/miller-trocheck-olympic-spot-team-usa

 

[New York Rangers]

After Artemi Panarin Trade, This Rangers Star Could Be Next To Go

The Artemi Panarin trade is behind the New York Rangers, but there’s no reason for Chris Drury’s retool to stop there.

Panarin was the second Rangers player traded before the Milan-Cortina Olympic roster freeze, and his longtime linemate on Broadway, Vincent Trocheck, could be the next to go, after trades are allowed again Feb. 23.

The Rangers traded Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings last Wednesday for forward prospect Liam Greentree and two conditional draft picks, ending his seven-year run with them. He joined defenseman Carson Soucy, who was dealt to the rival Islanders a week prior, as the first two Blueshirts moved ahead of the March 6 trade deadline.

With the Rangers last in the Eastern Conference, and 30th overall in the NHL, they should be very busy in the 12 post-freeze days.

Vincent Trocheck could be next Rangers star traded​

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Chris Johnston of The Athletic unveiled his sixth trade board Wednesday morning before the Panarin trade, and the 34-year-old wing topped the list.

Trocheck was No. 2.

“A center who makes an impact on both sides of the puck, Trocheck’s game remains at a level that earned him a spot on Team USA for [the Milan-Cortina] Olympics,” Johnston wrote. “Known for playing with grit and determination, he’s got the tools to play in all situations and can handle heavy, difficult minutes.

“He’s viewed as a leader for the Rangers and represents a prime chip for them to play in the retool. His contract includes a 12-team no-trade list, though.”

The 32-year-old is in his 12th NHL season, and tied with J.T. Miller for third on the Rangers with 36 points. He is a 0.82 point-per-game player and has topped 20 goals in each of his first three seasons with the Rangers.

Though he could slot in as a perfect third-line center on a deep Stanley Cup contender, Trocheck’s proven he can be a top-six pivot, as well. Skating on a line with Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere, Trocheck had 77 regular-season points, and 20 more in 16 playoff games, when he helped the Rangers win the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24 and get within two wins of reaching the Stanley Cup Final that spring.

How Rangers could supercharge retool by trading Vincent Trocheck​

Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Trocheck is signed for three more years after this season at an extremely reasonable $5.625 million AAV. He is both a center and proven playoff performer, who has 17 goals and 37 points in 56 playoff games and averaged 0.91 points per game in the postseason with the Rangers. And he’s not simply a rental for one playoff run.

That means Trocheck could be the centerpiece of a larger deal to fetch valuable prospects and picks from a contender like the Tampa Bay Lightning or Carolina Hurricanes. It may make Rangers fans nauseous to think of them helping Carolina get better, but he’s already been traded there ahead of the deadline once, when the Florida Panthers shipped him to Raleigh in 2020.

Or the Rangers could shop Trocheck to an young, up-and-coming team, like the Buffalo Sabres or San Jose Sharks. Acquiring Trocheck would bulk up either team’s offense and veteran leadership ahead of an impending playoff run.

The Sabres are rumored to be stalling on a contract extension with skilled pending unrestricted free agent Alex Tuch and could use a No. 2 center. Though 29 years old, Tuch might interest the Rangers as a talented and reliable point producer for their top-six forward group, though, of course, they could simply try and sign him next summer instead. So, perhaps, any Sabres proposed deal for Trocheck, should focus on prospects and young NHL-ready talent instead.

The Sharks have reportedly been sniffing around Braden Schneider and are also rumored to be shopping pending UFA defenseman Mario Ferraro. As long as New York could lock in Ferraro to an exctension, and collect additional younger assets, trading Trocheck and Schneider together could fetch a nice haul from the ultra-young Sharks and turn the retool around quickly.

Of course, that’s if the Rangers even plan to Schneider, who, at 24, could have a place in the Rangers core moving forward.

As far as Trocheck is concerned, keep an eye on the Kings, too. They desperately need a center, especially with Anze Kopitar retiring at season’s end, and knowing the history of Trocheck and Panarin together.

But let’s face it, Trocheck has plenty of value to almost any buyer on the trade market. If Drury plays his cards right, the Rangers should be able to land a sizeable return which will help fuel their retool.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...nt-trocheck-trade-rumors-after-artemi-panarin

 

[New York Rangers]

Hartford Wolf Pack Weekly: Juuso Pärssinen again returns from injury

Losers in six consecutive games (0-5-0-1), the Hartford Wolf Pack are free falling. They were swept by the Providence Bruins last week, losing 3-1 on Friday, followed by a 2-1 shootout loss on Saturday.

Scoring, an issue all season, is an even more massive struggle in the past six games. The Wolf Pack scored eight goals in the losing streak, and just one in five of their past six games.

The New York Rangers AHL affiliate is seven points out of a playoff spot, and its postseason hopes are fading fast. The Wolf Pack are tied for seventh (16-23-4-2, 38 points) with Springfield in the Atlantic Division. They will play a pair of games this weekend against the Charlotte Checkers.

The Wolf Pack added veterans Anton Blidh and Spencer Martin on Feb. 5, when the Rangers assigned them to Hartford for the NHL Olympic break. Hartford also signed Travis Dermott to a Professional Tryout (PTO) to bolster the blue line. The 29-year-old has more than 300 games of NHL experience, and was a free agent following offseason shoulder surgery.

Hartford Wolf Pack News-n-Notes​

Juuso Parssinen — Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

Juuso Pärssinen returns from injury, again​

Juuso Parssinen returned to the Wolf Pack lineup last weekend and played consecutive AHL games for the first time this season. The 25-year-old forward played four games with Hartford this season since the Rangers placed him on waivers and assigned him to the minors on Nov. 26.

He was hurt in his Hartford debut Nov. 28, and missed 19 games with an upper-body injury. Upon his return on Jan. 23, Pärssinen scored his first AHL goal of the season. However, he was injured again in the second period and did not return to that contest.

Juuso's first as a member of the Pack pic.twitter.com/bJtcDJWQru

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) January 24, 2026

After missing an additional four games, Pärssinen returned last Friday and played on back-to-back nights. He was inserted on the Wolf Pack’s second line, centering Brendan Brisson/Brett Berard (they were swapped in back-to-back games) and Trey Fix-Wolansky.

Parssinen was pointless in both games against Providence, recording one shot on goal Friday before going without one Saturday, and failing to score on his shootout attempt.

Though a disappointment with the Rangers earlier this season, Parssinen does have 151 games of NHL experience and some higher-end skill. So, coach Grant Potulny should lean on the forward, considering the Wolf Pack are lacking in each of those areas.

Derrick Pouliot picking up points amid defensive struggles​

Derrick Pouliot, a 12th year pro with 680 games of experience (226 NHL, 454 AHL), has seven assists in his last 11 games. The 32-year-old leads Hartford’s defensemen with 22 assists and 23 points. As quarterback of the first power-play unit, Pouliot leads the team in power play assists with seven. Despite having a down year offensively, he recorded points in 19 of 44 games, including three multiple point performances (one goal and two assists on Nov. 21, two assists on Dec. 27 and Jan 23.).

Fixy finds the twine to get us on the board! pic.twitter.com/w1zOTVHL5g

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) February 7, 2026

Defensively, Pouliot struggles far too often in his own end. He’s minus-13, worst among defensemen and fourth lowest on the team. In fact, he posted a minus rating in 17 games despite scoring in eight of those. Too often, opponents find a way around Pouliot to generate scoring chances. For instance on Jan. 30 against Bridgeport, former Rangers forward Julien Gauthier scored when Pouliot misread the play and led to a partial breakaway. On Jan. 28 against Charlotte, the Checkers were flying with the puck and Pouliot was ineffective for two goals against.

Rangers Night a big hit with Wolf Pack fans​

Nick Fotiu signs autographs at Rangers Night — photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

The Wolf Pack hosted “Rangers Night” at PeoplesBank Arena on Saturday. Three former Blueshirts from several different generations — Nick Fotiu, Tom Laidlaw, and Cristoval “Boo” Nieves — did a meet-and-greet with fans. The night also featured Rangers trivia, giveaways, and recorded organ music from the Garden.

Unfortunately, former Rangers general manager Neil Smith, the architect of the 1994 Stanley Cup champions, was unable to attend, despite scheduled to do so.

Tonight is the night!

New York Rangers alumni Boo Nieves, Nick Fotiu, and Tom Laidlaw will be in attendance for a meet-and-greet. These Rangers legends will be available behind Section 107 for roughly 45 minutes starting at 6 pm thanks to CTDOT.

Unfortunately, Neil Smith… pic.twitter.com/nZR2EfXRG8

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) February 7, 2026

The 7,186 fans in attendance also experienced a throwback hockey game between the Wolf Pack and Bruins. Similar to the Rangers – Bruins in their Original Six rivalry, this one was a physical clash Saturday. The first period alone had 46 penalty minutes, including two fights, a near goalie fight, and several scrums.

It took all of 29 seconds before Hartford’s Connor Mackey dropped the gloves with Joey Abate to get the hostilities underway. Similarly, the second period began with Jaroslav Chmelar throwing down with Riley Tufte after just 12 seconds.

how fun, how exciting! pic.twitter.com/nsHsXYrRqE

— hope (@nohopeleague) February 8, 2026

Despite a poor reacord overall, the Wolf Pack continue to draw fans regularly, as they average 5,348 per game. They are drawing similar numbers in comparison to 2024-25 (5,590) and 2023-24 (5,456). Upcoming promotions include Star Wars, Emo, Soccer, 90s, Sensory Inclusivity, and Fan Appreciation nights.

Upcoming Games​

All games can be viewed on AHLTV and heard on Mixlr.

Saturday, February 14 vs Charlotte Checkers (Panthers) at 4:00pm, Bojangles Coliseum​

• This is the third of eight meetings in the season series. Hartford is 1-1-0-0 against Charlotte.
• Charlotte is 26-15-3-0 (55 points), third in the Atlantic Division and fifth in the Eastern Conference.
• Wilmer Skoog leads the Checkers with 30 points (17 goals, 13 assists). Ben Steeves (16 goals, 13 assists) and Jack Devine (12 goals, 17 assists) are tied for second in scoring with 29 points apiece.

Sunday, February 15 vs Charlotte Checkers (Panthers) at 4:00pm, Bojangles Coliseum​

• This is the fourth of eight meetings in the season series. The Wolf Pack will return to Charlotte on Feb. 17 and 18.
• Hartford is 9-11-1-1 on the road.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...o-parssinen-returns-injury-hartford-wolf-pack

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers best, worst, and everything in between at NHL Olympic break

Perhaps no team in the NHL needed the three-week break for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics more than the New York Rangers. One of the most disappointing teams in the NHL, the Rangers couldn’t have scripted a much worse centennial season.

The Rangers (22-29-6) are last in the Eastern Conference and 30th overall in the League. Their goal differential is a horrifying minus-29, due in large part to being 27th in the League, averaging 2.61 goals-for per game.

Extended injury absences to Igor Shesterkin, Adam Fox, Vincent Trocheck, J.T. Miller, and Matt Rempe haven’t helped, and exposed the lack of quality organizational depth. But no excuses. This Rangers team simply hasn’t been good enough through the first 57 games this season.

Like any season, though, there’s been a mix of good and bad. So, let’s get to it and break down the best, worst, and everything in between for the Rangers so far this season.

MVP: Igor Shesterkin​

Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

All you need to know is that the Rangers are 5-17-2 when Shesterkin (17-12-4, 2.45 goals-against average, .913 save percentage) doesn’t play or receive a decision this season, including 2-11-1 since he sustained a lower-body injury Jan. 5. So, remember that MVP stands for most valuable player. Igor is that, and then some. The 30-year-old goalie is their most irreplaceable player and the very definition of most valuable. And that was proven by how the Rangers cratered without him following his injury.

Best Player: Mika Zibanejad​

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Give Mika Zibanejad credit, he did a complete about-face following his extremely disappointing showing last season. The 32-year-old committed to playing a 200-foot game on a nightly basis, and was properly engaged from the first puck drop this season. He leads the Rangers with 23 goals, 11 power-play goals, two short-handed goals, 22 power-play points, and is second with 29 assists and 28 even-strength points. Mika will soon pass Artemi Panarin for the team lead in scoring, and remains one of the few bright spots for the Rangers this season.

Most Disappointing Player: Braden Schneider​

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

There’s a lot of competition on this roster for most disappointing player. But Braden Schneider gets the nod here because he finally got his big opportunity to move up the lineup and prove he’s a top-four defenseman, after years sheltered in a third-pair role, and didn’t quite meet the moment. That’s not to say Schneider’s been terrible filling in on the top defense pair during a pair of extended injury absences by Fox. But there’s a reason his xGF is 43.68 percent, per Natural Stat Trick, and he’s been on ice for a minus-18 goal differential 5v5 (team-worst 48 goals against). The 24-year-old competes hard and cares deeply about this team, there’s no question. His 90 blocked shots leads the team, and he’s third with 123 hits. But his overall game simply may not be as good as we all hoped.

Best Game: 5-1 win over Panthers at Winter Classic (Jan. 2)​

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Rangers throttled the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions outdoors in Miami, generating a feel-good vibe that maybe, just maybe, they could make a run at a playoff spot in the second half of the season. Zibanejad recorded the first hat trick in Winter Classic history and notched the first five-point game in any NHL outdoor game; Panarin scored twice; Alexis Lafreniere had a career-high three assists; and Shesterkin made 36 saves.

Worst Game: 10-2 loss to Boston Bruins (Jan. 10)​

Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Seriously, where do we even start? The list is painfully long, with any number of their League-high nine shutout defeats worthy of some level of consideration. Not to mention all of the games where their weak effort mirrored poor execution. But let’s go with this humiliating beatdown in Boston, just eight days after that exhilarating Winter Classic victory. The Rangers actually started on time and took an early 1-0 lead in this one before the roof caved in and they allowed a season-worst 10 goals.

Best Stretch: Oct. 28 – Nov. 15​

Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

From October 28 through November 15, the Rangers won seven of nine games and improved to 10-7-2 overall. They appeared to be stabilizing after a wonky start to the season, and even finally won their first home game (6-3 over the Nashville Predators on Nov. 10) after seven straight losses at MSG. Their torrid success away from the Garden continued with six consecutive road wins, including a 7-3 thrashing of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 12 and an exciting 2-1 victory on Miller’s shootout winner three days later. With three of these seven wins coming in overtime, it appeared the Rangers regained their mojo.

Worst Stretch: Jan. 5 – Feb. 5​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Everything came undone for the Rangers on the night of Jan. 5, and completely collapsed thereafter. In their next game after the Winter Classic, the Rangers not only lost (again) on home ice to the Utah Mammoth, blowing 1-0 and 2-1 leads on their way to a 3-2 defeat in overtime. But they lost Shesterkin and Fox, each to a lower-body injury. Neither’s played since, and the Rangers stumbled to the Olympic break losing 12 of 14 games. It was enough for general manager Chris Drury to publicly announce a retool of the roster, which included trading Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 3 and is far from complete.

Biggest surprise (positive): Matthew Robertson​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

So, who had Matthew Robertson averaging 17:15 TOI as a steady regular on the Rangers defense corps? Put your hands down, you’re not being truthful. The 24-year-old rookie, a late-bloomer for sure after four uneven seasons with Hartford of the American Hockey League, didn’t exactly wow anybody during training camp, and not surprisingly started the season on Broadway as the extra defenseman. But when he got his chance on the third pair, Robertson took off, playing a solid two-way game, full of poise and confidence, which grows by the day. He’s now on the second pair with veteran Will Borgen, has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 47 games, and scored one of the most memorable goals of the season, capping an inspiring rally with a solo rush and overtime winner against the Bruins on Jan. 26.

Biggest surprise (negative): Madison Square Garden struggles​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

You can go up and down the roster to find a long list of individual candidates to be the biggest negative surprise this season. But let’s go with an absolute collective fail here. The Rangers are 6-15-4 at MSG this season. Those six home wins are fewest in the Eastern Conference — less than half the total of the teams who have the next least amount (13). Only the last-overall Vancouver Canucks have as few losses at home (6-17-4). Great way for the Rangers to celebrate their centennial anniversary at The World’s Most Famous Arena.

Coach’s Pet: Noah Laba​

Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Noah Laba could’ve been listed as the most pleasant surprise this season, though he ranked just below Robertson. But the rookie center, a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, is an absolute keeper, and a clear favorite of coach Mike Sullivan. Laba forced his way on to the opening-night roster and won his coach over with a tremendous prospects camp and then full training camp. His non-stop motor, 200-foot game, speed, tenacity, and maturity make him a future leader on this team, and a core piece coming out of this retool. A perfect fit as the 3C, the 24-year-old has 16 points (six goals, 10 assists), averaging 13:18 TOI over 54 games.

Doghouse: Brennan Othmann​

Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Where Laba’s quickly earned Sullivan’s trust, the opposite is true of Brennan Othmann. The 2021 first-round draft pick clearly is in the coach’s doghouse, and that started all the way back in training camp when Sullivan questioned Othmann’s commitment defensively. It was a telling sign that Othmann was an early cut in camp, and it appears his confidence is pretty much at an all-time low. The 23-year-old only plays in the bottom-six, often on the fourth line, and averages less than 10 minutes of ice time over his 16 NHL games this season. He did score his first NHL goal, but more telling is that he was a healthy scratch in the final game before the Olympic break.

Best offseason move: Signing Vladislav Gavrikov​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

That seven-year, $49 million contract the Rangers handed Vladislav Gavrikov in free agency last summer appears to be money well spent. The 30-year-old defenseman’s been everything the Rangers could hope for as a steady, top-pair blueliner. And his career-high nine goals is an added bonus for a team that doesn’t score a lot. When Fox is healthy, he and Gavrikov had the best underlying numbers and metrics of any defense pair in the League. And with Fox missing 27 games with two separate injuries this season, Gavrikov stepped up in all areas, and leads all Rangers by averaging 24:04 TOI.

Worst offseason move: Chris Drury contract extension​

Peter Carr/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That the Rangers rushed to re-sign Drury to a contract extension AND publicly announced it shortly after the disastrous 2024-25 season ended was poor optics at best and foolhardy at worst. Keep in mind, the Rangers never publicly announce new contracts for their front office executives, except when they hire a new one. Clearly, owner James Dolan wanted the players and fans to know that Drury’s in charge no matter how terrible the results were the season before. And make no mistake, Drury’s fingerprints were all over that terrible season, mainly how the downturn directly started with his mishandling of veteran players and their exits from the organization. Of course, things only got worse for the Rangers this season and few — outside of Dolan — have faith in Drury to pull off this latest organizational retool moving forward.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/rangers-best-worst-list-nhl-olympic-break

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad helps Sweden win Olympics opener over Italy 5-2

Sweden struggled early in its Olympics opener against Italy, but thanks in part to New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad, the Tre Kronor pulled out a 5-2 win over host Italy in Group B pool play Wednesday in Milan.

Zibanejad scored a key third-period goal and had a primary assist on Gabriel Landeskog’s first-period power-play tally to finish with two points in his Olympic debut. The 32-year-old totaled four shots on goal and was plus-2 in 13:43 TOI.

Rasmus Dahlin of the Buffalo Sabres had three assists for Sweden, and William Nylander of the Toronto Maple Leafs scored the game-winning goal.

Sweden earned three points for the regulation win and sits tied atop Group B with Slovakia, who upset Sweden’s Scandinavian rival Finland, 4-1, earlier Wednesday.

Zibanejad and Sweden square off against Finland on Friday.

Mika Zibanejad scores crucial goal for Sweden​

Sweden played with fire for much of its opener against Italy. Despite outshooting the Italians 60-22, and 27-3 in the opening period, Italy scored the game’s first goal and Sweden clung to a narrow 3-2 advantage late in the third period.

But Zibanejad changed that with less than five minutes to play. Mere seconds after missing an empty net that would have given Sweden some breathing room, he took a pass from Dahlin and fluttered a wrist shot past Italy goalie Davide Fadani — who was screened by Zibanejad’s linemate Elias Pettersson — for his first goal of the tournament.

Mika Zibanejad ices the game for Team Sweden. #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/KPjvE2YaEd

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 11, 2026

The goal gave Sweden a 4-2 lead with 4:18 to play — on Sweden’s 58th shot on goal for the game — and some valuable insurance.

Zibanejad carried his scorching play over from the NHL onto the international stage. He leads the Rangers with 23 goals this season, including 11 over the span of 14 games in January.

Mika Zibanejad set up Gabriel Landeskog’s first-period PPG​

Zibanejad was initially given an assist on Victor Hedman’s empty-net goal with 2:49 to play. The Rangers center won the defensive-zone face-off that set up Hedman’s long-range shot which found the back of the net. Yet, that apparent helper was taken away, and Gustav Forsling ended up with the lone assist on Hedman’s ENG.

But Zibanejad did help Sweden break the ice in the first period on the power play. Playing on Sweden’s second unit, Zibanejad snapped a cross-seam pass that Landeskog one-timed past Italy starting goalie Damian Clara to tie the score 1-1 at 9:06.

Gabe Landeskog in prime form pic.twitter.com/XhvnYCIKtD

— Avalanche Forever (@citchmook) February 11, 2026

The ice-breaking goal was enormous, since Sweden peppered Clara with shot after shot, yet trailed midway through the period after Luca Frigo sent the home crowd into delirium by scoring for Italy at 4:14 of the first.

Mika Zibanejad centered line with Elias Pettersson, Rickard Rakell​

Photo courtesy @NYRangers

Zibanejad was on Sweden’s third line, centering Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks and Rickard Rakell of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Aside from his goal and assist, Zibanejad also played a sound defensive game. He nearly had a scoring chance when he blocked a shot in the Sweden defensive zone and then rushed down the ice, but was turned away by Clara.

Italy’s starting goalie also denied Zibanejad earlier in the period on a great chance at the side of the net. Zibanejad then nearly made the Rangers’ worst fears from these Winter Games come true when he got up gingerly after getting tangled up with Italy forward Tommy Purdeller.

But the Rangers and their fans breathed a sigh of relief when Zibanejad didn’t miss a shift after the awkward fall.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/zibanejad-olympic-debut-sweden-victory

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers Daily: Miller, Trocheck eye Olympic debuts; Rink Rap at Mustang Harry’s

It’s one thing to represent your country in international competition, like the 4 Nations Face-Off or the IIHF World Championship. It’s a whole other thing to do so at the Winter Olympics. And New York Rangers stars J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck will find that out first-hand Thursday in Milan.

Each 32-year-old forward expects to make his Olympics debut for the United States, when they open the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics with a game against Latvia (3:10 ET puck drop). Miller looks to be set, playing wing on the fourth line. Trocheck could center the fourth line or be the extra forward, since IIHF rules allow for each team to dress 20 skaters, instead of 18, for international play.

There’s a good chance that the Rangers teammates and childhood buddies at least play together on the United States penalty kill. That’s something they did a year ago in the 4 Nations Face-Off, and again during practice this week in Italy.

With such a star-studded lineup, each takes on less of a glamorous role for Team USA, with more emphasis on defense, winning face-offs, and tone-setting physical play. Though each player is more than capable of coming up big offensively in a bottom-six role for the United States. Miller’s been a 100-point scorer in the NHL; Trocheck’s seeking his fifth straight season scoring at least 20 goals.

Despite their struggles this season, Miller and Trocheck are tied for third in scoring on the Rangers with 36 points apiece.

Winning gold is on their minds now. This isn’t taken for granted by Miller because, remember, NHL players last participated in the Olympics back in 2014. That makes this even more of a special opportunity for these two Rangers.

“It’s not really for me, I think it’s more for my kids,” Miller told Mollie Walker of The New York Post in Milan. “They’re getting to that really fun age where it’s like, I get to share that. And I’ve been with my wife for so long, with each other for over half of our lives. For us, together, to experience that, I just think that means the world to us. Obviously, my parents, you know, all the sacrifices they’ve made. I’m not thinking about me really at all. It’s just more about the people around me. They get to experience it. So we just don’t take this for granted.”

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To celebrate the Olympics, I’ll be at Mustang Harry’s — seventh avenue and 30th street, steps from Madison Square Garden — recording the latest Rink Rap podcast on Thursday afternoon. There’s going to be plenty of breaking down the Rangers and where their retool is headed, Artemi Panarin trade aftermath, prospect talk, Olympic chatter, and a surprise guest or two on the podcast.

Stop by and say hello — the U.S. – Latvia game will be on, the food is outstanding, the beer selection excellent. See you there!

New York Rangers news and analysis​

Mika Zibanejad had himself an impressive Olympics debut Wednesday. Our Pat Pickens breaks down the big role the Rangers star played in Sweden’s 5-2 win over host Italy.

This is a fun one: selecting the best, worst, and everything in between from the Rangers season to this point, at the NHL Olympic break.

In his first prospects column for Forever Blueshirts, Jess Rubenstein examines why defenseman Chase Reid is a solid option for the Rangers to consider with their first of two selections in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft.

Heee’s baaaack! Sort of, since he’s still in the minors. But Juuso Parssinen played consecutive AHL games for the first time since the Rangers assigned him to Hartford of the American Hockey League back in November. It’s been one injury after another for the forward over the past two-plus months.

Miracle on Ice star Rob McClanahan discussed his Rangers tenure — among other topics — with Forever Blueshirts, including the one thing he would’ve done differently after winning the gold medal in 1980.

Speaking of one on ones with Forever Blueshirts, former Rangers center Derek Stepan shared some Olympic memories from 2014, and left no room for debate about who he’s pulling for at the Milan-Cortina Games.

ICYMI: veteran defenseman Travis Dermott signed a PTO with Hartford. Here’s why that has some significance for the Rangers.

NHL news and rumors​

Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Fourth Period: Dave Pagnotta reports that Jordan Kyrou is warming to the idea of being traded by the St. Louis Blues. He also reports that the Montreal Canadiens reached out on three separate occasions to inquire about Kyrou’s availability.

New Jersey Hockey Now: James Nichols with a cool story twist: which Devils have the most to gain and lose at the Winter Olympics?

TSN: The elephant in the room at the Winter Olympics is that not all the best teams and players are Milan, since Russia is not participating in the tournament.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Dan Kingerski breaks down the top 5 biggest surprises in an overall very surprising season for the Penguins.

Philly Hockey Now: Here’s an excellent breakdown from William James of where the Flyers are at ahead of the March 6 NHL trade deadline and what’s next for them.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...ocheck-olympic-debuts-rink-rap-mustang-harrys

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers’ Vincent Trocheck has key assist in Team USA’s 5-1 win over Latvia

After playing a largely even game for the first half of its Olympic opener against Latvia, the United States scored the game’s final four goals in its 5-1 win in Milan on Thursday.

Rangers center Vincent Trocheck had the secondary assist on Brock Nelson’s game-winning goal that opened the floodgates at 10:38 of the second period. He finished with a plus-1 rating in 9:11 of ice time.

New York captain J.T. Miller was highly noticeable in the first period, when he would have had an assist on Quinn Hughes’ goal, which was disallowed for offside. Miller did not end up on the score sheet in 12:12 TOI.

Nelson scored twice, and Brady Tkachuk, Tage Thompson and Auston Matthews also connected for Team USA. Connor Hellebuyck made 17 saves for the Americans, who will face Denmark on Saturday at 3:10 p.m. ET.

Vincent Trocheck Assisted on game-winning goal for Team USA​

If New York-area hockey fans could coexist, the United States’ game-winning goal would have been a thing of beauty.

Nelson, the former New York Islanders center who now plays for the Colorado Avalanche, scored from New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes and Trocheck, one of the Rangers’ best players.

Trocheck, who started the game as the Americans’ extra forward, took a shift in Miller’s place in the second period, and that move changed the game’s trajectory.

Nice 'n easy Nelly #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/b2G2kueNeM

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) February 12, 2026

Trocheck fielded a shot off the end boards, then cycled the puck behind the net to Hughes. He pivoted and found Nelson alone in the slot, and he deked to his backhand before beating Latvian goalie Elvis Merzlikins, putting the Americans ahead 2-1.

That goal opened the floodgates, as the Americans scored twice more in the second period to skate off with a 4-1 lead. Thompson, who hails from the New York suburb of Milford, Connecticut, made it 3-1, then Nelson scored again on a highlight-reel passing play from Hughes that put the U.S. up by three goals.

Just an absolute passing clinic and Brock Nelson finishes it for goal No. 2 of the night #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/6HOXI7auAc

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) February 12, 2026

J.T. Miller was extremely noticeable in the first period​

The Americans, including Miller, had an extremely frustrating first period.

Team USA hit the post twice and had two goals taken off the board in the opening 20 minutes. Miller would have gotten the primary assist when Quinn Hughes scored a goal that would have made it 2-0, only to be negated when Nelson was ruled to be offside on the zone entry.

Latvia evened the game seconds after the disallowed goal when Renars Krastenbergs scored at 7:25.

David W Cerny/Reuters via Imagn Images

Miller could have been credited with the game-winning goal on a double deflection via Nelson and Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber, but that goal was disallowed due to goalie interference on Miller.

By NHL rules, Miller’s play would not have been goalie interference. But because he entered the crease without being pushed, then did not promptly exit, the goal was disallowed after Latvia coach Harijs Vītoliņš challenged.

Rangers coach Mike Sullivan had a good game​

Critics said the Americans left skill at home in favor of grit. But in their first Olympic game, the Americans proved they had plenty of both.

Coach Mike Sullivan pushed many of the right buttons, again in spite of the two disallowed goals in the first period.

His decision to tinker with his fourth line, moving Trocheck in for Miller for a few second-period shifts, led to the game-winning goal. Plus, the Americans began tilting the ice in the second period, where they outshot Latvia 17-2 and scored three times.

Mike Segar/Reuters via Imagn Images

The Americans’ power play scored twice on four opportunities, with Matthews and Thompson each connecting with the extra man.

Miller and Trocheck were the forwards on Team USA’s top PK unit, helping the U.S. kill both of Latvia’s power plays.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...s-vincent-trocheck-has-assist-in-team-usa-win

 

[New York Rangers]

Why Rangers should consider selecting Chase Reid in 2026 NHL Draft

With the white flag already raised on this season and a retool underway, the New York Rangers must diligently prepare for the 2026 NHL Draft, where they should have one of the top selections.

The Rangers (22-29-6) are 30th overall in the NHL standings at the Olympic break, with an 11.6 percent chance of winning the NHL Draft lottery to secure the No. 1 overall pick, per Tankathon.

Of course, a lot can change the final six weeks of the regular season. But it’s fair to say that the Rangers will be in line for at least a top-10 pick for the first time since selecting Alexis Lafreniere first overall in 2020.

The first step for the Rangers is identifying what they need most, then finding the prospects who can fill those gaps. While most experts are penciling in Penn State forward Gavin McKenna as the top pick in this year’s draft, the rebuilding Rangers could consider a different direction.

Every scout that mentored me over the years preached the same philosophy: Build from the blue line out. That approach becomes even more important when a cornerstone NHL player like Adam Fox misses nearly half the season due to injury, as happened this season, and there’s no adequate replacement on the roster to fill his skates.

That’s why the Rangers should target defenseman Chase Reid from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League with their first-round pick in June. Reid is the best two-way defenseman in his draft class. At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds — and a right-handed shot — he’s be a nice fit behind Fox one day and then, perhaps, as his successor on the top pair.

Chase Reid:

Cut from USA’s U18 roster last spring

Also Chase Reid:

Not just making USA’s U20 roster, but scoring goals too
pic.twitter.com/ZjTQ7xtbSs

— Nathan "Grav" Murdock (@NathanGraviteh) December 26, 2025

Through 42 games, Reid has 47 points (18 goals, 29 assists) with a plus-30 rating, though he’s currently day to day with an upper-body injury. Reid, who had 40 points in 39 games with the Soo last season, also represented the United States at the 2026 World Junior Championship and finished with four points (two goals, two assists) in five games.

Offensively, Reid is a mobile, creative puck-mover who generates chances with both his skating and passing. He projects as a strong power-play quarterback thanks to his vision and awareness. He’s also confident shooting the puck and has a knack for getting shots through traffic, creating rebounds even when he doesn’t score. Reid has signed a letter of intent to play at Michigan State in 2026–27, but a top-three selection could change that timeline.

Defensively, he closes quickly, shows excellent footwork, and consistently makes smart reads. His ability to anticipate plays is elite — he processes the game like a chess grandmaster.

Chase Reid among defensemen Rangers could consider at 2026 NHL Draft​

Chase Reid — photo courtesy Terry Wilson, OHL Images

Reid, No. 4 on NHL Central Scouting’s latest list of North American skaters for the 2026 draft, signed a letter of intent to attend Michigan State University next season. Of course, if he’s selected within the top few picks of the draft, perhaps he’d consider turning pro right away. Assuming Fox, Will Borgen, Braden Schenider, and Scott Morrow remain on the NHL roster, there’d be no reason for the Rangers to rush Reid to the NHL, if they chose him in the draft.

New York’s 2024 first-round pick, EJ Emery, is also a right-shot defenseman; he’s in his sophomore season at North Dakota. So, again, no reason to rush Reid should the Rangers land him in the draft.

Plus the 18-year-old sounds pretty enthused about heading to Michigan State.

“I wanted to play close to home,” Reid told The Hockey News. “The coaches were unbelievable, and everything about the facilities and the fans, seeing the environment the guys play in, it was pretty much a no-brainer. My aunt played volleyball for the Spartans, and I always wanted to go there — we’re a Spartan family.”

As for which NHL defenseman he compares his game to, Reid chose Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“He’s a big, strong defenseman who does all the little things right,” Reid explained. “He plays fast in transition, he’s got a bomb for a shot and he uses his size to his advantage.”

Another strong option on the blue line is Keaton Verhoeff, a teammate of Emery at North Dakota. Verhoeff is even bigger than Reid at 6-foot-4 and 208 pounds. His offensive upside is solid, though he may not produce big NHL numbers. Still, if Reid is off the board, Verhoeff would be hard to pass up. He is calm under pressure, thrives in difficult situations, and rarely misreads a play. For a 17-year-old, his maturity stands out. Among the top 16 scouting services, his lowest ranking is sixth—Reid, by comparison, has a few nines and tens.

A third option is Albert Smits from Latvia. As a left-handed defenseman, he’s a possible fit behind Vladisalv Gavrikov one day. Smits is a reliable shutdown defender with excellent passing ability. He plays a physical, punishing style, and opponents need to keep their heads up when he’s on the ice. Smits is widely expected to become the first Latvian player drafted inside the top 10.

For a team in the Rangers’ position, the 2026 draft is an opportunity to reset the foundation, especially with a lottery pick and another later in the first round from the Carolina Hurricanes. If they follow the long-proven blueprint of building from the back end out, Reid — and to a lesser extent Verhoeff or Smits — is the right place to start.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/chase-reid-top-defensemen-2026-nhl-draft

 

[New York Rangers]

How GM’s trades past 18 months helped sink Rangers in NHL standings

It’s hard to believe what’s happened to the New York Rangers under general manager Chris Drury’s watch the past 18 months.

The Blueshirts went from a team that won the Presidents’ Trophy and came within two victories of reaching the Stanley Cup Final in the spring of 2024 to one that collapsed and missed the playoffs altogether in 2024-25 and then threw in the towel on this season in mid-January. So bad are things that Drury conceded in a message to fans that this will be the second straight season that ends without a trip to the playoffs – and that more changes are on the way.

The Rangers traded veteran defenseman Carson Soucy to the archrival New York Islanders on Jan. 26 for a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Then the Rangers traded their top scorer, Artemi Panarin, to the Los Angeles Kings last week for forward Liam Greentree, L.A.’s top pick in the 2024 draft, and conditional draft picks.

Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

As the Rangers cratered the past two seasons, Drury manned the phones and moved bodies in and out – only to see things get significantly worse. They are better positioned under the salary cap, but it’s hard to see how that’s much consolation to the Blueshirts Faithful. They’ve seen their team win just six times in 25 home games this season, shut out seven times on home ice.

Drury began his makeover in May 2024 when he ran forward Barclay Goodrow out of town; the San Jose Sharks, one of his former teams, claimed him on waivers in a pre-arranged agreement. The trade parade started early in the 2024-25 season and rolled on unabated since then. Of the 20 top scorers on the 2023-24 Rangers, just seven are still on the roster – and they’re headed for a bottom-five finish in the overall standings.

Here’s a look at Drury’s deals since the start of last season and the impact they’ve had on the Rangers.

December 6, 2024​

Rangers trade defenseman Jacob Trouba to Anaheim Ducks for defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and fourth-round pick in 2025 draft​

Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Few teams trade their captain midseason, but the Rangers did when they moved Trouba to the Ducks in a deal that came a few weeks after Drury sent a letter to the other 31 GMs saying that Trouba and forward Chris Kreider, the longest-tenured Ranger, were available.

Drury tried to trade Trouba in the summer of 2024 but couldn’t work out a deal with the veteran defenseman, who went from a full no-trade clause to a 15-team version on July 1, 2024. His contract, carrying an average annual value of $8 million through 2025-26, was more than the Rangers — who were up against the salary cap — wanted to pay. Anaheim took on the entire contract and sent Vaakanainen to New York.

Trouba wasted little time laying into the Rangers for the way they handled his departure, and stepped into the Ducks lineup as a valued top-four defenseman on a young team trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18. He leads Anaheim this season with 109 blocked shots and is third with 100 hits, all while averaging 22:35 of ice time. He’s also scored nine goals, two shy of his career high, and his 25 points are second among Anaheim defensemen.

Vaakanainen is, at best, a bottom-pair defenseman (four assists in 27 games) who is more often than not a healthy scratch. The Rangers gave him a two-year, $3.1 million extension that runs through next season.

Verdict: Trouba filled a number of needs on a young team. The Rangers saved money, but Vaakanainen isn’t nearly as good a player.

December 18, 2024​

Rangers trade forward Kaapo Kakko to Seattle Kraken for defenseman Will Borgen and third- and sixth-round picks in the 2025 draft​

Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Kakko never lived up to high expectations as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft. His 18 goals and 40 points in 82 games during the 2022-23 season were career highs, and he never averaged as much as a half a point per game in any season. His underlying stats weren’t bad and he was an OK third-line forward, but that’s a lot less than the Rangers expected.

The native of Finland became the third straight top-10 pick by the Rangers to find himself elsewhere before turning 25 when they traded him to the Kraken a week before Christmas for Borgen and a couple of draft picks. Kakko is largely the same player in Seattle that he was in New York, although injuries hampered him this season.

Borgen’s play impressed Drury enough to sign him to a five-year, $20.5 million contract ($4.1 million AAV) roughly a month after he arrived on Broadway. He’s a decent middle-pair, shutdown defenseman who kills penalties and chips in a goal or an assist on occasion. The 29-year-old settled into a regular role with the Rangers; on a better team he’d probably play on the third pair.

Verdict: Call it even for now. Kakko likely has more upside, but Borgen fills a current need for the Rangers.

January 31, 2025​

Rangers trade center Filip Chytil, defenseman Victor Mancini and their first-round pick in 2025 or 2026 to Vancouver Canucks for center J.T. Miller, defenseman Erik Brännström and forward Jackson Dorrington​

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Drury swung for the fences shortly before last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, bringing back Miller, their first-round pick in the 2011 draft who went on to success after being dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning in February 2018 and then to the Canucks in the summer of 2019.

Miller averaged more than a point per game in his five-plus seasons in Vancouver and entered 2024-25 off a 37-goal, 103-point season that helped the Canucks win the Pacific Division. But he and fellow center Elias Pettersson were at odds for most of ’24-25, and Miller took some time away from the team before returning in January and being traded back to the Rangers.

He piled up 13 goals and 35 points in 32 games with the Blueshirts and was named captain at the start of training camp in September. The 32-year-old is up and down this season, with largely disappointing stats: 14 goals and 36 points in 48 games. His $8 million AAV contract, which includes a no-movement clause, runs through 2029-30.

Brannstrom never played for the Rangers, who sent him to the Buffalo Sabres on March 7. Dorrington is at AHL Hartford.

Chytil’s injury problems (mostly head injuries) followed him to Vancouver, where he finished last season on LTIR and missed most of this season so far. He hasn’t looked like himself when he does play, either. Mancini, who surprised everyone by making the Rangers out of training camp last season, bounced between the Canucks and AHL Abbotsford. The Canucks sent the first-rounder to the Pittsburgh Penguins for veteran defenseman Marcus Pettersson.

Verdict: The Rangers and Canucks are each below .500 since the trade, currently two of the worst teams in the NHL. The Blueshirts pay Miller top-level money but are getting less than top-level results. The real winner might be the Penguins, who wheeled what turned out to be the No. 12 pick last June into a couple of solid prospects.

March 1, 2025​

Rangers trade defenseman Ryan Lindgren and forwards Jimmy Vesey and Hank Kempf to the Colorado Avalanche for defenseman Calvin de Haan, forward Juuso Parssinen and second- and fourth-round picks in the 2025 draft

Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

The Rangers weren’t planning to sign Lindgren, Adam Fox’s regular top-pair partner for several seasons and a pending free agent who battled injuries during 2024-25, so they bundled him with Vesey and Kempf, a college defenseman. The deal with the Avalanche brought back de Haan, a veteran defenseman who was also a pending free agent, and Parssinen, a promising forward who had yet to earn a regular NHL role.

Lindgren stepped into a regular middle-tier role with Colorado, but the Avalanche opted not to re-sign him. The Kraken stepped up and inked him to a four-year, $18 million contract ($4.5 million AAV). He’s pretty much the same player in Seattle that he was in New York – a physical, defensively sound defenseman who contributes a little offense. He leads the Kraken at plus-16. Vesey is playing in Europe; Kempf is with the AHL Colorado Eagles.

Parssinen is at AHL Hartford, where he battled injuries and tries to work his way back to the NHL. De Haan played just three games for the Rangers and wasn’t happy with being a healthy scratch; he’s now playing in Sweden.

Verdict: The Avalanche got six weeks from Lindgren, which is more than the Rangers got from either player they acquired. Seattle could end up being the biggest winner.

March 6, 2025​

Rangers trade forward Reilly Smith to Vegas Golden Knights for forward Brendan Brisson and third-round pick in 2025 draft

Rangers trade third-round pick in 2025 draft to Vancouver Canucks for defenseman Carson Soucy

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Rangers got Smith in a trade with Pittsburgh on July 1, 2024, but after a disappointing showing they sent him back to the Golden Knights – the team he helped win the Stanley Cup in 2023. The third-round pick compensated for the one they sent to the Canucks for Soucy, a big defensive defenseman who had another season left on his contract, and Brisson, Vegas’ first-round pick in the 2020 draft, who had two goals and eight points in 24 NHL games during two stints with the Golden Knights.

Soucy wasn’t much help down the stretch last season but settled into a regular middle-pair role this season before Drury traded him to the Islanders for — that’s right – a third-round pick, this one in the 2026 draft. Brisson recently boosted his chances of being called up by the Rangers by notching four goals and 11 points in a 13-game stretch and being selected to play in the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic.

Smith, now 34, is a bottom-six forward who averages less than 14 minutes a game.

Verdict: Bodies in, bodies out. Brisson could make this a win if he gets a callup and shows he can play.

June 12, 2025​

Rangers trade forward Chris Kreider and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft to Anaheim Ducks for forward Carey Terrance and a third-round pick in the 2025 draft

Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Kreider’s nightmarish 2024-25 season ended when the Rangers sent him to the Ducks, where he joined Trouba and fellow ex-Rangers Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano.

The deal did show that Drury learned something about trading veteran players; unlike the barbs Trouba unleashed after the deal, Kreider praised the Rangers for keeping him involved in the trade process (he had a 15-team no-trade clause in a contract that runs through 2026-27).

Kreider left New York with 326 goals, the third-highest total in franchise history. His 52-goal season in 2022-23 made him just the fourth Rangers player to hit the 50-goal mark. But after scoring 36 and 39 goals in the next two seasons, he dropped to 22 (and 30 points) in 2024-25, struggling with injuries and illnesses.

The move appeared to light a spark under the 34-year-old, who had 19 goals and 30 points in 50 games before the Olympic break.

Terrance is 20 and has three goals and six points in 45 games with Hartford.

Verdict: The Rangers saved $12 million over two seasons. The Ducks got a veteran presence and a 25-30-goal scorer.

July 1, 2025​

Rangers trade defenseman K’Andre Miller to Carolina Hurricanes for defenseman Scott Morrow, second-round pick in 2026 draft and conditional first-round pick in 2026 or 2027 draft

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

No one disputes Miller’s physical tools – he’s big, fast and can handle the puck. But his offensive numbers deteriorated after he had career bests of nine goals and 43 points in 2022-23, and his decision-making – especially in his own zone – often left much to be desired.

With Miller approaching restricted free agency and due a significant raise last summer, Drury was faced with a choice: Give him a big contract or trade him.

He chose option B, sending Miller to Carolina for rookie defenseman Morrow and two draft picks. The Hurricanes wasted little time signing Miller to an eight-year, $60 million contract ($7.5 million AAV).

Miller plays a top-four (often first-pair) role with Carolina, which is solidly in first place in the Metropolitan Division. He’s averaging a career-high 22:29 TOI and is on pace to finish with 35 points despite missing eight games with injuries.

The Rangers have high hopes for Morrow, who got his first NHL exposure with Carolina late last season. But the 23-year-old has been underwhelming in 28 games on Broadway, putting up just six assists in 28 games.

Verdict: Miller is a solid defenseman on one of the League’s top teams; whether he’ll ever be more than that is still an open question. The Rangers need Morrow to be a lot more than he’s shown so far. They also need to hit on the extra first-rounder they’ll get this year or next, although it’s likely to be in the bottom third of the round.

February 4, 2026​

Rangers trade forward Artemi Panarin to Los Angeles Kings for forward Liam Greentree, a conditional third-round pick in the 2026 draft and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2028 draft​

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Panarin was in the process of leading the Rangers in scoring for the seventh time in as many seasons since signing with them on July 1, 2019. But he was a 34-year-old pending unrestricted free agent who wasn’t willing to give the Rangers a hometown discount and had a full no-move clause.

With the Rangers season already down the chute, Drury didn’t want to risk losing Panarin for nothing in free agency — so minutes before the NHL Olympic roster freeze, he sent him to the Kings. Los Angeles quickly signed him to a two-year, $22 million contract ($11 million AAV).

The return was Greentree, LA’s first-round pick in 2024. The 20-year-old is playing for Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League and figures to turn pro after this season ends. He projects as a middle-six forward, one who recently passed 300 career points in the OHL.

Verdict: As with many of Drury’s other trades, the Rangers saved money for the future at the price of current production. They’ll find out what Greentree can do in the next couple of years.

Summary​

Drury reallocated much of the money he saved last season to re-sign goalie Igor Shesterkin ($92 million for eight years) and forward Alexis Lafreniere ($52.15 million for seven years). He likely hoped to be able to sign a big-name free agent this summer, but with the exception of Panarin, they’ve all re-signed with their current teams.

Puckpedia projects the Rangers to have nearly $30 million in cap space for next season. The question is what Drury will be able to do with it now that there are no elite players to sign.

The more pressing question is: what’s next on his retool list after trading Panarin? Could veteran center Vincent Trocheck be the next to go? What of Lafreniere and Braden Schneider? Are they members of the core moving forward or more valuable as trade chips?

If the latter, can Drury finally get a big win in at least one trade? He hasn’t done that yet over the past 18 months.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/chris-drury-trades-analysis-blame

 

[New York Rangers]

Why Rangers had to trade captain for legend in 2014: ‘We had enough Callys’

One of the most intriguing trades in New York Rangers history occurred on March 5, 2014. It helped fuel their most recent run to the Stanley Cup Final, but wasn’t without its detractors at the time.

In the first trade deadline swap of captains in NHL history, the Rangers acquired Martin St. Louis from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Ryan Callahan, first-round picks in the 2014 and 2015 drafts, and a seventh-rounder in 2015.

At the time, “Captain Cally” was 29 years old and as popular a player as there was on the Rangers roster. A homegrown Blueshirt, Callahan was a four-time Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award winner and a three-time 20-goal scorer. He was a true “Black and Blueshirt” through and through.

St. Louis was 10 years older at the time of the trade, on the back end of an incredible NHL career, one that landed him in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018. Though 39, St. Louis was still a point-per-game player for the Lightning (61 points in 62 games), and had a Stanley Cup championship, Hart Trophy, two Art Ross Trophies, and three Lady Byng Trophies on his resume.

By and large, Rangers fans weren’t thrilled with the trade. Callahan’s close friend and teammate Derek Stepan wasn’t exactly sure how to feel at the time either. But now, in retrospect, he sees that the trade was pretty much a no-brainer for the Rangers.

“We can stop tip-toeing around ‘Cally.’ They were two very different players, and the Rangers felt we needed a Marty and we had enough Callys,” Stepan told Forever Blueshirts on the Rink Rap podcast. “It was a swap for Marty and his ability to do something that I don’t think Cally could do. To be fair to Cally, he’s chasing a Hall of Famer, so it’s OK to say it now. We can say it because we’ve been tip-toeing around it. We can say it. It was a very good swap for us at the time, and we needed a Marty, and Cally is the one that ultimately ended up on the chopping block.”

Even though the Rangers had Rick Nash, Mats Zuccarello, and Chris Kreider among their wingers, St. Louis was a different level of difference maker, especially in the playoffs. Stepan’s take now is that the Rangers had plenty of grinders and forwards with a defensive conscious; but they needed a game-breaker with a winning pedigree, even one of St. Louis’ age and vintage.

“I remember being kind of shocked. You’re losing a real good friend and you’re bringing in Marty, which we knew his history, Marty knew how to do it,” Stepan explained.

“But now if I were to back up and sit in the lens that I am now on the other side of it, in order to get something you have to give up something. I’m sure Tampa felt the same way. If we’re giving up this, we want that. I’m sure it was kind of an awkward conversation to start with the two GMs. But, yeah, it was a weird one. It just goes to show you it’s business and anything can happen.”

Contract impasse was big reason Rangers traded Ryan Callahan for Martin St. Louis, but not only one​

Kim Klement-Imagn Images

This trade was as much about business as it was about lineup fits. St. Louis pretty much forced a trade to the Rangers after his relationship with Lightning management turned sour. Callahan was a pending unrestricted free agent at season’s end, and contract negotiations weighed on him throughtout 2013-14. Even though Callahan and the Rangers agreed on a six-year term, they couldn’t get together on the actual dollar value of a contract.

“Contracts are always brutal to start, and he had a long road before the final contract was going to be offered to him. But you never want to go into a summer with a guy that’s going to be a free agent in July. So, ultimately, Cally was deservingly so going to get paid in some way, shape, or form, and the Rangers felt they were going to go a different direction,” explained Stepan, who knows a thing or two himself about difficult contract negotiations with the Rangers.

Callahan ended up signing a six-year, $34.8 million contract with the Lightning.

Unfortunately, his body betrayed him for much of that contract — just as the Rangers feared it would when they often hedged their bets during negotiations with him. Callahan scored 24 goals and totaled 54 points in 2014-15. He gained the ultimate revenge by helping the Lightning defeat the Rangers in Game 7 of the 2015 Eastern Conference Final at Madison Square Garden.

Unfortunately, a degenerative spine issue limited his effectiveness moving forward and ended his playing career after the 2018-19 season.

Derek Stepan recalls ‘great experience’ with Martin St. Louis, including Rangers run to 2014 Final​

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

“Now that I’ve talked Cally up enough, and we missed him, and Rangers fans we loved him too, but I had a great experience with Marty,” Stepan shared. “I learned a ton. He was a guy that was on my line. He taught me so much as a guy that played in the top six. Now look at him go as a head coach (with the Montreal Canadiens). He’s special, that’s for sure, and it was fun to be part of.”

St. Louis largely played on a line centered by Stepan, with Carl Hagelin on the other wing. The Rangers kept winning, but St. Louis managed just one goal in 19 regular-season games after the trade.

You might remember that the Blueshirts Faithful weren’t exactly embracing the deal at that time.

Against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the playoffs, St. Louis got off to a fast start, with five points (two goals, three assists) in the first three games. He had one assist the rest of the series, which the Rangers barely won, scraping out a 2-1 Game 7 victory at MSG.

But the Rangers looked even more out of sync against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round, falling behind 3-1 in the series and facing elimination on the road for Game 5.

Sadly, Marty’s mother, France, died on May 8, the day between Games 4 and 5. Though no one expected St. Louis to play that game, and few saw a Rangers comeback in the cards, each happened. Stepan recalls that the Rangers rallied around their grief-stricken teammate, and everything changed for them in that postseason thereafter.

“When you’re in a playoff series, and even in the regular season, and times get tough, a snowball can build on you and get bigger and bigger, and it gets harder and harder to get out of it,” he said. “I think when everything went down with Marty’s mom, I think what happened was we all took a step back and said ‘all right, we’re playing a game and we’re all humans, and one of our brothers … just lost a big piece of his life. We all understand that’s way bigger than us being down 3-1 and not playing great hockey.’

“And we shifted and we got on board with getting behind Marty. And then what happened was we went out to play the game of hockey and we found our game again. I think the realistic part of it is we are just playing a game and I think that’s hard to understand that sometimes for everybody, and there’s a human aspect to it.”

The Rangers hammered the Penguins 5-1 in Game 5, won 3-1 two days later at MSG, then rode Henrik Lundqvist’s brilliant performance to a 2-1 Game 7 win in Pittsburgh. The Game 6 victory is best remembered for St. Louis scoring the game-opening goal, on Mothers Day, and the outpouring of love from his teammates and the Garden fans afterward.

“It was devastating for Marty and our group felt it. When he scored that goal in Game [6] at home, me and ‘Hags’ were on his line and it was one of the heaviest huddles I’ve ever been in. It was awesome,” Stepan recalled. “It was pure emotion in that group and … in that moment, in that playoff series, that’s what opened up our group, our eyes, to is that Marty’s going through a tough time because he lost a big chunk of him.

“Me and Hags talked about it … we’ve been in a lot of huddles, but nothing like that one. That one was different.”

The Rangers went on to defeat the Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Final in six games — St. Louis scored the overtime winner in Game 4 at home — and reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1994. Jonathan Quick and the Los Angeles Kings won three times in overtime or double overtime to end New York’s fairy tale run in five games.

St. Louis led the Rangers with eight goals and was second with 15 points during that run to the Cup Final. He then helped the Rangers win the Presidents’ Trophy in 2014-15, when he scored 21 goals and totaled 54 points. But the then-40-year-old and his Rangers teammates fell short against Callahan and the Lightning in the conference final, and St. Louis retired shortly thereafter.

Looking back ,Stepan contends that the controversial trade of captains in 2014 was the correct move for the Rangers.

“I hope [Callahan] wouldn’t disagree with me.”

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...-explains-trade-ryan-callahan-martin-st-louis

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers’ Trocheck sets up game-winner as Team USA downs Denmark 6-3

New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck had his second assist on a game-winning goal in as many games, setting up Noah Hanifin’s second-period tally that helped Team USA defeat Denmark 6-3 on Saturday for its second win in as many games at the Winter Olympics in Milan.

Trocheck made a slick backhand pass in the neutral zone that sprung Hanifin, a defenseman with the Vegas Golden Knights. He beat Denmark goaltender Mads Sogaard from the left circle at 17:23 of the middle period to put the Americans ahead 4-2. The veteran center also had an assist on Brock Nelson’s game-winner in Team USA’s 5-1 win against Latvia on Thursday.

Trocheck and Rangers teammate J.T. Miller also helped the United States kill off three Denmark power plays; the Americans are 5-for-5 on the penalty kill in their first two games.

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Trocheck played 9:29, had no shots on goal and was even; Miller was on the ice for 13:08, had one shot on goal and was minus-1.

The United States completes its round-robin against Germany on Sunday. The Germans, who were upset 4-3 by Latvia earlier Saturday, can still win Group C with a regulation win against Team USA; the Americans can assure themselves of a bye into the quarterfinals with a win or overtime/shootout loss.

“It’s a quick turnaround for both of us,” Team USA forward Matthew Tkachuk said. “Out of the other teams in this group, they definitely have the most NHL stars on their team. There are guys you definitely got to look out: an NHL goalie, a No. 1 defenseman and some really good forwards. So I’m sure they’re going to give us a really good game as well,”

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Rangers center Mika Zibanejad had an assist in Team Sweden’s 5-3 win over Slovakia earlier in the day. However, the Swedes missed out on a bye into the final eight, losing a three-way tie for first place in Group B to the Slovaks on goal differential.

That’s a fate his fellow Rangers on Team USA will try to avoid.

Hanifin was one of six players to score for the United States. In all, 14 players had points for Team USA, which outshot Denmark 47-21 to overcome a 2-1 deficit after one period. The U.S. survived a shaky first two periods by goaltender Jeremy Swayman, who was beaten twice from long distance – once from just inside the red line.

Team USA survives slow start to beat Denmark 6-3​

Denmark, which upset Canada at last year’s IIHF World Championship, showed no signs of being intimidated by the Americans and wasted little time grabbing the lead. Nick Olesen got to the front of the net and was credited with a goal when the puck caromed off Team USA defenseman Zach Werenski and past Swayman at 1:40 after the Team USA failed to clear the zone.

The Americans tied it 1-1 at 3:35 on a pair of excellent plays. Quinn Hughes’ brilliant pass sent Matt Boldy racing down left wing, and the Minnesota Wild forward raced in, circled the net and tucked the puck just inside the post before Danish goaltender Mads Sogaard could get across.

Matt Boldy turns the corner and BURIES it. #WinterOlympics on Peacock and USA pic.twitter.com/t4HFzu0XWQ

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 14, 2026

“Great play by Quinn,” Boldy told NBC between periods.

Miller and Trocheck did their best work of the period helping the U.S. shut down Denmark’s power play after Dylan Larkin was called for holding at 4:47.

But Denmark jumped back in front at 11:16 when Nicholas B. Jensen’s shot from a step past the red line sailed past Swayman, who appeared not to pick up the puck against the dark background of the boards between the benches.

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The United States controlled play for the rest of the first period, but Sogaard was solid and the Danes skated off with a 2-1 lead.

The Americans continued to keep the puck in the Danish zone through the first half of the second period and got even at 9:26 when Jack Eichel won a left-circle draw to Brady Tkachuk, who zipped a shot past Sogaard to make it 2-2.

“It’s a pretty cool feeling scoring for your country,” Tkachuk said. “Just trying to create energy and get some energy from this crowd.”

Eichel put the U.S. ahead for the first time 57 seconds later, picking up a loose puck after neither team could control a right-circle draw and snapping a quick shot into the net to make it 3-2.

TWO GOALS IN 57 SECONDS. USA TAKES THE LEAD. #WinterOlympics on Peacock and USA pic.twitter.com/cpX398Pvjs

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 14, 2026

Hanifin’s goal put Team USA up 4-2, but Denmark got within one goal again when Phillip Bruggisser’s shot from just inside the blue line went past Swayman at 19:57. Swayman was screened by Miller and didn’t appear to see the shot.

However, third-period goals by Jake Guentzel (off a beautiful feed from Auston Matthews) and Jack Hughes put the game away for the Americans, who wore down the Danes as the game went on.

“It’s not about how you start,” Matthews said. “It’s about how you finish.”

The Americans won, had some style points in the final 20 minutes and have the chance to complete a round-robin sweep on Sunday by defeating Germany.

Marton Monus/Reuters via Imagn Images

“They have some game-breakers on that side. We have a lot of respect for how good they are,” said Team USA coach Mike Sullivan, who doubles as coach of the Rangers. “It will be a competitive game. This is what we expect.”

Larkin said though the U.S. knows about the scenarios with goal differential and standings points, the Americans simply need to play their game.

“Of course you think about it,” he said. “But winning is the probably the most important. We take care of our business (Sunday), we play our game, we’re going to be in a good spot — and that’s that.”

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/trocheck-sets-up-game-winner-for-team-usa

 

[New York Rangers]

1 thing ex-Rangers, Miracle on Ice star would’ve changed about NHL journey

Rob McClanahan readily admits how blessed he was to be part of the 1980 United States men’s Olympic hockey team, and then to play five seasons in the NHL. However, the former New York Rangers forward concedes that there’s one thing he wished he did differently during his hockey journey.

After the incredible emotional high of helping the United States upset the Soviet Union in the semifinals and then win the gold medal game against Finland to complete the Miracle on Ice in Lake Placid, McClanahan immediately started his professional hockey career with the Buffalo Sabres. His NHL debut was March 9 in Buffalo against the St. Louis Blues — less than three weeks after a gold medal was placed around his neck.

“For me, it was tough at first. What I should have done, quite honestly, after we won the gold was not to sign with Buffalo, or sign with Buffalo and not played the rest of that year. I was absolutely physically and emotionally toast, and was done for that season. I should’ve waited until the Fall and just kind of regrouped myself,” McClanahan told Forever Blueshirts on the Rink Rap podcast.

Lake Placid, NY – 1980: United States team vs Russian team, competing in the Men’s ice hockey tournament, the ‘Miracle on Ice’, at the 1980 Winter Olympics / XIII Olympic Winter Games, Olympic Fieldhouse. (Photo by Steve Fenn /ABC via Getty Images)

Perhaps still riding the wave of confidence forged in Lake Placid, McClanahan scored his first NHL goal in his second game, against the Winnipeg Jets. He followed that with a pair of assists in his next outing against the Los Angeles Kings. McClanahan finished the season with seven points (two goals, five assists) in 13 games for the Sabres, who were second in the League with 110 points.

McClanahan played 10 of 14 postseason games but had just one assist. The Sabres lost in the third round to the New York Islanders in six games. Yes, McClanahan was that close to winning Olympic gold and reaching the Stanley Cup Final in the same year. His Team USA teammate Ken Morrow, of course, famously accomplished that feat instead, when the Islanders won the Cup in 1980.

But back to the original point, McClanahan was exhausted by time the Sabres were eliminated. Keep in mind, not only did McClanahan have that intense two-week run in Lake Placid, but he played 63 games for the United States National Team leading up to the Olympics. And you may have heard that coach Herb Brooks didn’t exactly take it easy on his players — physically nor mentally.

So, yes, McClanahan was “toast,” as he called it. But there’s no way he — 22 years old at the time — was going to pass on achieving his NHL dream right away.

“I never grew up thinking I wanted to win a gold medal. I never thought about it. But I did think about I’d love to be a professional hockey player,” McClanahan explained. “So, the objective and the goal, even at the beginning of the Olympic year was this is just another step to make the NHL. And I would never look back and say that I wished I had done something differently because that experience that we had, that ’79-’80 season, was the most fun I ever had. And we learned so much about selfless play and about ourselves both as individuals, it just helped build our confidence, both as a team and as individuals.”

Rob McClanahan ‘ended up loving to play in New York’ with Rangers​

After playing for the Sabres and Hartford Whalers, as well as spending some time in the minors, McClanahan reunited with Brooks on Broadway, where his former college coach (University of Minnesota) and Miracle on Ice mastermind coached the Rangers, in February 1982.

He also was reunited with his 1980 Olympic teammates Mark Pavelich, Dave Silk and Bill Baker in New York. And the Rangers general manager was Craig Patrick, Brooks’ assistant on that 1980 gold medal team.

McClanahan had his most success in the NHL playing for the Rangers.

“I think [Brooks] put me on [a line] with ‘Pav’ and Ron Duguay, if I’m not mistaken, early on when I got there, and I ended up loving to play in New York,” he recalled. “I had heard in the past that people didn’t like to play in the Garden and the ice was bad, it was a pain to get to. I never had a problem with the ice and I certainly didn’t have a problem playing in Madison Square Garden. It was a lot of fun and the crowd was always supportive of what the Rangers did.”

McClanahan finished the 1981-82 season with 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 22 games with the Rangers. He really came to life the next season, setting career highs with 22 goals, 26 assists, and 48 points, ranking fifth on the Rangers in goals and eighth in overall scoring. He also recorded his only NHL hat trick on Nov. 24, 1982, against the Minnesota North Stars at Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers eliminated the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of his first two seasons in New York only to lose hard-fought second-round series to the Islanders each time.

“Obviously, the game against the North Stars, that definitely goes down in my memory bank for sure. But right up there with everything else is every time we played the Flyers in the playoffs,” McClanahan shared about his favorite Rangers memories. “We hammered them, we smoked them, they couldn’t skate with us. Back in those days a bunch of us were labeled Smurfs (because of their diminutive stature), and the Flyers just did not know how to play against us. They just didn’t have the guys to stay with us, and we just steamrolled them.”

‘Odd Couple’ roommate added to Rangers experience for Rob McClanahan​

Off the ice, there was another highlight for McClanahan.

“Pav and I used to room together on the road when I was playing in New York, and you want to talk about the Odd Couple, Felix and Oscar! But we worked through some disagreements and were able to turn into great roommates,” he said with a smile.

McClanahan had 14 points (six goals, eight assists) and played just 41 games with the Rangers in 1983-84, the final games of his NHL career. Pavelich, twice a 30-goal scorer for the Rangers and regarded as one of the most talented players on the Miracle on Ice squad, sadly took his own life on March 4, 2021, after suffering a years-long decline due to CTE, a brain disorder leading to mental health issues.

“We played against each other in college, he was a great college player,” McClanahan pointed out. “If people watched those [Olympic] games, Pav was instrumental in assisting on a lot of really key goals. He assisted on ‘Rizzo’s’ (Mike Eruzione’s game-winning) goal over the Soviets. He assisted on Billy Baker’s tying goal against Sweden (in Team USA’s first game), and that was probably one of the most important goals of the entire tournament. He assisted on Buzzy Schneider’s goal, the first goal we scored against the Soviets. Pav was exceptional at every level he played, and with the New York Rangers, … he still holds the rookie record for points (with 76 in 1981-82).”

Pavelich’s legacy lives on, though, as it does for each member of the Miracle on Ice team, 45 years later, with a new Netflix documentary out (Miracle: The Boys of ’80) and two Rangers among NHL players wearing the U.S. sweater in the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics this month.

It’s something that McClanahan, now 67, doesn’t ever take for granted.

“We’re really proud of what we did, what we accomplished,” he said. “We would’ve been just as proud if we didn’t win a gold medal, but to be able to share it with others and to have it resonate to this day is kind of amazing.”

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/miracle-on-ice-rob-mcclanahan-reflections

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers’ Miller, Trocheck anchor USA penalty kill in 5-1 win over Germany

Neither J.T. Miller nor Vincent Trocheck recorded a point in Team USA’s 5-1 win over Germany on Sunday, but the New York Rangers’ forwards anchored a perfect penalty kill as the Americans clinched Group C in the preliminaries at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.

The United States killed off all three German power plays and improved to 9-for-9 through three contests in these Games. They are the only team that did not allow a power-play goal in the preliminary round.

3-0! #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/CQkF0QVOeB

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 15, 2026

Trocheck and Miller composed the first forward PK grouping utilized by coach Mike Sullivan, helping the Americans shut down a German power play that featured NHL stars Leon Draisaitl, Tim Stutzle and Moritz Seider.

Miller received shoulder pats for a shot block late in the third period on USA’s third and final penalty kill. He also connected on a stretch pass with Jack Eichel at the close of the first PK, springing the Vegas Golden Knights’ center for a breakaway chance — although Eichel was denied by German goalie Maximilian Franzreb.

The win cemented a perfect 3-0-0 finish in the preliminary round for the Americans. They won Group C by six points and locked up the No. 2 seed, behind only Group A winner Canada, which also finished 3-0-0 and had a plus-17 goal differential.

Miller logged 12:37 TOI, and Trocheck played a team-low 9:12 Sunday. Each was even with one shot on goal.

Trocheck has two assists — both on game-winning goals — and is plus-2 in three games. The 32-year-old center ranks third among all Olympic skaters with a 66.7 face-off percentage, winning 18 of 27 draws. Miller is minus-1 and failed to record a point in Group C play — one of four USA skaters yet to hit the score sheet entering the quarterfinals.

QUARTERFINALS:

(1) Canada vs (8) Czechia/(9) Denmark winner
(2) USA vs (7) Sweden/(10) Latvia winner
(3) Slovakia vs (6) Germany/(11) France winner
(4) Finland vs (5) Switzerland/(12) Italy winner

Re-seeding will take place for semifinals

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 15, 2026

USA earned an automatic bid to the quarterfinals thanks to the win over Germany. The winner of the qualification play-off between No. 7 Sweden and No. 10 Latvia on Tuesday will face the Americans on Wednesday. Should Sweden prevail, Miller and Trocheck will go toe-to-toe with Rangers teammate Mika Zibanejad.

USA advances to Olympics quarterfinal: ‘Now it gets real’​

David W Cerny/Reuters via Imagn Images

A German team headed by Draisaitl posed the biggest challenge for Team USA in Group C.

“We need to think of this game as a playoff-type atmosphere,” Sullivan told his squad ahead of puck drop.

“That’s exactly what we did,” Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber said postgame. “I thought we played a solid three periods.”

For the second game in a row, the Americans got off to a clunky start — highlighted by an awkward collision between New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes and USA captain Auston Matthews on a Team USA power play.

Auston Matthews and Jack Hughes had a massive open ice collision pic.twitter.com/P0OSRROuD9

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 15, 2026

Eichel appeared to give the Americans a 1-0 lead in the final minute of the first period, but officials whistled the play dead before his shot after Matthew Thachuk was checked into the crease, knocking the blocker off of Franzreb.

Undeterred, USA struck before the horn sounded when Matthews sent a beautiful saucer pass cross-ice onto the stick of Zach Werenski, whose wrister from the left dot found the back of the net at 19:51.

“These games come quick,” Matthews noted at the first intermission. “We didn’t love our effort the first half of the game last night, so we wanted to come out and have a good start, and I thought we did that.”

They carried that momentum into the second period. After Miller and Trocheck helped kill an Eichel penalty 50 seconds into the period, Team USA flipped the tables with a power play of its own. This time around, Matthews got to lead the handshake line, gravitating to the front of the net and getting a stick on a shot from Quinn Hughes at 3:25.

Faber gave USA a 3-0 lead at 17:35, quickly firing a high shot from the point that ricocheted off Franzreb’s glove and into the net.

The Americans made it 4-0 at 1:55 of the third period on a clapper from Tage Thompson, and Matthews tallied his second with another deflection at 6:46.

Stutzle netted the lone goal for Germany with a pretty snipe at 11:22.

Matthews posted a game-high three points (two goals, one assist) Sunday; the Toronto Maple Leafs star leads all American skaters with three goals and five points in three games.

A two-piece combo for Auston Matthews. #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/vkQzJrWfJb

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 15, 2026

Team USA outscored its opponents 16-5 in group play. Of course, tougher challenges likely await them — namely, a dominant Canadian squad, fresh off a 10-2 rout of France on Sunday.

“There’s stuff that we need to clean up,” Faber acknowledged. “But overall, I thought we got better as the tournament went on, and that’s what it’s all about. Now it gets real.”

The Americans get two days of rest ahead of their quarterfinal matchup. Puck drop is scheduled for 3:10 pm ET (9:10 p.m. in Milan) on Wednesday.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...check-help-united-states-olympics-win-germany

 

[New York Rangers]

5 things Rangers must do after Olympic break, including maximize trade returns

The Olympic break is a nice respite for the New York Rangers, after a terribly disappointing 22-29-6 start to the 2025-26 NHL season.

The last-place Rangers resume play Feb. 26 against the Philadelphia Flyers, kicking off a span of 25 games in 49 days. More importantly, the NHL roster freeze ends Feb. 23, which means the sprint to the March 6 trade deadline is on from there.

Facing a second straight season missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Rangers are in a retool, though it sure feels like a complete rebuild is needed to get the entire organization back on its feet. Already, the Rangers traded Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings for forward prospect Liam Greentree and a pair of conditional draft picks. They also sent defenseman Carson Soucy to the New York Islanders for a third-round pick in this year’s draft.

General manager Chris Drury has plenty more work to do after the Olympic break, though.

Here are five things they need to figure out between now and April 15, when their season inevitably ends in Tampa.

5. Get healthy and play the kids​

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Rangers have two superstar players, top-pair defenseman Adam Fox and No. 1 goalie Igor Shesterkin, eligible to come off long-term injured reserve once the break ends. There’s no reason to rush either back for this lost season, though each should play if he is healthy.

Fox practiced with the Rangers right before the break and could be good to go Feb. 26, coming off a lower-body injury (which followed a month-long absence because of an upper-body injury).

Shesterkin skated on his own before the break and it’s less clear where he’s at six weeks after sustaining a lower-body injury.

It’s stating the obvious that the returns of Fox and Shesterkin will stabilize things for the Rangers, who lost 12 of 14 games since each was injured in the same game on Jan. 5.

Getting these veterans back is important. But so is giving playing time to younger players, both for experience and evaluation.

The Rangers are maligned for their inability to develop young talent. Now is the time to call up and run out youngsters like Brett Berard, Adam Sykora or Jaroslav Chmelar — and obviously any of the young NHL-ready players they acquire while selling — to start the youth movement.

Plus, the more Gabe Perreault, Scott Morrow, Noah Laba — and even Vincent Iorio and Brennan Othmann — play, the better.

4. Find out what they have in Dylan Garand​

James Guillory-Imagn Images

Shesterkin’s lower-body injury turned out to be a death knell to the Rangers season. But it also opened an opportunity for New York to see what they have in top goalie prospect Dylan Garand.

The only problem, so far, is that Garand’s remained in the minors during Shesterkin’s absence. Not to mention the season cratered due, in large part, to subpar goaltending by 40-year-old Jonathan Quick and journeyman Spencer Martin with Shesterkin sidelined.

At this point, neither of those veterans should block Garand, who is four months away from his 24th birthday. Though he’s not been his best this season, Garand was an AHL All-Star last season, and had 20 wins, three shutouts and a .913 save percentage in 39 starts with Hartford of the American Hockey League.

There’s no sense in him toiling away on a bad team in Hartford the rest of this season. This is likely Quick’s final NHL season, and there’s not other logical option within the organization to back up Shesterkin in 2026-27 and beyond, outside of Garand.

Perhaps signing a more experienced NHL goalie to be the No. 2 is Drury’s plan this offseason. But it doesn’t make any sense to waste this opportunity to get a look at Garand in the NHL.

3. Try to convince players to waive no-move clauses​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

We obviously appreciate that players and agents negotiate no-movement clauses for valuable protection. Look how it worked out for Panarin. He called the shots when the Rangers decided to trade him.

But Drury must find out if Mika Zibanejad and Quick might reconsider their desire to remain in New York and waive their NMCs. It’s hard to imagine Quick, a Connecticut native, wants to play anywhere else in what’s likely the final days of his NHL career. Plus, his market probably isn’t so great considering his poor play the past month.

Still, Drury must find out what the options are with Quick.

Zibanejad also wants to stay. But maybe playing for Sweden in the highly-competitive 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics whets his appetite to play for a real Cup contender. Drury must broach the trade topic again after the break, and, if need be, this offseason. Zibanejad’s been the Rangers best player this season, so his trade value may never be higher, especially since he turns 33 next season.

It’s time for Drury to convince these veterans that the grass is greener elsewhere, and get them to waive their no-trade clauses.

2. Get max value for their tradeable players​

Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

This is the most obvious and important thing to do after the break, yet it may also be the most difficult. Drury’s track record making trades is spotty, for sure.

With Vincent Trocheck, Braden Schneider and, Brennan Othmann the obvious players on the block, and who knows what else happening behind the scenes with Alexis Lafreniere and others, the Rangers must max out their return in every trade to supercharge this reload.

Drury got the Kings top prospect in Greentree, a 2024 first-round draft pick who’s ready to turn pro once his OHL season ends. That’s the type player the Rangers must keep targeting. Young, skilled, and either in the NHL already or knocking on the door. Future draft picks are nice, but targeting and landing quality NHL-ready talent helps make this a quicker retool as opposed to a full-scale rebuild.

Proper player development is also important here, and not exactly a Rangers strong suit over the years.

1. Enjoy the last Centennial Celebration Night​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

This one is more for the fans. This centennial season’s been a nightmare and likely will be remembered as the one that set the Rangers back even further and forced them to reload after a period of excellence between 2021-24.

Those centennial uniforms are sweet. But the Rangers inability to win when wearing them, especially at Madison Square Garde, is maddening. However, there’s still the Modern Era celebration March 5 at MSG ahead of an Original 6 matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Garden.

So, one last chance to get it right in front of the fans in one of the most disappointing seasons among the 100 in franchise history.

Sure, it’s been a season to forget for the Rangers. But the Blueshirt Faithful get the chance to see the recent past on March 5 come alive again and provide a glimmer of hope of what can still be in the Rangers near future.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/five-things-plan-after-olympic-break