RSS Rangers Team Notes

[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.”

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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

 

[New York Rangers]

New York Rangers report cards: Grading coach Mike Sullivan at Olympic break

Mike Sullivan is in Italy right now, trying to help the United States capture gold at the 2016 Milan-Cortina Olympics. But the business of the New York Rangers certainly is not out of mind for their coach.

And the business of the Rangers, of course, is not pretty. No gold in these Blueshirt mountains, not this season at least.

The Rangers (22-29-6) are last in the Eastern Conference, and 30th out of 32 NHL teams overall. Artemi Panarin was traded to the Los Angeles Kings right before the Olympic roster freeze and more moves are coming ahead of the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline.

There are still 25 games left in the regular season, time to convince us that the Rangers collectively deserve something better than a failing grade. But that’s where they sit right now, an overall F,

As for the coach? Let’s break down what grade he deserves on his report card at this juncture of the 2025-26 season. And, any success Sully achieves at the Olympics should lift his spirits, but not his grade here.

Coach Mike Sullivan: Grade C+​

Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

There are several major things that submarined the Rangers season which can’t be blamed on Sullivan: injuries, not enough talent, lack of quality organizational depth, and stunning inability to consistently score goals.

That last one stands out. The Rangers are 27th in scoring, averaging 2.61 goals-for per game. They were shut out nine times already this season.

You’ve heard it before, but it’s true. The coach can’t score for his players. And in this case, quite often, the Rangers generated enough quality chances, but simply failed to cash them in. Sullivan’s preached the right things about puck movement, getting bodies to the net, and playing more of a north-south game, though remaining flexible enough to allow their most talented players to be creative.

That hybrid style makes much sense, considering the makeup of the Rangers roster. But it hasn’t translated into nearly enough offense. More blame falls on the players and roster construction by general manager Chris Drury than on the coach here.

Sullivan had significant success early on getting the Rangers to play a more structured and committed defensive game, something that was a major issue for his predecessors Peter Laviolette and Gerard Gallant. It doesn’t hurt that Sully has Vladislav Gavrikov back there anchoring his defense, and the other coaches didn’t, of course. But the team buy-in and execution defensively stood out early in the season.

However, that’s crumbled quite a bit, with Sullivan recenlty questioning whether his message is getting through to the players. Missing Adam Fox for the better part of two months certainly didn’t help, nor did losing star goalie Igor Shesterkin for most of January. But the crumbling structure is concerning because it coincides with the season cratering around the Rangers, who lost 12 of 14 before the break.

James Guillory-Imagn Images

Sullivan, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins, is a solid teacher, who exudes confidence, and is poised under pressure. But even he looked weary and without answers when the season slipped away in January. That’s not unlike Laviolette last season nor Gallant in the 2023 playoffs. Maybe it’s something in the water at Madison Square Garden.

Speaking of which, the Rangers lost their first seven home games, were shut out seven times at The Garden so far, and have just six victories at MSG in their centennial celebration season. It’s head scratching stuff. But, yes, Sully must take his share of the blame here.

Another area where he certainly shares in the blame is how often the Rangers don’t seem ready to start a game on time. They’re not equipped mentally or talented enough to play from behind so often. But that’s a common theme in 2025-26. Mika Zibanejad and Braden Schneider called the Rangers ‘fragile.’ Maybe that’s more on the roster construction than the coach, but Sullivan must get these players ready to play a complete 60 minutes every night. It just doesn’t happen often enough.

One area where Sullivan excels is with his communication skills. His traveling to Sweden to meet face to face last summer with Zibanejad paid major dividends — Zibanejad’s been the Rangers best player this season.

His stubbornness to stick with a failed five-forward power-play group when Fox was first injured in December was a bit maddening. And his lack of patience with Brennan Othmann and Brett Berard, and lack of trust with Scott Morrow, raises questions about his ability to bring along prospects.

The flip side to that is the successful rookie season by Noah Laba, a fourth-round draft pick who’s now not only a lineup regular, but an important piece of the core moving forward as a heart-and-soul third-line center. Sullivan’s also been firmly behind top prospect Gabe Perreault during his uneven adjustment to the NHL.

So, yes, there’s a lot to unwrap here in Sullivan’s first season as Rangers coach. Not the least of which is this will be New York’s second straight season out of the playoffs, and the fourth consecutive year that Sully’s on the outside looking in at the postseason.

This mess isn’t all on him. But Sullivan is not blameless, either. Therein lies his C+ grade.

The good news is that it still feels like the Rangers have the right coach in place moving forward.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/mike-sullivan-rangers-midseason-review

 

[New York Rangers]

Why offer sheet is vital Rangers option, who they could target in 2026

For the first time in a long time, the New York Rangers are in position to weaponize an offer sheet to make a splash in NHL free agency this coming offseason.

The unrestricted free agent class is watered down considerably after Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers), Kirill Kaprizov (Minnesota Wild), Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights), Martin Necas (Colorado Avalanche), Kyle Connor (Winnipeg Jets), and now Artemi Panarin (Los Angeles Kings) each re-signed with his current team.

With PuckPedia projecting the Rangers to have nearly $30 million in salary cap space entering the offseason, general manager Chris Drury very well could pivot to target a restricted free agent with an attractive offer sheet. Though such a move would cost the Rangers future draft picks as well as money, it fits with their stated plan to retool the roster by acquiring young, talented NHL players — or those on the verge of being NHL-ready — to join the core for years to come.

Of course, we’re still just under five months from July 1, so a lot can change between now and then, especially with the Rangers expected to be active ahead of the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline. But, as of right now, New York’s biggest in-house piece of business this offseason is to re-sign Braden Schneider. The 24-year-old defenseman is an RFA with arbitration rights and due a decent raise over his current $2.2 million AAV.

Scott Morrow, Brett Berard, and Brennan are RFAs coming off entry-level contracts and won’t cost that much to retain — assuming each remains after the trade deadline. The Rangers already traded their two biggest UFAs — Panarin to the Kings and defenseman Carson Soucy to the Islanders — so that leaves Jonathan Quick, Jonny Brodzinski, and Conor Sheary as the only vets heading toward the open market July 1.

Rangers must overcome many obstacles to land RFA with offer sheet​

Offer sheets to restricted free agents aren’t often a thing in the NHL for a couple of reasons. First, most GMs are cautious about pissing off their counterparts in the League and fear retaliation down the road by signing young talent away, even though it’s perfectly allowed under the guidelines of the NHL/NHLPA collective bargaining agreement. It’s widely reported that the Montreal Canadiens, for example, remain furious with the Carolina Hurricanes for poaching center Jesperi Kotkaniemi in August 2021, even though he hasn’t exactly become the star many predicted he’d be.

The other thing is that quite often, a team puts in a lot of effort to work out a deal that won’t be matched by the player’s current team, only to have it matched. However, the St. Louis Blues delivered a perfectly executed double strike when the Edmonton Oilers chose not to match offer sheets to defenseman Philip Broberg and forward Dylan Holloway two summers ago.

So, there’s recent proof that this could work. And it’s up to Drury and Co. to target the right player(s) and right team(s) to come away with the perfect offer sheet.

Pavel Dorofeyev among RFAs Rangers could target with offer sheet​

Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The sexiest RFA out there this summer is Jason Robertson. But it’s hard to believe the Dallas Stars won’t find a way to re-sign their high-scoring forward to a long-term contract, since he can become a UFA in 2027. Plus, to even have a chance at luring Robertson away, it’d likely cost the Rangers an AAV of at least $11 million, which would mean they’d be required to send two first-round draft picks to the Stars, along with a 2027 second- and third- rounder, as compensation.

If the Rangers offered more than $11.7 million per season, it’d cost them four first rounders to compensate the Stars. Unlikely. Especially since it’s hard to see the Rangers paying anyone more than star goalie Igor Shesterkin, who makes $11.5 million per season.

So, which RFA is a more likely target, and one that could move the needle in New York’s rebuild? How about Pavel Dorofeyev? The 25-year-old Golden Knights forward scored 35 goals last season, has 26 so far in this one, and combined for 27 power-play goals the past two years.

we told you there was no quit in Pavel Dorofeyev and we meant it ‍ pic.twitter.com/o6qGT4TAAx

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) January 24, 2026

Dorofeyev can’t be a UFA until 2028, but a Rangers deal could be big-time two-year offer, or one that buys out some years of unrestricted free agencv. Right now, Vegas has a League-low $5.14 million in projected cap space ahead of the summer, with defenseman Rasmus Andersson becoming an unrestricted free agent.

Would an offer sheet averaging $6 million or $7 million per season get this done for the Rangers? That would also cost them a first- and third-round draft pick in 2027. Well worth it. Vegas often finds a way to free up the money and stay under the cap, maybe that’s the case here, too. But what if the Rangers went above the $7 million AAV and kept it under $9.36 million? That really puts the squeeze on Vegas, and would ultimately cost the Rangers a first-, second-, and third-round pick in 2027. Note that the Rangers must acquire a 2027 second-round pick first to make such a deal work.

We’re just guessing here, because we don’t know how Drury and the Rangers scouts and coaches view Dorofeyev’s overall game and value. But he sure seems like an attractive fit for what the Rangers are trying to do.

There are other more affordable RFAs who might intrigue the Rangers for one reason or another. If the Stars do re-sign Robertson for big bucks, could the Rangers swoop in and snag forward Mavrik Bourque? He’s an interesting young (24) center with first-round pedigree whose best days are ahead of him.

For Florida Panthers Mackie Samoskevich, his Kindergarten aspiration came true…and then some! (Newtown, CT) #StanleyCup @FlaPanthers @NHL @HockeyHallFame pic.twitter.com/QTZQxZ0Jmi

— Philip Pritchard (@keeperofthecup) August 2, 2025

Like the Blues with Broberg and Holloway, or the Hurricanes with Kotkaniemi, it’s a crapshoot offering sizeable contracts to young players that haven’t popped yet in the NHL. Such would be the case with Bourque, or with any one of, say, Mackie Samoskevich (Florida Panthers, 23, F); Nicholas Robertson (Toronto Maple Leafs, 24, F); Zach Bolduc (Montreal Canadiens; 22; F); and Zach Benson (Buffalo Sabres; 20; F).

It’d be fun — though unlikely — if the Rangers tried to poach one of these defensemen from a Metropolitan Division rival: Alexander Nikishin of the Hurricanes or Simon Nemec of the New Jersey Devils.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/offer-sheet-options-2026-nhl-free-agency

 

[New York Rangers]

USA vs. Sweden: 3 Rangers stars to meet in Olympic quarterfinal clash

The last of the quarterfinal games in the men’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics will have a definite New York Rangers feeling to it Wednesday. That’s because three Rangers players and two coaches are involved when the United States faces off against Sweden.

The U.S. squad features Rangers captain J.T. Miller and veteran center Vincent Trocheck. It’s coached by Rangers coach Mike Sullivan, with assistant David Quinn serving the same role behind Team USA’s bench.

On the other side of the ice, wearing the yellow and royal blue Tre Kronor sweater, is the longest-tenured current Rangers player, forward Mika Zibanejad.

All that’s missing is Joe Tolleson on the PA mic and maybe a “Potvin S***s” chant or two because this will have a big-game Madison Square Garden vibe to it, albeit roughly 4,000 miles away in Italy.

Sweden’s Mika Zibanejad on facing his #NYR teammates JT Miller and Vincent Trocheck and Team USA tomorrow:

“It’s going to be a tough challenge, but one we’re prepared for. It’s obviously guys that we play every day, in terms of knowing how good they are and what their… pic.twitter.com/qmfQfcaflx

— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) February 17, 2026

Zibanejad scored a goal and added an assist Tuesday to help Sweden knock out Latvia 5-1 in the qualifier play-off. That allowed Sweden to move into the quarterfinals against the United States, the No. 2 overall seed after winning Group C with a perfect 3-0-0-0 record in the preliminary round.

Sweden was 2-1-0-0 in the prelims and missed out on a bye into the quarterfinals by one goal, losing the tiebreaker with Slovakia. Canada, the United States, Finland, and Slovakia earned byes into the quarters.

Mike Zibanejad leads Sweden to showdown against Rangers teammates J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck & Team USA​

Credit: New York Rangers

Zibanejad has five points (two goals, three assists) in four games, tied for second on Sweden. He finished off a give-and-go with Lucas Raymond at 5:54 of the third period Tuesday to give Sweden a 4-1 lead over Latvia. It was one of three assists for Raymond, who leads Sweden with eight points (one goal, seven assists).

Mika Zibanejad. One-timer. Lights the lamp. pic.twitter.com/XMNy3jcafg

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 17, 2026

The 32-year-old Rangers forward also had the secondary assist on Gabriel Landeskog’s goal 11:36 into the first period which made it 2-0 Sweden. Zibanejad sent a long shot toward the net after a Latvia turnover, and Raymond collected the puck in front, kicked it to Landeskog, and the Colorado Avalanche captain finished off the scoring play.

It was the second multi-point game for Zibanejad, who had a goal and an assist in Sweden’s tournament-opening 5-2 win over Italy last week. It’s been a continuation of his strong plat back in North America this season, where Zibanejad leads the Rangers with 23 goals and is second with 52 points in 56 games.

Where Zibanejad plays a top-nine forward role for Sweden and on their power-play, Miller is on the fourth line for the U.S. and Trocheck is the extra forward — since teams dress 20 skaters in international competition. However, Miller and Trocheck are on Team USA’s top penalty-killing unit and a big reason the United States is a perfect 9-for-9 on the kill so far in the tournament.

Trocheck also has two assists in the Olympics, picking up one in each of the first two games — wins over Latvia and Denmark. Miller is without a point in these Winter Games.

It’s the first time in 12 years the NHL allowed its players to take part in the Olympics. So, Zibanejad, Miller, and Trocheck each represents his country for the first time on the biggest international stage in these Olympics.

Men’s hockey quarterfinals schedule and times for 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics​

Wednesday, February 18​

Slovakia vs. Germany (6:10 a.m.)

Canada vs. Czechia (10:40 a.m.)

Finland vs. Switzerland (12:10 p.m.)

United States vs. Sweden (3:10 p.m.)

*All times ET

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...ympic-quarterfinals-zibanejad-miller-trocheck

 

[New York Rangers]

Hartford Wolf Pack Weekly: AHL All-Star Brendan Brisson recalled by Rangers

Losers in eight of their past 11 games (3-7-0-1), the Hartford Wolf Pack sunk to a new low this past weekend despite ending a six-game losing streak (0-5-0-1).

The two-game set in Charlotte featured a 3-2 win over the Checkers on Saturday, led by Jaroslav Chmelař’s three-point performance (one goal, two assists). However, Hartford followed up with a gruesome 9-0 loss Monday, setting a franchise record for worst loss by goal differential.

Th at lopsided defeat left the eighth-place Wolf Pack (17-24-4-2, 40 points) six points out of a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.

Travis Dermott signed a PTO with Hartford on Feb. 7, and the former NHL defenseman could debut with the Wolf Pack this weekend, when they play three games. The Wolf Pack certainly welcome any and all help defensively.

Hartford Wolf Pack News-n-Notes​

Brendan Brisson – Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

Big week for Brendan Brisson includes AHL All-Star Classic & Rangers recall​

Brendan Brisson participated in the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic last week in Rockford, Illinois. The 24-year-old forward replaced Gabe Perreault as Hartford’s representative since Perreault is in the NHL now with the New York Rangers.

Brisson’s first night featured the skills competition, and he took part in rapid fire, pass and score, and breakaway relay events. He scored three goals by the end of the night.

His first event was rapid fire, paired with Jakob Pelletier (Syracuse) in the sixth round, facing goalie Isak Posch (Colorado). Brisson, who is second on Hartford with 13 goals and tied for fourth with 23 points, scored twice to help the Eastern Conference win the event.

Then in pass and score, the 2020 first-round pick by the Vegas Golden Knights teamed up with former Rangers forward Arthur Kaliyev (Belleville), and Konsta Helenius (Rochester) in the third round. The line faced Thomas Milic (Manitoba) in net. Brisson scored the lone goal in that round.

Concluding the night with the breakaway relay, Brisson was stopped by Milic in the third round.

The second night featured games between divisions in the league. Brisson recorded one point, a secondary assist on a goal by Tristan Broz (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton) in the Atlantic Division’s third game.

Briss with the assist on the third goal of the game!

The Atlantic defeats the North by a score of 4-0. pic.twitter.com/B9gaVWinPW

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) February 12, 2026

Brisson was also struck in the face by a puck in the second game against the Pacific Division. Despite the scare, Brisson was able to return to the game, albeit after he was stitched up.

Brendan Brisson did, in fact, get a couple of zips after taking a puck to the face during the AHL All-Star Challenge.
Don't worry, though! He came back out and finished the event!@HWPHockey #AHL #AHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/50SW9bGEPs

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) February 12, 2026

Returning from the All-Star festivities, Brisson scored his 13th goal of the season in Hartford’s win on Saturday He has 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in his past 19 games, and was recalled by the Rangers, along with forward Brett Berard, on Tuesday. NHL teams are practicing again with the season restarting next week. The Rangers needed extra forwards because Mika Zibanejad, J.T. Miller, and Vincent Trocheck remain in Italy participating in the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.

Spencer Martin’s woes continue​

Spencer Martin – Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

Spencer Martin’s rocky tenure with Hartford continued Monday, when the 30-year-old goalie allowed nine goals on 33 shots in that terrible loss to Charlotte. That extended Martin’s personal losing streak to seven straight games (0-5-2). His only win with Hartford after signing a two-year contract with the Rangers on Nov. 12 was in his Wolf Pack debut on Nov. 29, a 3-2 victory over Cleveland.

Martin is 1-5-2 with a 3.47 goals-against average and .887 save percentage with Hartford. He didn’t fare much better with the Rangers, recording one win in six appearances and four starts (1-3-0, 4.13 GAA, .864 save percentage), helping to fill in after Igor Shesterkin landed on IR with a lower-body injury in January.

Signed to mentor Dylan Garand and provide an experienced option in net, Martin’s struggles mirror those of the entire organization this season.

Defense remains a major concern

Outscored 47-20 in their past 11 games, the Wolf Pack are consistently a mess in their end of the ice. Including Monday, Hartford conceded the first goal in nine consecutive games, and allowed at least three goals in eight of 11.

Hartford’s now surrendered 166 goals through 47 games, fifth most in the AHL. The goaltending hasn’t been great, but the overall play defensively is a bigger issue. Especially since Hartford’s offense dried up, averaging 1.81 goals-for since Jan. 17.

Constant defensive breakdowns, slow-footed defensemen, and spending so much time on the penalty kill are among the reasons why Hartford struggles so much defensively. With so little margin for error, the Wolf Pack must find a way to improve defensively so that they can win low-scoring games.

Upcoming Games​

All games can be viewed on AHLTVand heard on Mixlr.

Friday, February 20 vs Utica Comets (Devils) at 7:00pm, PeoplesBank Arena​

• This is the second and final meeting in the season series. Hartford won 2-1 on Dec. 12.
• Utica is 14-23-5-3 (36 points), seventh in the North Division and 15th in the Eastern Conference.
• Lenni Hämeenaho leads the Comets with 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists). Next is Brian Halonen with 21 points (15 goals, six assists).

Saturday, February 21 vs Belleville Senators (Ottawa) at 7:30pm, PeoplesBank Arena​

• This is the second and final meeting in the season series. Hartford lost 2-1 on Nov. 8.
• Belleville is 21-22-8-0 (50 points), sixth in the North Division and 10th in the Eastern Conference.
• Former Rangers forward Arthur Kaliyev leads the Senators, and is third in the AHL, with 49 points (29 goals, 20 assists). Next is Philippe Daous who has 42 points (13 goals, 29 assists), tied for 17th in the league.

Sunday, February 22 vs Providence Bruins (Boston) at 3:05pm, Amica Mutual Pavillion​

• This is the seventh of 10 meetings in the season series. Hartford is 1-3-1-1 against Providence.
• Providence is 37-8-1-0 (75 points), first in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference. The Bruins are second overall in the league.
• Patrick Brown leads the Bruins with 43 points (14 goals, 29 assists), and is tied for 16th in the league. Next is Georgii Merkulov with 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists).

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...ahl-all-star-brendan-brisson-recalled-rangers

 

[New York Rangers]

Zibanejad’s goal for Sweden not enough to beat fellow Rangers, Team USA

Three New York Rangers were at the center of the quarterfinal matchup between the United States and Sweden at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Wednesday. Mika Zibanejad’s equalizer with 1:31 remaining in regulation got the Swedes to overtime, but Quinn Hughes’ goal 3:27 into OT gave the Americans a 2-1 win and a berth in the semifinals.

With goaltender Jacob Markstrom on the bench in favor of an extra attacker, Lucas Raymond connected with Zibanejad at the left dot. Zibanejad, the Rangers’ leading goal-scorer this season with 23, fired his signature one-timer, which trickled through Team USA goalie Conor Hellebuyck and into the net to tie the game 1-1.

Two of Zibanejad’s Rangers teammates, J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck, were on the ice for Team USA when the goal was scored. Trocheck played to protect a shot from Raymond, allowing a passing lane that enabled the Detroit Red Wings forward to set up Zibanejad.

SWEDEN TIES IT! MIKA ZIBANEJAD! pic.twitter.com/XXzJNfWZur

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 18, 2026

Zibanejad’s goal capped a strong showing for No. 93 in his first Olympic tournament. The 32-year-old center led Sweden with three goals and finished second with six points in five games, trailing only Raymond (nine points). He’s tied for fourth in goals among all Olympic skaters; only Macklin Celebrini (Canada), Nick Olesen (Denmark), and Tim Stutzle (Germany) have more.

It’s far from the first time the No. 6 overall pick in 2011 enjoyed success on the international stage. Zibanejad delivered the golden goal in Sweden’s 1-0 win over Russia in the 2012 World Junior Championship. In 2018, he finished with 11 points (six goals, five assists) at the World Championship and scored a goal in Sweden’s 3-2 win over Switzerland in the gold medal game.

Zibanejad struggled with his emotions after the loss.

“Just empty,” he said when asked how he felt. “It’s tough. I thought we pushed the whole third and to get the tying goal and get ourselves to overtime and then to see the puck go in for them and you know it’s over, it’s tough.”

With the World Juniors about to start, here’s Mika Zibanejad scoring one of the greatest goals in tournament history #NYR pic.twitter.com/q24I6LDsUq

— seabass (@seabass91_) December 24, 2022

Miller, Trocheck and linemate Brock Nelson were all on the ice for Zibanejad’s goal and finished minus-1 Trocheck took the Americans’ lone penalty of the game; he was called for tripping Swedish captain Gabriel Landeskog at 2:35 of the third.

Miller helped the United States stay perfect on the penalty kill (10-for-10) in the tournament by dropping down to block a laser from defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.

The two Rangers forwards along with two members of the Blueshirts’ coaching staff — coach Mike Sullivan and assistant David Quinn — will face Slovakia in the second semifinal on Friday after Canada plays Finland. The winners play Sunday for the gold medal; the losers face off Saturday for the bronze.

Team USA tops Sweden 2-1 in OT to win Olympic quarterfinal​

The United States coasted through the preliminary round with a perfect 3-0-0-0 record, outscoring Latvia, Denmark, and Germany by a combined score of 16-5. But the scoreless first period quickly showed that the road to the gold medal would be a lot tougher.

The Americans pushed the tempo in the second period, outshooting the Swedes 20-8, and opened the scoring at 11:03. Dylan Larkin won an offensive zone face-off, then got to the front of the net and deflected a long shot by Jack Hughes past Markstrom, his New Jersey Devils teammate.

But Larkin’s score was all the United States’ managed until overtime. Markström made 33 saves in regulation and finished with 38. Hellebuyck stopped 28 of 29 Swedish shots.

Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Team USA sat back on its heels as the third period wound down, and the Swedes picked up their play before tying the game on Zibanejad’s goal.

But Team USA dominated the 3-on-3 overtime. The Americans outshot the Swedes 6-0 in the extra period, Quinn Hughes’ game-winner at 3:27. The fleet Minnesota Wild defenseman curled down to the slot and took a shot that caught the right corner of the net, prompting an American celebration.

“You have to pick yourself back up. I have been saying all along that we have guys who have won cups and gone deep in the playoffs, and are superstars in the league,” Quinn Hughes said of Team USA’s rebound after allowing the tying goal. “It is a resilient group with a lot of experience, so you just pick yourself back up and get ready to go, and I think we had an attack mindset in overtime.”

QUINN HUGHES! USA WINS! pic.twitter.com/WxbCRKxPiO

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 18, 2026

Two of the other three quarterfinals Wednesday also went to overtime. Canada came from behind to beat Czechia 4-3 on Mitch Marner’s goal 1:22 into OT after Nick Suzuki forced overtime with a clutch deflection at 16:33 of the third. Finland erased a 2-0 first-period deficit to knock out Switzerland 3-2 on Artturi Lehkonen’s goal at 3:23 of overtime.

Slovakia, which won Group B, advanced to its meeting with Team USA by rolling over Germany 6-2.

With a win over Slovakia in the semifinal, the United States can advance to the gold medal game for the first time since the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, when Team USA lost to Canada in overtime. Slovakia is 3-0-0-1 in these Games; its lone loss was 5-3 to Sweden on Saturday.

Schedule/times for men’s hockey semifinals (All times Eastern)​

Friday, February 20​

Canada vs. Finland (10:40 a.m.)

United States vs. Slovakia (3:10 p.m.)

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...jad-goal-not-enough-to-beat-rangers-teammates

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers defenseman plans to ‘keep pushing’ despite trade rumors, lost season

Depending on your viewpoint, Braden Schneider is either a core member of the New York Rangers now and into the future, or an important chip to move ahead of the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline as part of the stated organizational retool.

Of course, what we don’t know is how general manager Chris Drury views the 24-year-old defenseman nor which option he deems best for the Rangers. But what we do know is that Schneider plans to lower his head and keep grinding, no matter the trade rumors nor terribly disappointing season for the Rangers (22-29-6), who are last in the Eastern Conference and 30th out of 32 teams overall in the NHL standings.

“I think the goal is to keep pushing,” Schneider said this week after the Rangers resumed practicing following a nearly two-week break during the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. “Obviously, the picture probably isn’t looking so great for us. I think at this point we’re just making sure we’re doing everything we can. I think we have a lot of home games, and I think getting wins at home and doing that for the fans is massive. Keep pushing.”

In his fifth NHL season, Schneider’s second on the Rangers, logging just over 981 minutes of ice time. That’s due mainly to stud defenseman Adam Fox missing all but 30 games with, first, an upper-body injury in December, and then a lower-body injury in January. Schneider bumped up from the third defense pair to the top pairing with Vladislav Gavrikov, and his average TOI is a career-high 20:19.

However, it’s been a largely uneven and disappointing season so far for Schneider. His expected goal share 5v5 is an unsightly 43.68 percent, per Natural Stat Trick. He’s been on ice for 48 goals-against 5v5 and just 30 goals-for. And even with more opportunity on the power play earlier this season, Schneider has just two goals and 11 points in 57 games.

Set to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this offseason, Schneider’s future with the Rangers is uncertain. Many see him as a young, right-shot, physical defenseman that should be part of the Rangers for years to come. Others see too many similarities to K’Andre Miller, who was also a first-round pick that ultimately fell short of expectations, deemed expendable, and traded last summer to the Carolina Hurricanes before he was due a significant pay raise.

BRADEN SCHNEIDER SHOWS OFF HIS HANDS TO WIN IT FOR THE RANGERS pic.twitter.com/GMqAeFlxvP

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 14, 2025

The break in the schedule this month was welcomed by Schneider.

“Just getting off the ice is nice. And to be able to kind of relax and reflect on the year a little bit, it definitely helps to recharge batteries,” he said.

It’s also a lift to have Fox and another injured star, No. 1 goalie Igor Shesterkin, practicing in full again. Each could be be back in the Rangers lineup when they host the Philadelphia Flyers next Thursday. The Rangers play 25 games in 49 days to close out the 2025-26 season.

“It’s a boost, for sure. They’re obviously two of our best players, and to have them around and playing again is exciting, for sure,” Schneider noted.

The NHL roster freeze lifts at midnight Sunday, providing teams 12 days to make trades ahead of the March 6 deadline. The Rangers already moved two veterans since announcing a retool plan. Artemi Panarin was shipped to the Los Angeles Kings right before the break; and the Rangers traded Carson Soucy to the Islanders before that.

More moves are coming. But will Schneider be part of the exodus, or stay to be part of the solution on Broadway?

“We’re all pros here. We all want to be the best version of ourselves for our teammates, and I think that’s the goal, to make sure everyone’s putting their best foot forward.”

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...keep-pushing-despite-trade-rumors-lost-season

 

[New York Rangers]

2026 NHL Draft: Best fits for Rangers with their second 1st‑round pick

The New York Rangers are currently positioned to make two first‑round selections in the 2026 NHL Draft. Getting these picks right is a hugely important part of their current retool, since the Rangers prospects pipeline is not exactly overflowing with talent.

The Rangers have their own first-round pick, which likely is a lottery pick considering that they are 30th out of 32 teams in the NHL standings with 25 games remaining this season. They acquired the other selection from the Carolina Hurricanes as part of the K’Andre Miller trade last summer.

That pick comes with a condition. It must be the better of either Carolina’s pick or one from the Dallas Stars, since the Hurricanes own each pick in 2026. Carolina and Dallas are two of the top five teams in the NHL at the Olympic break, so either way, this pick will be near the end of the first round when it transfers to the Rangers.

Previously, we analyzed why the Rangers should consider selecting a high-end defensemen, like Chase Reid from the Soo Greyhounds, with their own first-rounder. Now, we’ll take a look at this second first-round selection.

Depending on whom you ask, this draft class ranges from average to very good. We’re leaning toward the latter, which should allow the Rangers to draft for need rather than simply taking the best player available late in the first round.

To that end, one of their biggest needs is a scoring center, and there are several strong options in that range.

Ryan Roobroeck, C/RW, Niagara (OHL) ​

The best option here is Niagara’s Ryan Roobroeck, the younger brother of towering center Dylan Roobroeck, whom the Rangers selected in the sixth round (No. 178 overall) of the 2023 draft. Listed at 6‑foot‑4, Ryan is big, though certainly not as tall as his 6-foot-7 brother, who scored 20 goals as a rookie pro with Hartford of the American Hockey League last season.

Younger brother Ryan is a natural goal scorer, one who’s second on Niagara with 30 goals in 49 games, including 10 on the power play and six game‑winners, though he’s currently sidelined with an undisclosed injury. Last season, Roobroeck led Niagara with 41 goals and 87 points, and he’s one shy of 100 goals over three seasons in the OHL.

ROOBS ON THE REBOUND

Hometown boy, Ryan Roobroeck, opens the scoring in London.

: @FloHockey + @yourtvniagara #DogCountry | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/4PZNMyFbFR

— Niagara IceDogs (@OHLIceDogs) February 7, 2026

His wrist shot is one of the best in the draft class, and he’s made noticeable strides in his foot speed and defensive reads, turning himself into a reliable two‑way forward. With his scoring touch, he may beat his brother to the NHL.

But there are some concerns here. NHL Central Scouting has him ranked No. 27 among North American skaters, a drop from earlier projections which listed him to go in the middel of the first round.

Yegor Shilov, C, Victoriaville (QMJHL) ​

Our second option is Egor Shilov of the Victoriaville Tigres, who’s ranked No. 17 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. The 17‑year‑old center (6‑foot‑1, 185 pounds) posted a 23‑39‑62 line so far in 47 games and brings a creative, play‑driving presence down the middle.

Who else than Egor Shilov?

The prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft notches his 24th of the campaign! @TigresVicto #NHLProspectspic.twitter.com/gyb31d4Dlk

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) February 15, 2026

Shilov can run a power play, skates with speed and skill, and shows poise with the puck. His passing touch stands out, though he’s not shy about shooting when the lane is there. He thrives under pressure, but he’ll need to tighten his defensive game and improve on face-offs. Even so, he projects as a future top‑six center.

Ilia Morozov, C, Miami (Ohio) ​

It’s unlikely he falls to the bottom of the first round, but if he does, Ilia Morozov is a home‑run pick for the Rangers. The 17‑year‑old Miami (Ohio) center is already 6‑foot‑3 and 205 pounds and plays with the maturity of a veteran. He’s No. 8 on Central Scouting’s list of top NA skaters.

At just 17 years old, freshman Ilia Morozov is helping build a new chapter at @MiamiOH_Hockey!

We go #InsideTheNCHC to learn about his path from Russia to Oxford, his early jump to college hockey, and his immediate impact with the RedHawks #theNational // #RiseUpRedHawks pic.twitter.com/GKeRg6thcu

— The NCHC (@TheNCHC) January 22, 2026

Morozov is a true 200‑foot player who fits seamlessly into a three‑zone system. He may not have Shilov’s pure playmaking ability, but he’s an offensive threat who has steadily improved while facing top competition in the NCHC. He’s strong on the forecheck, uses his size effectively, and looks like a player who will reach the NHL before age 20.

The freshman has 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in 30 games, and blocked 21 shots at the other end of the rink.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/2026-nhl-draft-scouting-centers-rangers

 

[New York Rangers]

Why it’s time for Gabe Perreault, Rangers’ kids to prove their worth

Artemi Panarin is no longer a member of the New York Rangers. Carson Soucy is gone as well. Vincent Trocheck could be next — and there could be other veteran players moved before the NHL Trade Deadline on March 6.

Such is life on a team whose hopes of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs are all but gone. The Rangers (22-29-6) are last in the Eastern Conference and 30th in the NHL standings as they prepare to return to action after the Olympic break when they host the Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 26. It’s the first of 25 games in the final 49 days of the season.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

With nothing to play for but pride, it’s time for coach Mike Sullivan and his staff to start looking toward the future – and for the young players on the roster trying to establish themselves to show their worth as NHL players. The departure of regulars such as Panarin and Soucy opens up playing time for the kids; now it’s up to them to do something with it.

Here’s a look at some of the young players who need to seize the opportunity to make an impression in the final weeks of a disappointing season.

Forwards​

Gabe Perreault, RW​

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The 20-year-old son of longtime NHL center Yanic Perreault is the Rangers’ top prospect – and the only one in The Athletic’s ranking of the top under-23 players in the League. He came in at No. 120 and is projected to be a middle-six forward.

The Blueshirts, who took Perreault in the first round (No. 23 overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft, are hoping he’s more than that. But his early results are underwhelming.

Perreault has just eight points (three goals, five assists) in 24 games with the Rangers this season after he was scoreless in five games following his signing late in 2024-25. Two of the three goals came in New York’s 8-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Jan. 14; he hasn’t scored in nine games since then.

There’s no doubting Perreault’s hockey smarts and skills. But his size (he’s listed at 5-11 and 180 pounds) is much more of an issue at the NHL level than it was when he excelled during two seasons at Boston College and helped Team USA win back-to-back gold medals at the World Junior Championship in 2024 and 2025. His speed, or lack thereof, is also an issue in a league that gets faster every year.

The Rangers must play Perreault in a top-six role on an every-night basis to let him show that he’s ready for the NHL. Perreault must seize the opportunity that exists for an offense-first forward on a team that struggles to score and just traded away its top point-producer in Panarin.

Brennan Othmann, LW​

Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Othmann is close to joining players such as Lias Andersson and Vitali Kravtsov as a first-round bust, something the Rangers couldn’t have dreamed of after they chose him with the 16th overall pick in the 2021 draft and he scored 50 goals the following season in junior hockey. He also scored 21 goals with Hartford of the American Hockey League in 2023-24, his first pro season, and 12 in 27 games for the Wolf Pack last season.

But in 41 NHL games during the past three seasons, Othmann scored just one goal (on Jan. 17 against the Flyers). That’s his only point in 16 games with the Rangers this season; he had two assists in 22 games on Broadway in 2024-25.

Othmann, who didn’t even make it to the final cut at training camp, has just six goals in 23 games with Hartford this season and isn’t showing anything that would lead the Blueshirts to think he’ll be an NHL regular. Sullivan’s only trusted Othmann with fourth-line minutes for the most part and scratched him for the Rangers final game before the break. The coach remains open about the fact that Othmann’s play isn’t up to his standards thus far.

The Rangers figure to give him another chance to build trust with the coaching staff, but it’s not impossible that the 23-year-old will be included in a trade package – his name has popped up in rumors nearly all season.

Brett Berard, LW​

Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Original expectations were much lower for Berard, a fifth-round pick (No, 134 overall) in 2020. But he scored 23 goals for Hartford in 2023-24, his first full pro season, and skated his way into 35 games with the Rangers last season, putting up six goals and 10 points, averaging 10:43 of ice time, and impressing management with his speed and drive.

However, Berard didn’t make the Rangers out of training camp and hasn’t done much during his 13 games with the Rangers during three callups. He plays a bottom-six role, but no points in 13 games while averaging 10:33 of ice time is no way to make an impression on a new coach and his staff.

With three forwards still in Milan for the Winter Olympics, the Rangers recalled Berard from Hartford earlier this week. Whether he sticks around after they get back is in question. But Berard deserves to get another chance to show he can contribute in a limited role. The Rangers don’t have a major investment in the pending restricted free agent, so the pressure is on Berard to make an impression.

Matt Rempe, RW​

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

There’s no question that Rempe can fight at the NHL level — and 20-30 years ago, that alone might have been enough to earn him a spot on the roster.

But today’s emphasis on speed and skill rather than pugilism means that players like Rempe must show they can do more than fight. Rempe has shown spurts of being a useful fourth-line forward – and learning that his size (6-foot-9, 261 pounds) means he has to be more careful in how he plays in order to avoid penalties and suspensions.

The 23-year-old was off to an OK start this season as right wing on a fourth line with Sam Carrick and Adam Edström. The trio led opponents 75-59 in shot attempts and had 55.37 percent of the expected goal share at 5-on-5, per Natural Stat Trick, before he broke his left thumb in a fight with Ryan Reaves of the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 23. The injury required surgery, and when Rempe returned after six weeks he still wasn’t healthy. It wasn’t until his last couple of outings before the break that he finally looked like a player with two healthy thumbs.

Sullivan likes Rempe’s ability to disrupt opponents and “create momentum for our team.” Before the injury, Rempe played a simple, responsible game and was an effective bottom-six player. He’ll have to do more of that now that he’s healthy if he’s going to convince Sullivan he’s going to be more than just a big guy who gets into occasional fights.

It should be noted that Edstrom needs to show more, too, when he returns to the lineup sometime after the break. The 25-year-old hasn’t played since Nov. 29 due to a lower-body injury; but he’s another towering forward (6-foot-7, 232 pounds) who’s got good speed and shown over 86 NHL games to be an intriguing fourth-line option. But he’s been injured the past two seasons, so he must show he can stay healthy and more productive.

Defensemen​

Scott Morrow​

Credit: Hartford Wolf Pack

The trade that sent K’Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes last July 1 brought back first- and second-round draft picks plus Morrow, their second-round pick in 2021. Morrow was coming off an excellent first pro season that included an AHL All-Star berth, 14 regular-season games with the Hurricanes and five in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Morrow, now 23, looked overmatched in those postseason games, and he hasn’t done much to impress Sullivan and his staff this season after a solid training camp. He wasn’t impressive early in the season at AHL Hartford, and showed little when given the opportunity to play on Broadway, after a pair of longer-term injuries sustained by Adam Fox. Sullivan initially opted to use a five-forward alignment on the power play rather than have Morrow as quarterback, and he didn’t do much when given a shot at that role.

In all, Morrow has six points, all assists, in 28 games while averaging 15:40 TOI. The offensive skills he showed in college and Carolina’s AHL team in Chicago haven’t been much in evidence. Though most of his ice time has come in a fairly sheltered role on the third pairing, Morrow’s been on for 15 goals against at 5-on-5 and 12 goals for.

Fox is likely to return when play resumes next week, so the Rangers have a decision to make with Morrow. There could be a return trip to Hartford in his future to give him more playing time and responsibility.

Matthew Robertson​

Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Few things have gone right for the Rangers this season, but Robertson’s development into a viable NHL defenseman is one of them.

The 24-year-old, New York’s second-round pick (No. 49 overall) in 2019, looked like he was on track to become a career minor-leaguer after spending four full seasons with Hartford, not getting an NHL opportunity until dressing for two games last season. But he made the Blueshirts out of camp and moved up from an extra to a regular role on one of the bottom two pairs.

Robertson has four goals and 11 points in 47 games, averages 17:15 TOI, and is capable of playing in the NHL. His highlight was a brilliant overtime goal that gave the Rangers a 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins on Jan. 26.

With another season remaining on a contract that pays him $775,000 annually, Robertson must continue to build on his impressive showing to keep his job.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/rangers-young-players-seize-opportunity