News Rangers Team Notes

[New York Rangers]

Why Rangers won’t get ‘king’s ransom’ in possible Artemi Panarin trade

When it comes to pending unrestricted free agent Artemi Panarin, one of the options for the New York Rangers is to move their leading scorer ahead of the NHL trade deadline on March 6.

In fact, many believe that’s the best course of action for the Rangers, since it would help them continue to turn over their core and restock the roster at the same time.

It sounds like a good plan in theory. But NHL Network host E.J. Hradek tossed cold water on oversized expectations if the Rangers trade the dynamic forward.

“My message to Rangers fans, if [the Rangers] decide to trade him, don’t expect you’re going to get a king’s ransom for him,” Hradek told Forever Blueshirts on the RINK RAP podcast.

Hradek acknowledged that Panarin could be the most coveted forward on the open market next summer. But his age (34), salary ($11.643 million salary cap hit), and no-movement clause really limit where the Rangers could trade him during the season, and, as such, what they’d fetch in return.

“Fans always think, ‘Hey we’re going to trade Panarin, we’ll get a top prospect, we’ll get a first-round pick, we’ll get another good player.’ It usually doesn’t work out that way,” he explained. “Usually you’ll get a first-round pick if a team trades for him, and that team’s usually pretty good, so that means you get a pick that’s somewhere between 20 and 32. Then from a list of prospects you’ll probably get to take a prospect, and it’s usually not the top prospect. It’s usually a B prospect. And then you get a player, or maybe a conditional pick if the guy re-signs with that team. That’s kind of the model.”

Artemi Panarin with the shimmy-shake in the shootout @KennyAlbert | @BriBrows22 | #NYR pic.twitter.com/9K6IqYRfvx

— Rangers on MSG (@RangersMSGN) December 20, 2025

It’s not nothing, though, and nothing is what the Rangers receive if they keep Panarin and he signs with another team during the offseason. That’d be a bitter pill to swallow.

The most recent example of a veteran star player traded ahead of the deadline is Brad Marchand. Like Panarin, Marchand held most of the cards and dictated where he would go. So, the Boston Bruins accepted a conditional second-round pick for their captain in a trade with the Florida Panthers — one that worked out quite nicely for the Panthers, who went on to win their second straight Stanley Cup championship last spring.

“Trading him at the deadline, that’s always tricky, especially with guys that are older. Now, we saw Brad Marchand (then 36) get moved last year, right? I think Panarin’s got more offensive upside than Marchand had last year at the same time. But Marchand had some intangibles that I think are more valuable, probably to a team than Panarin. So, what did [the Bruins] get for Marchand? Not a lot.”

Marchand’s not only a highly-skilled player and proven point producer, but he’s willing to grind and play a hard 200-foot game. His will to win is recognized and respected around the League. Plus, he already had a championship on his resume, helping the Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 2011.

These are intangibles the more skilled Panarin doesn’t possess. He is, though, a game-breaker, one who scored 49 goals and 120 points just two seasons ago. And he again leads the Rangers with 13 goals and 36 points in 37 games this season. Simply, the Rangers lineup is not a pretty picture without Panarin.

Rangers ‘know where they stand [with Artemi Panarin] in terms of two things’​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Much of what Hradek provides here is educated speculation. That’s because he doesn’t know what the Rangers plans are for the player, nor how Panarin views his future. Reportedly, Panarin turned down a team-friendly extension offer from the Rangers earlier this season.

“We don’t know,” Hradek mused. “Do [the Rangers] really want to keep him, and where are the negotiations? Panarin’s representatives want him to get paid. I don’t think they’re taking any John Tavares $4 million per year deal. I don’t think that’s in the works for Artemi Panarin.

“[The Rangers] know where they stand in terms of two things: they know where they stand in terms of the negotiation, how it looks, and they know what they rally want to do anyway.”

Sometime over the next 10 weeks, we’ll get at least some clarity on Panarin, because March 6 is a set deadline. Keep him and re-sign him in free agency. Sign him to an extension before the trade deadline. Trade him before the deadline. Keep him and chance losing him for nothing in the offseason.

“If all goes well, I think you end up just keeping him and seeing where things go in the postseason,” Hraden said in conclusion, supporting the argument that Panarin and the Rangers could make a run in the watered down Eastern Conference, especially with Igor Shesterkin as their goalie.

We’ll know soon enough.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...artemi-panarin-rangers-trade-deadline-options

 

[New York Rangers]

Hartford Wolf Pack Weekly: Jaroslav Chmelař continues strong AHL campaign

Losers in five of their past six games, the Hartford Wolf Pack enter the AHL Holiday break seeking answers on both sides of the puck.

The AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers was outscored 24-10 in its past six, and allowed at least five goals three times in that span. Through 27 games, the Wolf Pack conceded 90 goals, eighth most in the American Hockey League. Scoring is a struggle too; their 71 goals is seventh fewest in the league.

There were two more losses this past weekend, a 5-3 to Syracuse on Friday, and a 2-1 shootout loss to Lehigh Valley on Saturday. The Wolf Pack are winless in their past three games (0-2-0-1).

The eighth-place Wolf Pack (9-13-4-1, 23 points) are a point behind the Springfield Thunderbirds and Bridgeport Islanders for the final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. Hartford plays Bridgeport four times in their next seven games.

Hartford Wolf Pack News-n-Notes​

Jaroslav Chmelar — Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

Jaroslav Chmelař continues strong campaign in AHL​

Returning to Hartford from his second stint in New York (three games), Jaroslav Chmelař provided an immediate impact Friday. He scored his fourth goal of the season in his first game back. In addition, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound forward was engaged physically throughout, stuck is nose into a scrum, and did not back down against Syracuse.

sure… why not! pic.twitter.com/0srHwkvfMU

— hope (@nohopeleague) December 20, 2025

Coach Grant Potulny inserted Chmelař on a top-six line with Brett Berard and Trey Fix-Wolansky, which will be leaned on for offense and strong two-way play moving forward. Berard has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in his past 14 games, and Fix-Wolansky is tied for the active team lead in points with Justin Dowling (since their leading scorer Gabe Perreault is now up with the Rangers). Fix-Wolansky has 16 points (nine goals, seven assists).

Jaro with the rebound pic.twitter.com/BlBnLhDJnn

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) December 20, 2025

As a rookie pro last season with Hartford, Chmelar played 71 games and totaled 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) and 48 penalty minutes.

Jaroslav Chmelar goes at it with Travis Hamonic in his first NHL game pic.twitter.com/9ED3wJtQAu

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 8, 2025

Derrick Pouliot leads blue line

Signed to a two-year contract as a free agent last summer, Derrick Pouliot leads Hartford defensemen with 12 points and 11 assists. Overall, the 31-year-old’s tied for fourth in points (with Chmelař) and tied for first in assists (with Justin Dowling).

The former first-round pick is instrumental in generating scoring chances and quarterbacking Hartford’s first power play unit. Pouliot has three power-play assists and six primary helpers overall this season. His experience (226 NHL games, 436 in the AHL) is also an invaluable resource for younger teammates.

TIC-TAC-GOAL pic.twitter.com/DZdj3Xr4zg

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) December 14, 2025

Though Pouliot is on pace for fewer points than his past wo seasons (53 points in 2024-25, 46 points in 2023-24), he is one of the more consistent players on the Wolf Pack roster. Potulny leans on Pouliot, playing him big minutes on Hartford’s top defense pairing with veteran Connor Mackey.

Injuries piling up​

Bryce McConnell-Barker – Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

Similar to the Rangers, injuries are piling up in Hartford. The Wolf Pack are missing three key players at the holiday break.

Dowling, who was injured on Dec. 12, remains day to day with an upper-body injury. The 35-year-old is Hartford’s first-line center, and a dependable scorer. Dowling has 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in 23 games.

Juuso Pärssinen, who was injured on Nov. 28, also remains week to week with an upper-body issue. When healthy, the 24-year-old forward very well could be Hartford’s best offensive player, considering his skill set, youthful age, and 151 games of NHL experience.

New to this list is Bryce McConnell-Barker, who sustained an unspecified injury Saturday. The forward was rocked by a high hit and did not return. It’s a shame if McConnell-Barker misses any time because the 21-year-old is progressing nicely in his second pro season. McConnell-Barker has 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 27 games, four shy of his total last season (15 points; seven goals, eight assists).

Upcoming Games​

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

Saturday, December 27 vs Bridgeport Islanders (New York) at 5:00pm, Total Mortgage Arena​

• This is the third of 12 meetings in the season series. Hartford is 0-2-0-0 against Bridgeport.
• Bridgeport is 11-13-1-1, (24 points), tied for sixth in the Atlantic Division and tied for 13th in the Eastern Conference (both with Springfield).
• Matthew Maggio leads the Islanders with 19 points (four goals, 15 assists). Next is Joey Larson (11 goals, six assists) and Alex Jefferies (five goals, 12 assists), who each have 17 points.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...-wolf-pack-jaroslav-chmelar-strong-ahl-season

 

[New York Rangers]

Why 2014 Cup Final loss ‘devastating’ for Rangers legend, not Dominic Moore

Dominic Moore doesn’t remember much about the New York Rangers’ overnight charter flight home from Los Angeles hours after they lost Game 5 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final in double overtime to the Kings.

He does recall sitting next to Henrik Lundqvist. Friends from New York’s 2000 draft class, Moore and Lundqvist sat together on team charter flights throughout that 2013-14 season, and did so on their final trip home following Alec Martinez’s double-OT goal ended their memorable postseason run.

“We did sit together, but I don’t remember any details from that flight,” Moore told Forever Blueshirts on the Rink Rap podcast.

That doesn’t mean he was unaware of his surroundings. The Rangers were stunned and devastated to come so close to winning their first Stanley Cup championship in 20 years. The pain was palpable even hours after losing the Final, their third overtime defeat in the series.

Lundqvist, heroic making 48 saves before Martinez buried a rebound to break the Rangers’ collective heart, was particularly crestfallen. New York’s backbone, he started all 25 games that spring, posting a 2.14 goals-against average and .925 save percentage. Without him, there was no memorable playoff run.

Moore understood his friend’s pain.

“I think it’s particularly tough for him knowing that it was always going to be the knock on him to be the greatest goalie not to have won a Stanley Cup,” Moore explained. “I think the competitor that he was felt like ‘Ok, that was my chance, and we didn’t pull it of.’ Were we going to get another chance or not? You don’t know. So, I think that was truly devastating for him.”

As it turned out, Lundqvist never played in another Stanley Cup Final, and that 2014 run remains the Rangers’ last trip to the Final since winning it all in 1994. The Blueshirts did win the Presidents’ Trophy in 2014-15, but lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final on home ice to the Tampa Bay Lightning later that spring.

Lundqvist retired in 2020, and landed in the Hockey Hall of Fame three years later. His 459 wins are sixth all-time in NHL history. But 2014 turned out to be his only Stanley Cup Final appearance, a bittersweet nod to an illustrious career.

Dominic Moore had ‘different perspective’ after Rangers lost 2014 Stanley Cup Final​

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Moore played two more seasons with the Rangers, and then another two in the League before he retired following the 2017-18 season. He played 897 regular-season games and another 101 in the playoffs. Like Lundqvist, Moore never won the Stanley Cup and appeared in just one Final.

But Moore’s perspective after that series loss was different from those of Lundqvist and the rest of their teammates. That’s because his wife Katie died from liver cancer at the age of 31 in January of 2013. Moore didn’t play in 2012-13, choosing to care for his wife, whose specific form of cancer had no clear treatment options.

Moore returned to the NHL with the Rangers in 2013-14 and won the Masterton Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

“For me, as Rangers fans know, that year personally I had been through a lot. So, I think that the loss wasn’t as hard for me just because I had a different perspective on things,” Moore explained. “I was just truly grateful for the opportunity to play in these incredible moments, and have these incredible moments, and share them with my teammates, leave it all out there. Honestly, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter whether you win or lose, so I think in that respect we were probably a little bit different.”

Those “incredible moments” included Moore scoring the series-deciding goal in Game 6 of the 2014 Eastern Conference Final, the only goal in a 1-0 victory which lifted the Rangers into the Stanley Cup Final.

“So, to get that goal, when it went in, that tension was just unleashed, and as the goal scorer, it just went right through me,” Moore shared. “I remember turning around and just having this view of the whole side of the arena just going bananas, and I just felt like one with the whole building. Truly unique, special experience.”

Moore helped create the Katie Moore Foundation to help those with rare forms of cancer. He married Mary Hirst in 2015 and is part of the Utah Mammoth broadcast team.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...inic-moore-2014-stanley-cup-final-reflections

 

[New York Rangers]

How Rangers can unlock more production from disappointing Alexis Lafreniere

If the New York Rangers are ever going to get the elite scorer they imagined when selecting Alexis Lafreniere first overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, the 24-year-old must start thinking like one again.

There are plenty of people who are convinced that Lafreniere will never become a dynamic offensive player, that his 419 NHL games are a large enough sample size to determine that the winger is what he is. That he’ll never put up big numbers, and wherever his career takes him, his team must accept that he’s a strong possession and scoring-chance driver, but not the franchise forward the Rangers expected.

Yet it remains impossible, even six seasons in, to know for certain what Lafreniere’s ceiling really is. That’s in part because the player that scored 114 goals in 173 games over three seasons for Rimouski of the QMJHL has not, for whatever reason, shot the puck nearly enough since coming to the NHL.

Alexis Lafreniere’s best NHL season included highest career shot totals​

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Lafreniere’s highest per-game average of shots on goal came during the 2023-24 season, when he posted a 2.6 mark, along with 4.9 total attempts per game – also a career best. Not coincidentally, that proved to be his best season in the NHL, when he scored 28 goals and totaled 57 points, then added eight goals and six assists in 16 postseason games during a very impactful playoff performance.

That convinced the Rangers to give him a seven-year, $52.15 million contract extension early in the following season, with the front office seeing an ascending player who finally found his confidence and figured out how to tap the potential that allowed him to become the consensus No. 1 prospect in his draft year.

You know the rest of the story. Lafreniere regressed along with his team during a lost 2024-25 season, his point total dropping from 57 the previous season to 45. In 2025-26, Lafreniere has eight goals and 12 assists in 39 games – OK, but not close to the production of some members of his draft class.

ALEXIS LAFRENIÈRE THE SHOOTER pic.twitter.com/zeLzrrYuqo

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 30, 2024

Why? Well, it’s difficult not to look at Lafreniere’s numbers and be frustrated by his low shot totals as a potentially big factor. Despite averaging more than 17 minutes per game in a top-six role for a Rangers team that played the most games in the League with 39 ahead of the holiday break, Lafreniere is tied for 140th in the NHL with 71 shots on goal. He’s tied for 136th with 147 total shot attempts.

Though there aren’t nearly enough examples due to Lafreniere’s lack of shot volume, his shot is powerful and accurate, and his deceptive and strong backhand led to more than a few of his 100 career goals (the milestone tally came on a deflection during a 7-3 victory over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday).

LAFFY TIPS IT IN pic.twitter.com/ZQF3n5RJup

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 24, 2025

Compare Lafreniere’s shot totals to those of erstwhile linemate Artemi Panarin, who despite a reputation of being a pass-first player, mirrors all elite offensive talents and fires the puck on goal with abandon. Panarin’s 117 shots on goal are tied for 13th in the NHL, and his 264 shot attempts are tied for sixth.

Great offensive players shoot the puck a lot. It’s that simple. Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon, for example, tops the League with 30 goals. His 162 shots on goal are also first in the NHL.

Artemi Panarin might be blessing & curse to Alexis Lafreniere​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

It’s difficult to know why Lafreniere appears less eager to pour in the goals than he was when playing junior hockey. Perhaps his consistent partnership with Panarin – now into its third season – is a double-edged sword.

On the one hand, Panarin is partly responsible for Lafreniere’s supposed 2023-24 breakout. Panarin is also one of the League’s great passers, and he recorded 71 assists during that career-best 120-point season. The line of Panarin, Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck was one of the best in the NHL that season, with Panarin driving both Lafreniere and Trocheck to career-high point totals.

However, Panarin’s elite skills might also work against Lafreniere emerging as a dangerous volume shooter. Panarin dominates the puck in the offensive zone — and as much as he shoots, he could suppress chances for Lafreniere to deploy his own dangerous release. Perhaps Lafreniere also defers to the established star, who’s averaged well over a point per game in his 11-year career.

Lafreniere teases the Rangers with occasional eye-popping moves and dekes on goals and scoring chances. It’s possible that he just doesn’t get the puck enough to make those a more regular occurrence.

Can the Rangers figure out a way to make Lafreniere get more greedy for goals? With 112- and 105-point seasons in the QMJHL, it’s clear that he has the instinct to run up scoring totals. That’s yet to translate to the NHL for him. With an older forward core, the Rangers desperately need Lafreniere to take the next step that’s long been anticipated for him.

With six more seasons remaining on his contract beyond this one, the Rangers certainly have time to figure out how that might happen. Getting Lafreniere to finally shoot much more would be a start.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/more-production-from-alexis-lafreniere

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers vs. Islanders: Lineups, storylines for 1st game after Christmas break

It’s back to work on Saturday for the New York Rangers, who come off the three-day NHL Christmas break with a road game against the archrival New York Islanders at UBS Arena.

It’s a big game for both teams. The Rangers (19-16-4) are two points behind the third-place Islanders (20-13-4) in the Metropolitan Division, and the Isles have two games in hand. The Blueshirts are 5-4-0 against division opponents, including a 5-0 shutout loss to the Islanders at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 8. Their Long Island rivals are 5-4-2 against Metro teams, including a 2-1 come-from-behind win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday in their final game before the break.

The Rangers also rallied for a big victory ahead of the holiday break, scoring five goals in the third period to skate past the Washington Capitals 7-3. They’ve won three of their past four games overall, and are 1-1-0 two games into six straight on the road. The Rangers (14-6-1) lead the NHL in road wins and are second with 29 points in away games.

They have eight wins in their past 10 games against the Islanders, and swept all four games in the season series a year ago. Their most recent visit to UBS Arena was a memorable one. The Rangers scored a season-high nine goals in a 9-2 victory over the Islanders on April 10.

3 storylines when Rangers visit Islanders​

Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

1. Nyet​

The Rangers catch a break and won’t face Ilya Sorokin on Saturday after the Islanders placed their No. 1 goalie on injured reserve earlier in the day. Sorokin is tied for second in the NHL with three shutouts, including his 33-save blanking of the Blueshirts back in November. The 30-year-old last played eight days ago has a “nagging” undisclosed injury.

David Rittich gets the call for the Islanders with Sorokin out. He is 3-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average in three career starts against the Rangers.

Igor Shesterkin is the Rangers starting goalie Saturday, though that briefly appeared to be in question after he took an errant shot up high that hit him in the mask/neck area. However, coach Mike Sullivan confirmed that Shesterkin is fine and will start. He’s 9-9-1 all-time against the Islanders with a 2.76 GAA.

2. Injury updates​

Adam Fox participated again in the Rangers morning skate, wearing a no-contact sweater, but their No. 1 defenseman remains out and on LTIR with an upper-body injury. Fox misses his 13th straight game Saturday, though appears close to a lineup return.

Rangers captain J.T. Miller is week to week with an upper-body injury, and isn’t skating with the team.

Though Sorokin is out, the Islanders received good news about leading scorer Bo Horvat. The 30-year-old forward returns for the Islanders after he missed five games with a lower-body injury. Horvat, who scored twice against the Rangers earlier in the season, is tied for 13th in the NHL with 19 goals and has a team-high 31 points in 32 games.

3. Serving Bread on Long Island​

James Guillory-Imagn Images

Artemi Panarin has 18 goals and 47 points in 39 games against the Islanders, including two goals in that 9-2 victory last April. He has 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) in his past 13 games against the Isles, including a four-point game and two three-point efforts.

Entering play Saturday, Panarin leads the Rangers with 14 goals and 38 points in 38 games. He had a goal and assist against the Capitals before the break, and has 10 multiple-point games this season.

New York Rangers projected lineup​

Artemi Panarin — Mika Zibanejad — Alexis Lafreniere

Jonny Brodzinski — Vincent Trocheck — Gabe Perreault

Will Cuylle — Noah Laba — Taylor Raddysh

Brennan Othmann — Sam Carrick — Matt Rempe

Vladislav Gavrikov — Braden Schneider

Carson Soucy — Will Borgen

Matthew Robertson — Scott Morrow

Igor Shesterkin

Jonathan Quick

Rangers vs. Islanders: When, where, what time, how to watch​

Who: New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders

When: Saturday, Dec. 27 at 6 p.m. ET

Where: UBS Arena

How to watch: MSG 2

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...slanders-preview-lineups-storylines-ubs-arena

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers blanked again by Isles, waste Shesterkin gem in 2-0 loss: Takeaways

The New York Rangers are still looking for their first goal of the season against the New York Islanders.

They failed for the second time in as many games this season to score against their archrivals from Long Island Backup goaltender David Rittich was perfect on 27 shots, and the Islanders skated off with a 2-0 victory at UBS Arena on Saturday night – exactly seven weeks after they embarrassed the Rangers 5-0 at Madison Square Garden.

Rittich, playing in place of injured starter Ilya Sorokin, handed the Rangers their eighth shutout loss this season, two shy of the dubious team record set in 1928-29 – when the rules were vastly different. His biggest save of the game came 9:18 into the third period when Rittich denied Carson Soucy on a penalty shot. He also stopped Artemi Panarin on a second-period breakaway.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The victory was Rittich’s fourth in as many career games against the Rangers; he’s allowed a total of three goals in those games.

Rittich, the game’s First Star, outplayed Igor Shesterkin, the Third Star, who was perfect after the Islanders scored 58 seconds into the game.

Simon Holmstrom iced the win when he hit the empty net with 17 seconds remaining after the Rangers failed to score on two power plays in the final 5:19.

It was a disappointing night for the Rangers, who failed to build on their 7-3 road win against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday. Instead, they fell to 1-2-0 halfway through a stretch of six straight road games that continues with visits to the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night and Capitals for a New Year’s Eve matinee, before they play the Florida Panthers in the NHL Winter Classic on Friday in Miami.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Islanders made the Rangers pay for not being ready from the opening face-off after three days off. They controlled things from the opening draw and took a quick 1-0 lead when Anders Lee picked up the rebound of Mathew Barzal’s shot and snapped a 10-footer past Shesterkin.

The home team continued to dominate through the first 10 minutes; the Rangers had one good chance less than four minutes into the game, but Panarin fired wide on a 2-on-1. That turned out to be their only shot attempt until shortly after the 11-minute mark, when the Rangers finally made Rittich work as they began to find their legs.

Their best scoring chance came with 8:35 remaining, but Rittich stopped Will Cuylle on a drive to the net and got his pad on the rebound. Rittich also made a big stop on Vincent Trocheck a few minutes later, and another an instant before the buzzer.

The Isles skated off with the 1-0 lead, but their shots on goal margin whittled to 10-7.

WHAT A START. pic.twitter.com/OgcTS8SzAb

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) December 27, 2025

“We had a bad first 10-12 minutes,” Mika Zibanejad told MSG between periods. “We were half a second slow everywhere. We did a better job (after that) getting into their zone and spending some time there.”

The Rangers reversed the shot count in the second period, outshooting the Islanders 10-7, but came up empty again. It wasn’t for lack of trying – Rittich stopped Panarin on a clean breakaway eight minutes in, and the Blueshirts had the better of play for most of the period.

They got a scare just past the 11-minute park when Braden Schneider drew a hooking penalty by knocking Max Shabanov into Shesterkin, who was slow to get up. But the TV timeout gave him a chance to skate to the bench and assure everyone he was OK.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Rangers thought they tied the game at 14:37, when Cuylle beat Rittich cleanly on a 4-on-2 power-play rush. Cuylle went to the bench and started the reception line — but the War Room in Toronto said “not so fast” because a video review showed that though the puck did indeed beat Rittich, it hit the crossbar and stayed out.

Rittich made another fine stop on Brennan Othmann, and the period ended the way it began, with the home side up 1-0.

The two goalies matched big saves in the third period, with each team failing on two power plays. But Rittich made the save of the game when he got his pad on Soucy’s penalty-shot wrister and was perfect the rest of the way.

“We need to find a way to score to win games,” Zibanejad said, “and we didn’t do that today.”

Key takeaways after Islanders blank Rangers 2-0​

What a difference a year makes​

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Rangers inability to score against their suburban rivals is a complete 180 from last season, when they swept the Islanders in the four-game season series and outscored them 23-5. That includes a 9-2 humiliation on April 10 that had the Blueshirt faithful who attended the game dancing in the aisles at UBS Arena.

But this season is another story. The Rangers didn’t put up a lot of resistance in the 5-0 loss at the Garden last month. But they had plenty of scoring chances after the middle of the first period Saturday – their edge in high-danger chances after the first period was 11-6, according to Natural Stat Trick.

However, as has often been the case this season, the Rangers couldn’t turn chances into goals. Their eight shutout losses are the most in the NHL and already the fifth-highest total in team history. That two of the eight are against their biggest rival just adds a little salt in the wound.

“Is there ever enough offense?” coach Mike Sullivan said. “Yeah, you know, probably not. We always wish and want more, but we didn’t finish on the ones, obviously, that we had tonight.”

Slow start is costly​

Teams can’t practice or travel during the NHL Christmas break, so it’s not surprising that teams, especially road teams, might need a few minutes to get their bearings on the first day back.

Unfortunately for the Rangers, the Islanders didn’t give them that luxury.

The Isles came out flying from the drop of the puck, pushing the play and taking the lead on Lee’s goal before the game was a minute old. The Rangers spent the rest of the night chasing the game but never caught up. They had the better of play for most of the final 2 1/2 periods but couldn’t get a puck past Rittich.

“I thought they got momentum from the first shift. They were quicker to the puck, harder on the puck,” Sullivan said postgame. “After the first 8-9 minutes, we started to play and then we were fine.”

Shesterkin does everything but win​

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

There wasn’t much else Shesterkin could do to help his team win.

He had no chance on Lee’s goal — but kept the Rangers in the game long enough for them to get their bearings midway through the first period. By that time, it was apparent that he had his “A” game and would be almost impossible to beat. Shesterkin stopped the final 25 shots he faced before being pulled for the extra skater.

“I think he just quietly makes timely save after timely save for us,” Sullivan said. “I think he’s one of the elite goaltenders in the League … We don’t always give him the goal support that he probably deserves.”

An anthem to remember​

104 year old World War 2 Veteran Dominick Critelli performed the National Anthem on the saxophone at tonight’s game! pic.twitter.com/m0v0WT6L2Y

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) December 28, 2025

There aren’t a lot of things that can bring Rangers and Islanders together. But the playing of the National Anthem before Saturday’s game was one.

Dominick Critelli, a 104-year-old World War II veteran, performed the anthem on the saxophone before the two local rivals faced off. Islanders and Rangers fans alike sang in harmony.

After Critelli finished up his performance, the crowd began chanting “USA!” He saluted his fans before making his way off the ice.

It was a sight no one in the sellout crowd of 17,255 will forget anytime soon.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/blanked-again-by-isles-takeaways

 

[New York Rangers]

Son of former Rangers defenseman scores in AHL debut for Hartford

Making the most of his call up from the ECHL, New York Rangers prospect Zakary Karpa scored less than five minutes into his American Hockey League debut, helping the Hartford Wolf Pack skate past the Bridgeport Islanders 5-2 on Saturday night.

Karpa swooped in to pick the puck off the left-wing boards, then cut to the net, powering between a pair of Bridgeport defenders, before slipping a shot past goalie Parker Gahagen at 4:36 of the first period.

AHL Debut
First goal

Welcome to @TheAHL, Zakary Karpa!!! Somebody grab that puck pic.twitter.com/XIsBbJPbll

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) December 27, 2025

It was a true highlight in the 23-year-old center’s journey since the Rangers selected him in the sixth round (No. 191 overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft. The son of former Rangers defenseman Dave Karpa played four seasons at Harvard University, where he was captain his final two seasons. His offensive game never quite popped in college — he had just one goal and seven points over 31 games as a senior — and the Rangers didn’t sign him to an entry-level contract.

Instead, Karpa signed a one-year AHL contract with Hartford this past May. He began this season with Bloomington of the ECHL, and had nine points (three goals, six assists) in 22 games before the Wolf Pack called him up this past week after ECHL players went on strike.

That strike appears to be over with a tentative agreement agreed to by the union and board of governors on Saturday. Players and members of the board must ratify the new CBA before the ECHL schedule resumes.

When things start up again in the ECHL, there’s a chance Karpa remains in Hartford after his solid debut with them. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder from Greenwich, Connecticut, projects to be a bottom-six center, who’s good on face-offs and defensively responsible. He won 52.4 percent of his draws as a senior at Harvard.

Dave Karpa — Lou Capozzola-Imagn Images

His father was a rugged defenseman, who racked up 1,374 penalty minutes with four teams in 557 NHL games. The senior Karpa played the final two seasons of his NHL career with the Rangers, totaling 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) and 145 PIM in 94 games from 2001-03.

Brendan Brisson scores 2 goals in latest win by Rangers AHL affiliate​

Brendan Brisson — photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

Brendan Brisson snapped a six-game goalless stretch and earned First Star honors by scoring twice against Bridgeport on Saturday. The 24-year-old forward, a former first-round pick by the Vegas Golden Knights, is now third on the Wolf Pack with eight goals.

Gabe Perreault, currently up with the Rangers, leads Hartford with 10 goals. Veteran Trey Fix-Wolansky has nine.

It’s been a tough first full season in Hartford for Brisson, whom the Rangers acquired from the Golden Knights in the Reilly Smith trade last March. He was without a point in the first five games this season and had two goals in the first 16 contests before waking up a bit offensively. Over 28 games, Brisson has just two assists among his 10 points, and is, by gar, a team-worst minus-15.

BRISSON ON THE POWER PLAY pic.twitter.com/v1aDCEkZoE

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) December 28, 2025

Forward prospect Dylan Roobroeck and veteran defenseman Derrick Pouliot each had two assists Saturday, and goalie Dylan Garand finished with 25 saves.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/zakary-karpa-ahl-debut-goal-hartford

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers Daily: ‘Missed opportunity’ on Long Island; Scary injury at WJC

One step forward, one step back. The New York Rangers remain stuck in the murky middle of the NHL standings because, like many teams in the League, they simply are mediocre.

One night, the Rangers (19-17-4) are capable of rallying in the third period for an uplifting win, something they’ve done five times this season, including in their final game ahead of the three-day NHL Christmas break Tuesday against the Washington Capitals.

Another night, they can’t find a way to capitalize on their opportunities and lose a winnable game. More often than not, as was the case in a 2-0 loss to the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on Saturday, the Rangers are shut out.

Make it a League-high eight shutout defeats for the Rangers now, two shy of the franchise record, and halfway to the NHL record of 16.

They can still make the Stanley Cup Playoffs because there’s a plethora of so-so teams in the League, similar to the Rangers. But it doesn’t make them any less frustrating to watch.

“I just didn’t think we were as clean or as sharp or as crisp as I know that we’re capable of,” Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said postgame. “From that standpoint, that was a missed opportunity.”

That phrase, “missed opportunity,” rings true more often than the Rangers like this season. And though Sullivan spoke about the game overall in those terms, Carson Soucy’s failed penalty shot with the Rangers trailing 1-0 at 9:18 of the third period was the biggest specific example of a “missed opportunity” against the Islanders.

#NYR Carson Soucy with a penalty shot attempt on #Isles Big Save Dave. pic.twitter.com/bYETw2rs3h

— Matthew P. Mugno (@mugnoma) December 28, 2025

The Rangers are 5-5-0 against Metropolitan Division rivals. They’re 6-5-2 overall so far in December, after going 8-7-0 the month prior and 5-5-2 in October.

The eye test screams mediocrity, and so do the numbers and their record. But in today’s NHL, mediocre can be good enough to land a playoff spot

New York Rangers news and analysis​

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Here are John Kreiser’s key takeaways from the Rangers’ 2-0 loss to the Islanders on Saturday.

EJ Emery, the Rangers’ 2024 first-round draft pick, made his debut at the 2026 World Junior Championship, helping the United States defeat Switzerland 2-1. Emery dressed as the seventh defenseman and logged over 11 minutes TOI after Team USA scratched him for its tournament opener, a 6-3 win over Germany.

NHL news and rumors​

John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Toronto Sun: William Nylander left the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 7-5 win over the Ottawa Senators with a lower-body injury after opening the contest with a goal 40 seconds in. The star forward traveled with the Maple Leafs to Detroit for their game against the Red Wings on Sunday, but his playing status is unknown.

USA Today: Caps prospect Cole Hutson is day to day after leaving Team USA’s win over Switzerland at the WJC. The defenseman was stretchered off the ice after being hit in the back of the head by a puck and taken to a local hospital, but was discharged and rejoined the team.

Sportsnet: Well, that did a lot of good. Elliotte Friedman reported that the NHL sent a directive to the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers to “not go over the line” with their heated rivalry when they played Saturday. The teams then combined for 136 penalty minutes in the Lightning’s 4-2 road victory.

New Jersey Hockey Now: Before the Devils went out and lost 4-3 to the Capitals in overtime, James Nichols broke down three important questions they face coming out of the Christmas break.

ESPN: The two-day ECHL strike appears to be over after the players union and league tentatively agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement. It still needs to be ratified by the players and ECHL board of governors.

TSN: The Lightning signed defenseman J.J. Moser to an eight-year, $54 million contract extension.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...ed-opportunity-long-island-ej-emery-plays-wjc

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers vs. Hurricanes: Lineups, storylines as Adam Fox not ready to return

Despite hopes that Adam Fox would return to the New York Rangers lineup Monday when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes, that won’t be the case. Coach Mike Sullivan confirmed after the morning skate that the star defenseman remains out and will miss his 14th consecutive game.

Fox took part in a full practice Sunday, and Sullivan said the 27-year-old was day to day with an upper-body injury that’s kept him out all of December, so far. That raised hopes Fox might make his return for this clash against the Metropolitan Division leaders in Raleigh.

“It’s great. It obviously suggests he’s that much closer,” Sullivan said Sunday. “He was full capacity today, we worked him into the power play. He took full contact. We’ll see how he responds and make decisions.”

With or without Fox, this is an important game for the Rangers (19-17-4), who come off a 2-0 loss to the New York Islanders on Saturday. That was their League-high eighth shutout defeat of the season; no other NHL team has more than four. New York enters play the second-lowest scoring team in the League, averaging 2.55 goals per game.

Most frustrating to the Rangers is that they hit the NHL Christmas break after exploding for five third-period goals in a feel-good 7-3 win over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday. Stringing together wins, or even just solid performances, continues to be difficult for the Blueshirts.

The game Monday is their fourth in a stretch of six in a row on the road. They’re 1-2-0 so far, and follow up this week with a New Year’s Eve matinee at the Capitals before heading down to Miami to play the outdoor 2026 NHL Winter Classic against the Florida Panthers on Friday.

The Rangers lead the NHL with 14 road wins and are third with 29 road points. They are seven points behind the Hurricanes in the Metro.

This is the third of four games in the season series, which concludes with Carolina’s visit to the Garden on Feb. 5 — the last day of play before the Olympic break. Most recently, the Rangers skated to a 4-2 win in Raleigh on Thanksgiving Eve. Pyotr Kochetkov, who’s expected to start in goal for the Hurricanes on Monday, shut out the Rangers 3-0 back on Nov. 4 at Madison Square Garden.

Igor Shesterkin is the Rangers’ starting goalie Monday. He stopped 24 of 25 shots against the Islanders (one empty-net goal), the 16th time Shesterkin’s allowed two goals or fewer. That’s tied for second most among NHL goalies.

3 storylines when Rangers visit Hurricanes​

James Guillory-Imagn Images

1. Sam Carrick game-time decision​

The defense corps should remain intact from what we’ve seen most of the past month with Fox out. That means rookie Scott Morrow again expects to play on the third defense pair, and quarterback the top power-play unit against his former team. He and Fox split those power-play duties at practice Sunday.

This could be Morrow’s last chance to leave the coaches with a solid impression — he’s likely headed back to Hartford of the American Hockey League when Fox returns. Urho Vaakanainen should remain the extra defenseman for the Rangers, who are 6-5-2 without Fox in the lineup.

Veteran center Sam Carrick participated in the optional morning skate after he skipped practice due to an illness Sunday. Sullivan said Carrick is a game-time decision. The 33-year-old, who has one goal, five assists, and a team-high 28 penalty minutes, is one of six players to appear in all 40 games for the Rangers. Forwards Will Cuylle, Alexis Lafreniere, Noah Laba, and defensemen Vladislav Gavrikov and Braden Schneider are the others.

2. No sympathy​

You can bet that the Hurricanes have no sympathy for the Rangers, who also remain without injured captain J.T. Miller. Carolina’s played short-handed much of the season, as well, and compensated nicely with a 23-11-3 record, tops in the Eastern Conference.

Carolina’s No. 1 defenseman Jaccob Slavin is back on injured reserve and considered week to week with an upper-body issue. Slavin’s played just five games this season, and was three games into his latest return when he sustained the UBI against the Panthers last week. Seth Jarvis, who leads the Hurricanes with 19 goals, also sustained an upper-body injury in that game against the Panthers and is sidelined week to week.

K’Andre Miller, whom the Rangers traded to the Hurricanes this past offseason, should play Monday after missing a 5-2 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday with a lower-body injury. Miller’s been in and out of the lineup all season with a variety of physical issues, but he practiced fully Sunday. The 25-year-old averages 22:31 TOI, second on the Hurricanes, and has 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in 29 games.

3. Streaking Svechnikov​

James Guillory-Imagn Images

Andrei Svechnikov has nine points in a five-game point streak for Carolina, picking up some of the offensive slack with Jarvis out. The 25-year-old forward had three points (one goal, two assists) in the win Saturday against the Red Wings, one of three multi-point games during his point streak.

He also has goals in three straight games after going 13 games without one. Svehcnikov is now up to 10 goals and 27 points in 37 games this season. He’s a five-time 20-goal scorer in the NHL, and has 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 23 games against the Rangers.

On the other side, keep your eyes on Mika Zibanejad. The Rangers center has 15 goals and 38 points in 42 games against the Hurricanes.

New York Rangers projected lineup​

Artemi Panarin — Mika Zibanejad — Alexis Lafreniere

Jonny Brodzinski — Vincent Trocheck — Gabe Perreault

Will Cuylle — Noah Laba — Taylor Raddysh

Brennan Othmann — Sam Carrick — Matt Rempe

Vladislav Gavrikov — Braden Schneider

Carson Soucy — Will Borgen

Matthew Robertson — Scott Morrow

Igor Shesterkin

Jonathan Quick

Rangers vs. Hurricanes: When, where, what time, how to watch​

Who: New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes

When: Monday, Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. ET

Where: Lenovo Center

How to watch: MSG 2

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...es-preview-lineups-storylines-adam-fox-update

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers blow 3rd period lead, fall 3-2 in overtime to Hurricanes: Takeaways

Less than 11 minutes away from a rousing road victory in Raleigh against the best team in the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers instead coughed up a one-goal lead in the third period and lost to the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in overtime Monday night at Lenovo Center.

Jackson Blake scored on a power-play deflection with 12.6 seconds remaining in overtime for the Hurricanes, who tied the game on a Jordan Martinook deflection at 9:11 of the third period. It was New York’s second loss this season when leading after two periods (9-0-2).

Igor Shesterkin turned in an outstanding performance, finishing with 32 saves, including four in overtime before Blake’s game-winner. Carolina goalie Brandon Bussi, a Long Island native, was sharp when called upon, making 17 saves to improve to 13-1-1 in his rookie NHL season.

Oh my, Igor Shesterkin.

The #Canes have poured on the chances here in the second period, but New York's netminder has been great, including this glove stop on Sean Walker. pic.twitter.com/bJMyY7BG9w

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) December 30, 2025

The Rangers (19-17-5) became the first team in the NHL to play 41 games, the official halfway point of their schedule. Though the Rangers picked up an important point in the standings, their .525 points percentage is 16th out of 16 teams in the East.

Vladislav Gavrikov and Jonny Brodzinski scored for New York, which next plays a New Year’s Eve matinee at the Washington Capitals on Wednesday.

Sebastian Aho had a goal and an assist, and Nikolaj Ehlers added a pair of assists for Carolina, which won its second straight game and improved to 24-11-3 overall.

The Rangers came out flying and nearly scored on the game-opening shift, but Bussi gloved Will Cuylle’s snap shot off an odd-man rush just 22 seconds into play. Less than a minute later, the Rangers had another odd-man opportunity, and though Bussi stoned Noah Laba, who was flying down the middle, the Rangers rookie center drew a slashing penalty against Alexander Nikishin at 1:09.

It took the Rangers just 30 seconds to cash in on the power play. Gavrikov hammered a one-timer from right wing past Bussi for his NHL career-high seventh goal of the season to make it 1-0 Rangers. It was Gavrikov’s first power-play goal in the NHL, covering seven seasons and 476 regular-season games.

Vladislav Gavrikov lets it fly on the power play to open the scoring for the Rangers pic.twitter.com/FzneoCwB7y

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 30, 2025

On the very next shift, Shesterkin made a sharp toe save to deny Andrei Svechnikov after a tic-tac-toe passing sequence by Carolina. Then a few minutes later, he robbed Eric Robinson following a Scott Morrow turnover.

Carolina nearly tied the game at 7:15, but former Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller ripped a shot off the crossbar. Four minutes later, a scrambling Shesterkin kicked out a bouncing puck before it crossed the goal line.

The Hurricanes finally broke through at 15:57 when Aho wired a shot over Shesterkin’s glove and through a partial screen during a 5-on-3 power play, following consecutive penalties by Brodzinski and Braden Schneider.

Brodzinski made up for his penalty when he scored to put the Rangers up 2-1 at 13:00 of the second period. Matt Rempe started the scoring play by controlling the puck in the offensive zone, and then sending a pass back to Matthew Robertson at the left point. Robertson followed with a shot that was deflected by Sam Carrick directly to Brodzinski, who buried his fourth goal into a wide-open net.

Jonny Brodzinski pulls the Rangers back ahead! pic.twitter.com/mnwATuoxRC

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) December 30, 2025

That lead held up until 9:11 of the third period, when the Hurricanes pulled even on a greasy goal scored by Martinook. The Carolina forward drove hard to the net and was in the right spot at the right time when Jalen Chatfield’s shot hit the back of his skate; the puck slid between Shesterkin’s pads to tie things up 2-2.

Shesterkin gave the Rangers a chance by standing tall to get to the game to overtime and once again in the five-minute extra period — until Blake’s first career OT winner sealed the visitors fate.

Key takeaways after Rangers lose 3-2 in overtime to Hurricanes​

James Guillory-Imagn Images

Working overtime​

The Rangers and Hurricanes each know a thing or two about playing more than 60 minutes this season. Carolina improved to 9-3 in OT and played extra hockey for the fifth time in its past nine games. Half of New York’s past 14 games (seven) were decided in overtime, with its overall OT record dropping to 7-5.

The turning point of the game came at 3:01 of overtime, when Robertson tripped Taylor Hall from behind after the Hurricanes forward bulled toward the Rangers net. Vincent Trocheck, Gavrikov, and Schneider were out there the entire penalty kill for the Rangers, aided by a timeout called by coach Mike Sullivan at one point following a play stoppage. With some big-time help from Shesterkin, they nearly killed off the penalty, which would’ve forced a shootout to decide the winner.

But Carolina won all three face-offs in the Rangers’ end during its power play, and that final win in the dying seconds of the extra period led to the game-winning goal. Aho and Ehlers calmly played catch with the puck before setting up Aho’s slapper toward the net, where Blake redirected it past Shesterkin.

JACKSON BLAKE CALLS GAME IN THE FINAL SECONDS OF OT pic.twitter.com/OONXguqe8l

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) December 30, 2025

Noah Laba, hockey player​

Not that we needed to be convinced, after watching Laba grind through the first 41 games of his NHL career. But the 22-year-old rookie is one tough kid.

Laba didn’t get an assist on Gavrikov’s game-opening goal, but he paid the price to draw the penalty that set the stage for it to happen. He drove hard to the net for an excellent scoring chance, and was in obvious pain after Nikishin slashed him on the hand. It appeared Laba’s hand might’ve been cut, but there was no questioning the fact that he was in distress heading off the ice and, eventually, to the dressing room.

Noah Laba was on the bench getting medical attention for his bloodied hand after taking a rough slash from Alexander Nikishin #CarolinaCulture #NYR #NHL pic.twitter.com/ccerCAiFQg

— Queen of the Puck (@rbarkleyhockey) December 30, 2025

After missing more than 17 minutes of game time, Laba returned to play two more shifts at the end of the first period. He resumed taking his regular shift and playing on the PK in the second period, and nearly scored off a short-handed rush at 15:35. With 9.9 seconds left in regulation, Laba won a crucial face-off in his own end after the Rangers iced the puck. He also skated a shift during overtime.

Not bad for someone who looked like his night was done in the first minute of the game.

Fast start not enough for Rangers​

James Guillory-Imagn Images

With two odd-man rushes in the opening minute of play, and a power-play goal less than two minutes into the game, the Rangers were off to one of their fastest starts of the season. A third odd-man opportunity soon followed, and it appeared the Rangers just might be able to beat the Hurricanes at their own game, with speed turning defensemen inside out and causing turnovers repeatedly.

But the Rangers couldn’t sustain this high level of play. The Hurricanes, even without two key injured defensemen — Jaccob Slavin and Shayne Gostisbehere — and leading goal-scorer Seth Jarvis, turned the tide significantly before the first period got away from them. They outshot the Rangers 13-5 in the opening period and pulled even with their own power-play goal.

Though the Rangers evened things out in the second period, and took a 2-1 lead into the third, they chased much of the time and relied on Shesterkin’s brilliant play to save them. Carolina, a notoriously high-volume team, out-attempted New York 82-39 overall, and held a 36-17 advantage in scoring chances 5v5, per Natural Stat Trick. Carolina’s expected goal share was 68.03 percent 5v5.

The Rangers lost for just the third time when scoring first (15-2-1), due in large part to being unable to sustain their excellent start.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...ow-third-period-lead-overtime-loss-hurricanes

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers vs. Capitals: Lineups, storylines with Adam Fox game-time decision

For the second time in eight days, the New York Rangers pay a visit to Capital One Arena to face off against the Washington Capitals, this time in a New Year’s Eve matinee Wednesday afternoon.

Also, the Rangers (19-17-5) should have one of their most indispensable players back in the lineup this time. Stalwart defenseman Adam Fox expects to return after he missed the previous 14 games with an upper-body injury.

Fox is a game-time decision, per coach Mike Sullivan. But all signs point to his return, after the 27-year-old took all the reps at practice Tuesday next to his top-pair partner Vladislav Gavrikov, and as the quarterback on the top power-play unit.

The Rangers are 6-5-3 without Fox in the lineup, including an exciting 7-3 win against the Capitals last Tuesday. Vincent Trocheck and former Capitals forward Taylor Raddysh each had two goals and one assist in that one, when the Rangers scored five times in the third period to overcome a 3-2 deficit.

However, New York lost two straight (0-1-1) since then, including 3-2 in overtime against the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday. The Rangers let a third-period lead slip away, and then sealed their fate when Jackson Blake scored a power-play goal in OT.

Washington won its next game after that bad finish against New York, but is just 2-5-2 in in the past nine games, including a 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers on Monday.

This is the third of four meetings in the season series. The Rangers were shut out 1-0 by Charlie Lindgren in the first meeting Oct. 12 at Madison Square Garden. The teams play once more at MSG on April 5.

3 storylines when Rangers visit Capitals​

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

1. Rangers get ‘difference-maker’ back in their lineup​

Assuming Fox plays Wednesday, the Rangers get one of their most important players back in the lineup. Despite missing 14 games, Fox is second on the Rangers with 23 assists and third with 26 points in 27 games. His 23:50 average TOI is two seconds behind Gavrikov, whose played major minutes in Fox’s absence.

“When ‘Foxy’ is in our lineup, he’s a difference-maker. He’s a very difficult guy to replace on so many levels,” Sullivan said Tuesday. “He had a great start to our season — on the power play, the way he drives offense, our ability to get out of our end, and I don’t think he gets enough credit for how well he defends.”

Braden Schneider shifts back to his third-pair role on defense, and rookie Scott Morrow loses his spot in the lineup. Gavrikov, who scored his first career power-play goal Monday, gets bumped to the second PP unit with Fox back at the point on PP1.

2. Second half begins​

Before the calendar flips to 2026, the Rangers begin the second half of their schedule, becoming the first team in the NHL to do so. They’ve played more games than any other team in the League — and in many cases three or more. As of Tuesday, their .524 points percentage has the Rangers sitting 16th out of 16 teams in the tight Eastern Conference.

Though they’re in the middle of the playoff race right now, that could change should some teams in the mix string together wins with their games in hand on the Rangers. So, if you think it’s been a nerve-wracking first 41 games, be prepared for things to ratchet up in the second half.

“I think it’s been a mixed bag,” Sullivan said, reflecting on the first half of the season. “We’re right in the thick of it. I think we’re capable of being better. I think there’s another level we’ve got to push ourselves to get there.”

3. Timely reunion​

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

It seems quite fitting that Gabe Perreault of the Rangers and Ryan Leonard of the Capitals catch up and play against one another at the same time the 2026 World Junior Championship is underway. The rookie forwards were linemates at the past two World Junior tournaments, helping the United States win the gold medal in consecutive years.

The good friends also were teammates and played on the same line for two years at Boston College, and before that with the United States National Team Development Program.

Leonard, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, is fifth among NHL rookies with 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 32 games. Perreault, who had an assist against the Capitals last week, has four points (one goal, three assists) in eight games with the Rangers. The No. 23 overall pick in the 2023 draft spent most of this season in the minors, where he leads Hartford of the American Hockey League with 10 goals and 17 points in 20 games.

New York Rangers projected lineup​

Artemi Panarin — Mika Zibanejad — Alexis Lafreniere

Jonny Brodzinski — Vincent Trocheck — Gabe Perreault

Will Cuylle — Noah Laba — Taylor Raddysh

Conor Sheary — Sam Carrick — Matt Rempe

Vladislav Gavrikov — Adam Fox

Carson Soucy — Will Borgen

Matthew Robertson — Braden Schneider

Jonathan Quick

Igor Shesterkin

Rangers vs. Capitals: When, where, what time, how to watch​

Who: New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals

When: Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 12:30 p.m. ET

Where: Capital One Arena

How to watch: MSG

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/adam-fox-return-rangers-capitals-game

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers prospect EJ Emery impresses college coach with ‘nuance in his game’

The IIHF World Junior Championship is more than a holiday tournament — it’s a glimpse into the future and a chance to see NHL prospects tested on an international stage. This year, the New York Rangers top defenseman prospect EJ Emery shares in that spotlight, looking to help the United States in its bid to win a third straight World Junior title.

Emery, New York’s first-round pick (No. 30 overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft, is not one to seek the spotlight, though. Instead, the 19-year-old follows a quieter, more deliberate path. So, as Team USA looks to defend its consecutive goal medals, Emery arrives not as a novelty, but as a player valued for precision, composure, and reliability in demanding moments.

Wishing #NYR prospect EJ Emery best of luck at World Juniors! pic.twitter.com/bIFkahlRnG

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 26, 2025

That context matters, because Emery is shaped inside one of the most elite development environments in college hockey. The University of North Dakota is not simply a strong NCAA program — it is one of the sport’s benchmarks, with a championship pedigree and a long history of producing NHL-ready players, like Jonathan Toews, Brock Boeser, and Brock Nelson.

Responsibility at UND is earned through detail, consistency, and trust, not projection. Emery growing into that role in Grand Forks made his presence on the World Junior roster less a surprise than a reflection of the standards he’s already met.

“We see all the nuanced, strong play that maybe fans don’t — or maybe some media people don’t,” University of North Dakota head coach Dane Jackson told Forever Blueshirts.

It’s the kind of evaluation that only comes from watching a player every day — and it helps explain both how Emery’s role has steadily grown and why this opportunity feels earned.

Why UND wanted EJ Emery​

EJ Emery – photo courtesy Alan Selavka

Jackson, then the associate coach at North Dakota, first began tracking Emery when he was just 16, playing at the Yale Hockey Academy. Like many young defensemen, Emery skated at an elite level. He had the physical tools to play with pace. But what separated him wasn’t what he did with the puck — it was how seriously he took the parts of the game most players his age were still learning to tolerate.

“Quite often, young defensemen want to be Cale Makar or Quinn Hughes,” Jackson explained. “But with EJ, we saw an athletic guy who could skate and had real defensive detail. He competed hard on the defensive side of the puck.”

For a program like North Dakota — one built on structure, accountability, and NHL preparation — that combination matters. Mobility opens the door. Reliability keeps it open.

“We saw a young guy with good hockey sense and a defensive detail to his game that was really attractive,” he added.

UND affords EJ Emery chance for growth without losing identity​

When Emery arrived in Grand Forks in the fall of 2014 as the youngest defensemen in the NCHC, the goal wasn’t to remake him. It was to expand his game without compromising what already worked.

“We were really attracted to his length and athleticism defensively,” Jackson explained. “But we wanted to help grow his offensive side — holding onto pucks a little longer, hitting the middle on breakouts, walking the blue line to extend plays.”

That balance is reinforced through detailed video work and on-ice skill sessions with UND assistant coach Dillon Simpson, ensuring expansion never comes at the expense of defensive reliability.

“It doesn’t mean you have to bring a huge amount of risk into your game,” Jackson continued. “Even defensive defensemen in the NHL have good puck skills. They have awareness. They feel pressure. They make the next small play.”

Earning trust​

Credit: Jim Cerny

EJ Emery – photo courtesy Jim Cerny

Trust, especially for defensemen, is earned in the margins — in defensive-zone starts, penalty kills, and late-game situations that never make highlight reels.

By the second half of his freshman season, Jackson felt Emery reached that threshold.

“We felt confident playing him against other teams’ best players,” he said. “We knew he could defend against anybody at this level.”

Unfortunately, injuries disrupted that trajectory, including a high ankle sprain last season that stalled momentum. But when Emery returned healthy, the substance of his game didn’t change.

“He really earned his way onto the World Junior team with how well he played in the last six weeks,” Jackson noted. “Strong defensive play, positive puck touches, efficient puck movement.”

To the UND staff, his selection wasn’t surprising.

“We value him so much for his penalty killing, his shutdown defense, and giving him defensive-zone starts because he’s so reliable,” Jackson emphasized. “We see all the nuance in his game.”

What doesn’t show up on stat sheet stands out with top Rangers prospect​

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

Beyond the shutdown shifts and penalty kills, Emery’s impact is felt in quieter ways.

“He’s a really good teammate,” Jackson said. “He has a compassion and a thoughtfulness for people around him.”

That awareness shows up most when teammates are struggling — whether they’re injured, scratched, or going through difficult stretches — with Emery often the one checking in, offering support, and helping keep people engaged.

That presence extends into Emery’s daily habits.

“He doesn’t just try to get through a workout or a practice,” Jackson observed. “There’s intent. He wants to grow and get better. For a young guy, that professionalism is impressive.”

That professionalism didn’t come out of nowhere. Emery grew up around a competitive standard shaped by his father, Eric Emery, a former professional football player in the CFL, and it shows in the way he approaches his day-to-day.

“Just find a way to get it done,” Jackson said. “No excuses. Whatever comes at you, you adapt and overcome.”

Rangers prospect EJ Emery shows growth after overcoming adversity​

Jackson acknowledged that Emery’s first collegiate season wasn’t seamless. He recorded an assist in his NCAA debut and not another point over 30 more games. Adjusting to playing against bigger, stronger, faster opponents took time. Emery also was among the final cuts by Team USA for their 2025 World Junior Championship roster.

“I think it did affect him a little bit,” he admitted. “But he’s really grown in how he handles adversity.”

With the support of UND’s sports performance staff, Jackson noted that Emery has taken meaningful strides in managing the mental side of the game.

“He’s taken a big step there,” Jackson said. “Just controlling what you can control, not worrying about things that didn’t go well, and being ready for the next day.”

This season, Emery has four points (two goals, two assists) in 17 games at North Dakota, continued to progress as an elite defensive defenseman, and earned his way on to the U.S. roster at the 2026 World Juniors.

Wow. #NYR prospect EJ Emery waiting for the biggest stage to score his first two career NCAA goals.

The best rivalry. 2G from a defensive-defenseman.
pic.twitter.com/a7SOcYGa7N

— Matthew P. Mugno (@mugnoma) October 18, 2025

‘Efficient puck movement’ among EJ Emery qualities that will translate into NHL​

Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

From Jackson’s experience coaching NHL-bound defensemen, like Jake Sanderson of the Ottawa Senators, one trait stands above the rest: efficiency.

“At every level you go up, there’s just not much time and space,” Jackson said. “You have to have pre-puck awareness, know what’s going on before the puck comes to you. Fancy one-on-one plays don’t work. Efficient puck movement does.”

It’s a description that fits Emery naturally — a defender whose value lies not in dominance, but in dependability.

The kicker​

Off the ice, Emery brings something harder to quantify.

“He comes to the rink smiling,” Jackson said. “There’s a positive energy — a joy.”

Jackson paused before offering a comparison UND fans know well.

“T.J. Oshie had that,” Jackson said. “EJ has it too.”

That joy has a way of carrying. It followed Emery from North Dakota, where it showed up every day in the rink, to the World Junior stage, where the lights are brighter and the margins thinner. With Dane Jackson guiding his development — a coach who understands how far belief and substance can take a player — it feels like the beginning of a journey rather than a moment. From Grand Forks to international ice, and one day to Broadway, Emery’s game looks ready for the stages ahead.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/ej-emery-impresses-college-coach-nuance

 

[New York Rangers]

Adam Fox returns and scores, but Rangers lose 6-3 to Capitals: Takeaways

Adam Fox scored a goal and finished with two points in his return after a month-long injury absence, but it wasn’t enough of a spark for the New York Rangers, who closed out calendar year 2025 with a 6-3 loss to the Washington Capitals in a New Year’s Eve matinee at Capital One Arena.

The Rangers (19-18-5) never had the lead in this one, their third straight loss (0-2-1) and fourth in the past five games (1-3-1). Jonathan Quick made his 10th start for New York and allowed more than three goals for the first time this season. The 39-year-old goalie surrendered five goals on 26 shots, and Washington added an empty-netter late in the third period.

Two of those goals against Quick were scored by Rangers nemesis Tom Wilson, who had an incredibly impactful game as part of a very memorable day. The 31-year-old forward was named to Team Canada’s roster for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, and then had a Gordie Howe hat trick against the Rangers — with two goals, an assist, and a fight. To top it all off, Wilson’s second goal was his 200th in the NHL.

Justin Sourdif also scored two goals, his first multiple-goal game in the NHL, and Anthony Beauvillier and Aliaksei Protas scored one goal apiece for the Capitals, who are 2-1-0 against the Rangers this season. Charlie Lindgren finished with 22 saves.

Vincent Trocheck and Braden Schneider scored for the Rangers, and Artemi Panarin had two assists in the loss.

Perhaps it was the early 12:30 P.M. start time, but there was a sleepy feel to the beginning of this game. The Rangers spent most of the period defending, though they didn’t give up many scoring chances.

They did, however, surrender the first goal. Ryan Leonard sent a backhand pass from left to right through the slot, which was deposited into the back of the net by Beauvillier to give the Capitals a 1-0 lead 12:27 into the first period.

It looked like that would hold up into the first intermission, but the Rangers took advantage of a rare extended shift in the offensive zone to tie things up in the final minute of the period. Trocheck got a stick on Panarin’s long shot from the blue line and deflected his ninth goal past Lindgren with 39.1 seconds left on the clock.

TROCH TIPS IT IN pic.twitter.com/96FlTcdTVM

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 31, 2025

A simply monster shift by Wilson helped put the Capitals back in front 7:33 into the second period. First, the rugged Capitals forward steamrolled Rangers rookie Noah Laba in the neutral zone with a massive shoulder to shoulder hit. Then seven seconds later, he finished off the shift by going to the Rangers net and depositing a Connor McMichael pass into the cage for his 20th goal of the season.

Clearly in distress, Laba headed off the ice, and didn’t return due to an upper-body injury.

OH MY TOM WILSON

Moments after laying a massive hit on Noah Laba, he gives the Capitals the lead pic.twitter.com/BsYstz76r9

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 31, 2025

Sam Carrick challenged Wilson to a fight at 9:13, and was assessed an extra two-minute instigator minor. That came back to bite the Rangers when Sourdif scored on the ensuing power play at 11:12 to make it 3-1 Washington.

The Rangers, though, came right back with a power-play goal of their own to pull within 3-2 at 15:12. And it was Fox, sorely missed as their power-play quarterback during his absence, who delivered the clutch goal.

Fox stepped into a slick Mika Zibanejad pass and absolutely hammered a shot past Lindgren’s glove for his fourth goal of the season, and first since Oct. 11.

Welcome back, Adam Fox! pic.twitter.com/hObw8PsA7o

— NHL (@NHL) December 31, 2025

That set up a familiar scenario. Eight days ago in this very same building, the Rangers trailed the Capitals 3-2 after two periods. In that game, the Rangers exploded for five third-period goals to ensure a memorable 7-3 comeback victory.

This third period was much more of the low-event variety. Though there was an exciting sequence midway through the period, one when Quick and Lindgren each made his biggest save of the afternoon.

McMichael had a clean breakaway after intercepting a Zibanejad pass, but Quick denied him with a big-time glove save at 9:44. The Rangers then came back the other way on a 2-on-1, and Lindgren made a sprawling stop to rob Gabe Perreault after a perfect feed from Alexis Lafreniere at 10:16.

Three minutes later, the Capitals did what they failed to do last week against the Rangers — they extended their third-period lead. Protas deflected his 15th goal past Quick to make it 4-2 with 6:26 remaining in regulation.

Wilson and Schneider traded goals 1:39 apart late in the period, and Sourdif closed out the scoring with an empty-netter in the final minute to send the Rangers into the New Year with a 6-3 loss.

Next up on the Rangers schedule is the outdoor NHL Winter Classic at loanDepot Park in Miami against the Florida Panthers on Friday night, the last of six straight on the road and first game in the new year for the Blueshirts.

Key takeaways after Rangers lose 6-3 to Capitals in final game of 2025​

Hannah Foslien-Imagn Images

Foxy​

It wasn’t the end result the Rangers wanted or needed, but it sure was a sight for sore eyes to watch Fox back in game action. He sustained an upper-body injury on Nov. 29 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Rangers treaded water, posting a 6-5-3 record without him.

Fox reclaimed his top-pair role on defense alongside Vladislav Gavrikov, and scored that power-play goal in New York’s only man-up opportunity. He logged 21:13 TOI, and also assisted on Trocheck’s goal, collecting a puck down deep before feeding it back to Panarin.

It wasn’t all perfect, though. Uncharacteristically, Fox had a game-high four turnovers and took a rare penalty — a hooking minor late in the second period. The Rangers were out-shot 7-1 at 5v5 with Fox on the ice, and had an expected goal share of 42.57 percent, per Natural Stat Trick, far below his typical standard.

Still, there’s so much more good that comes with Fox back in the lineup, than when he’s sidelined.

Trickle-down effect on defense pairs​

James Guillory-Imagn Images

With their top seven defenseman now all healthy, the Rangers assigned rookie Scott Morrow to Hartford of the American Hockey League when they activated Fox off LTIR. Instead of slotting the defensemen back into the exact roles they had before Fox’s injury, coach Mike Sullivan tweaked his pairs behind the Fox-Gavrikov duo.

Schneider, who bumped up from third pair to play alongside Gavrikov in Fox’s absence, switched to his off (left) side on the second pair with Will Borgen on Wednesday. Borgen’s usual partner Carson Soucy dropped to the third pair, partnering with Matthew Robertson.

This appeared to be a nod to the solid job Schneider did with increased responsibility the past month. A top-four role is deserving for Schneider, and he’s proven capable of playing his off side in the past. He logged just shy of 21 minutes TOI against the Capitals, played his typical rugged game, and scored his second goal of the season.

How long the Rangers line up this way remains to be seen. Sullivan prefers his defensemen to play on their strong side. But Wednesday, there were two righties on the second pair, and two lefties on the third pair. Let’s see how the pairings look Friday, when the Rangers take it outdoors in Miami.

Injuries deplete bottom six for Rangers​

Hannah Foslien-Imagn Images

The Rangers lost Laba and fellow third-liner Conor Sheary to injury in the second period Wednesday. Neither returned to the game, and afterward Sullivan said Laba’s being evaluated for an upper-body injury and Sheary sustained a lower-body injury.

Laba’s played all 43 games this season, and just bounced back from a bad cut on his hand that required stitches after he was slashed in New York’s previous game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday. But there was no returning for the 22-year-old rookie after Wilson trucked him in the game-altering sequence early in the second period. Laba appeared to favor his right shoulder when he exited the ice, though the Rangers didn’t confirm a specific injury.

Sheary hobbled off the ice after he fell awkwardly following a hooking penalty by Brandon Duhaime 14 minutes into the second period. The 33-year-old knew immediately he was hurt, and quickly got off the ice and headed down the tunnel to the dressing room.

Sullivan double-shifted numerous players and leaned heavily on the top six to account for being down two forwards for nearly half the game. Looking ahead, the Rangers have one extra forward on the roster — Brennan Othmann — after Brett Berard was sent back to Hartford earlier in the week.

Block party​

The Rangers sold out early and often in front of Quick. They blocked a whopping 16 shots in the first period — more than in several full games this season — and finished with 27 blocks.

Forward Will Cuylle led New York with a career-high six blocks, that included four in the first period. Borgen blocked four shots, and three other Rangers had three apiece.

The Capitals blocked 20 shots, led by Martin Fehervary, who had four.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/rangers-loss-capitals-new-years-eve-2025

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers in danger of sliding out of playoff chase in East after latest loss

It won’t be a Happy New Year for the New York Rangers.

The Blueshirts headed to Miami and their NHL Winter Classic game against the Florida Panthers on Friday having lost three in a row since the Christmas break. The third defeat came Wednesday afternoon, when the Washington Capitals avenged a 7-3 loss to New York eight days ago with a 6-3 win at Capital One Arena.

Going 0-2-1 in their first three post-Christmas games dropped the Rangers to 19-18-5 through an NHL-high 42 games played. Being one game above the NHL’s version of .500 won’t get you anywhere except to the bottom of the Eastern Conference in points percentage (.512) – and all of the other 15 teams have multiple games in hand.

Point-wise, they’re two away from the second wild-card spot – but that figures to worsen before they hit the ice in Miami because almost everyone they’re battling in the playoff race plays before then.

Hannah Foslien-Imagn Images

It wasn’t that the Rangers played badly against Washington; they didn’t. They went to the net, something that coach Mike Sullivan has been pushing his players to do much more often.

But as has been the case for much of the season, the Rangers didn’t play well enough to win; they dropped to 1-3-1 on the six-game trip that ends in Miami. Playing well is nice, but winning is what counts.

“We need a game where we play well and win,” center Mika Zibanejad said.

Adam Fox’s return is best news for Rangers in loss to Capitals​

The one piece of good news was the return of their best defenseman, Adam Fox, who missed 14 games with an upper-body injury. For much of the game, Fox looked like the D-man who won the Norris Trophy in 2021, scoring a power-play goal and adding an assist.

He was eager to get back after missing a month, during which his teammates went 6-5-3.

“Playing, not playing, you’re looking at the standings every day and how tight it is,” Fox said. “These division games are massive, so obviously I’m trying to come back and have make an impact and help the team as best I can.”

THE PASS. THE SHOT.

YOU LOVE TO SEE IT pic.twitter.com/E4V77m7SVo

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 31, 2025

The bad news was that they could be without forwards Noah Laba and Conor Sheary for a bit. Each left the game with an injury – Laba was freight-trained by Caps forward Tom Wilson just after the seven-minute mark of the second period and left with an upper-body injury. Sheary sustained a lower-body injury a few minutes later and didn’t return. Sullivan said each player was being evaluated.

The injuries left the Rangers down two forwards for the last 26 minutes.

“It taxes guys when you lose two (players) like that,” Sullivan said.

The Rangers were also without center Sam Carrick for a big chunk of the second period after he stepped up in Laba’s defense and fought Wilson, who also had two goals and an assist for a Gordie Howe Hat Trick. The willingness to fight Wilson, one of the NHL’s best fighters — and a member of Canada’s Olympic team — wasn’t lost of some of his teammates.

“There’s more in that area that’s needed from a lot of guys,” center Vincent Trocheck said, referring to the Rangers’ physical play – or lack thereof on a lot of nights.

Hannah Foslien-Imagn Images

The Rangers play their first home game since Dec. 20 on Monday when they host the Utah Mammoth, beginning a stretch that will see them play four of five at Madison Square Garden – all against teams currently outside a playoff berth. That would ordinarily be a chance to pile up some points – but it may not be the case for the NHL’s worst home team (5-10-3, including six shutout losses). The Rangers are still just a hot week or two from jumping back into a playoff spot — but they’ve shown no signs of being capable of running off the lengthy winning streak they need.

Maybe Friday’s trip to the great outdoors will help. The Rangers are 2-0-0 in Winter Classic games and 5-0-0 in their five outdoors contests.

“There were some things we can do better and some things we can build on, but at the end of the day it was another loss,” Zibanejad said. “We have to find a way to just stop the bleeding and get a win. [We have] an opportunity in the outdoor game on a big stage.”

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/sinking-in-playoff-chase-after-latest-loss

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers star Adam Fox reacts to Olympics snub: ‘not what you want to hear’

Adam Fox won’t represent the United States in the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. The New York Rangers star confirmed Thursday he was left off Team USA’s roster, which is to be officially unveiled Friday morning.

Fox did his best to shrug off the disappointing news when speaking with reporters following the Rangers’ outdoor practice at loanDepot Park in Miami ahead of the 2026 Winter Classic against the Florida Panthers on Friday.

“I don’t think you have any expectation, I would say,” Fox said. “I thought my play this year was worthy of it. Track record as well. It’s out of my hands at a certain point. The decision is the decision. I guess that’s how it goes.”

The 27-year-old defenseman averages a point per game this season, with 28 points (four goals, 24 assists) in 28 games. He’s second on the Rangers in assists and third in points, despite missing 14 games with an upper-body injury.

THE PASS. THE SHOT.

YOU LOVE TO SEE IT pic.twitter.com/E4V77m7SVo

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 31, 2025

Fox returned from his month-long injury absence Tuesday, scored a power-play goal and contributed an assist in New York’s 6-3 loss to the Washington Capitals. He’s been an elite play driver again this season, with a 61.54 percent expected goal share 5v5, per Natural Stat Trick. The Rangers hold a 24-15 scoring edge 5v5 with Fox on the ice.

He’s also an terrific power-play quarterback, one sorely missed by the Rangers following his injury. It’s difficult to fathom that Team USA wouldn’t benefit from having that skill set on its roster, even one that includes two of the best offensive defensemen in the League — Quinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild and Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

So, was he surprised when Team USA general manager Bill Guerin informed him of their decision?

“Obviously, it’s not what you want to hear,” Fox shared. “It is what it is.”

Fox played for the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off last February, and, in fact, was one of the initial six players named to the roster months prior. The Rangers stalwart was criticized for subpar play in the international best-on-best tournament, notably slow to react when Canada’s Connor McDavid scored the winning goal in overtime of the championship game.

Adam Fox ‘focus with Rangers’ despite disappointing Olympics decision​

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Despite the fallout from the 4 Nations Face-Off, it appeared there was a place on the U.S. Olympic squad for Fox. Especially because Rangers coach Mike Sullivan coaches Team USA. And Rangers GM Chris Drury is part of the management group under Guerin.

“Adam and I have had a number of conversations around this, and I will keep that conversation between Adam and I,” Sullivan said Thursday after practice. “What I will tell you is these teams that are being picked are the best of the best. And there’s so many good players and there are very, very difficult decisions that have to be made. It is a collaborative effort on everybody’s part. And that’s just the reality of the circumstances. We’ll do our very best to be as professional and straightforward as we can be with everyone that’s involved. But ‘Foxy’ and I have had a number of conversations, and I’ll keep those between us.“

Fox also said that he’d keep his talks with Sullivan “between us.”

When asked if this hurts his relationship with Sullivan and/or Drury, Fox pivoted away from a direct answer.

“Yeah, I think just [the] focus from the start of the year has been with the Rangers. Whatever that decision was, I think it’s still a season, we have a lot of games still till that break. I think my focus is still with the Rangers and trying to win some games here,” he said.

Fox likely remains on the short list of options should any one of Team USA’s defensemen sustains an injury ahead of the Winter Games. The NHL pauses its schedule after games on Feb. 5 for the Olympic break, and resumes League play Feb. 25.

The Rangers schedule is very busy between now and the break, with 15 games to play, beginning with the highly-anticipated Winter Classic on Friday.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/adam-fox-reacts-olympics-snub-team-usa

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers’ Will Cuylle blunt take: Winter Classic ice: ‘pretty bad … slow’

There’s a good chance the NHL won’t seek Will Cuylle out as a spokesperson anytime soon after the New York Rangers forward provided a too-honest take about the ice conditions at loanDepot Park in Miami ahead of the 2026 Winter Classic.

“The ice was pretty bad and pretty slow,” Cuylle said Thursday during a rinkside interview on NHL Network.

The TV hosts, including former Rangers center Brian Boyle, were clearly a bit taken aback by Cuylle’s blunt answer. Especially considering how nearly everyone involved in these outdoor games — from coaches to players and commentators — go out of their way to praise all aspects of the event, particularly ice conditions.

In fact, Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said he was “pleasantly surprised” with the quality of the ice in the warmer Miami climate.

Blueshirts in the ballpark pic.twitter.com/Oc9IZwNUKG

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) January 2, 2026

The NHL Network crew pointed out to Cuylle that the Florida Panthers raved about the ice conditions following their practice, which preceded New York’s.

To which the 23-year-old forward, shot back, “[The Panthers] probably chewed it up, they had like 200 people on the ice. So, a little slow for us.”

The quip about all the people on the ice referred to the family skate that took place after Panthers practice. The Rangers had the same opportunity after their up-tempo practice.

After conceding “tomorrow it should be alright,” Cuylle had to add, “Can’t feel much slower than today.”

Pivoting to a more lighthearted topic, Boyle asked the Rangers forward how much Winter Classic “swag” he’s been able to get. Cuylle alluded to that it’s not as much as the amount of goodies the players received at the 2024 Stadium Series, when the Rangers defeated the Islanders 6-5 in overtime at MetLife Stadium.

Cuylle delivered this parting shot about swag: “It goes quick. Every family member takes and there’s one left for me at the end of the day.”

This kid is a beauty. Just don’t expect the League to agree.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...lle-honest-take-winter-classic-ice-conditions

 

[New York Rangers]

Why Rangers coach remains confident amid woes: ‘We can play with any team’

There are enough reasons for Mike Sullivan to feel down about the New York Rangers these days, but he isn’t. Instead, the Rangers coach remains as bullish as ever about his team, heading into the 2026 NHL Winter Classic against the Florida Panthers on Friday.

Undeterred by the Rangers (19-18-5) owning the worst points percentage (.514) in the 16-team Eastern Conference, Sullivan made the case for better days ahead.

“The reality is we’re halfway through the season here, we’ve played a fair amount of hockey and we have a fair amount left, and there’s a lot of parity in the League,” Sullivan explained Thursday during a rinkside interview with NHL Network. “You have a good week, put a stretch of games together over 10 days or two weeks and you’re at the top of the League. You struggle for a week or two and you’re at the bottom of your division

“I think we’ve got an opportunity to play our way into a good spot, and we’re going to embrace that challenge.”

He’s not wrong. Just look at the Buffalo Sabres, who just a few weeks ago were last in the conference and now sit in the second wild card thanks to a 10-game winning streak. Even a stretch half that good, coupled with more overall consistency, would serve the Rangers well in their bid to get back into a playoff spot.

Of course, the reality here is that the Rangers haven’t won more than three games in a row this season, and their last four-game winning streak was back in October of 2024. They also need some help since every team in the East has games in hand on them Five teams, including the Panthers, played three fewer games than the Rangers.

It’s true that no team is out of it halfway through the season. Parity reins in the NHL. But the Rangers could be in trouble if teams begin to pull away when they make up games in hand.

The Rangers can’t worry about that, though. There’s enough for them to be concerned with. They’re 31st in the NHL, averaging 2.55 goals scored per game. Eight times already the Rangers were shut out. They have five wins on home ice at Madison Square Garden. Four of their regular forwards are out injured, including captain J.T. Miller, who’s closest to returning but remains sidelined for the Winter Classic.

New York just got star defenseman Adam Fox back from a 14-game injury absence, and he scored a power-play goal in his lineup return, a 6-3 loss to the Washington Capitals on New Years Eve. But the Rangers lost Noah Laba and Conor Sheary in the same game. One step forward, two steps back.

Yet Sullivan said this group’s shown him enough to feel confident moving forward.

“I think the guys are buying to how we’re trying to play, and when we put that game on the ice consistently, I think we can play with any team in the League. And we’ve shown that,” he stated. “The guys haven’t lost any level of enthusiasm, which I think is a really important aspect of it. It’s a hard league, and when you don’t have the success you expect to have, that’s when the League challenges you.”

Mike Sullivan remains positive about Rangers, despite hovering dark clouds overhead​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

One of the next challenges could be a tricky one to handle. Fox was left off Team USA’s roster for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. Since Sullivan also is the U.S. coach — and Rangers general manager Chris Drury is on the management committee — there could be some bad feelings.

The 27-year-old defenseman and his coach sidestepped questions about their relationship and private conversations, when asked Thursday. Fox did, however, clearly sounded disappointed about not making the team.

“I thought my play this year was worthy of it. Track record as well.,” he said about the Olympics snub. “It’s out of my hands at a certain point. The decision is the decision. I guess that’s how it goes.”

So, despite all of these dark clouds, Sullivan maintained a sunny outlook Thursday. Maybe being in Miami and set to play a game outdoors had the Rangers coach thinking positively. Or maybe, just maybe, he really sees something in the Rangers that many others simply don’t.

Time will tell if it’s a well-founded take by Sullivan, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, whe he coached the Pittsburgh Penguins. The next opportunity for him to be proven right — or wrong — comes on the big stage at loanDepot Park on Friday.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...livan-positive-outlook-rangers-winter-classic

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers still perfect outdoors, defeat Panthers 5-1 in 2026 Winter Classic

It’s pretty obvious that the New York Rangers have this outdoors thing down pretty good. They skated to a convincing 5-1 victory over the Florida Panthers in the 2026 Winter Classic at loanDepot Park in Miami on Friday, making them 6-0-0 all-time in outdoor games.

Their six wins in outdoor games is most in NHL history. They won each of their three appearances in the Winter Classic (also 2012 and 2018), and three more in the Stadium Series.

But that wasn’t the only history made on Friday. Mika Zibanejad scored the first hat trick in Winter Classic history, and his five points were most in any NHL outdoor game. The 32-year-old scored a power-play goal, an even-strength goal, and finished with a short-handed goal into an empty net.

THE FIRST EVER #WINTERCLASSIC HAT TRICK!!

Take a bow, Mika Zibanejad! pic.twitter.com/hneG4G59oN

— NHL (@NHL) January 3, 2026

The Rangers (20-18-5) rode the backs of their star players to this impressive victory. Artemi Panarin scored two goals and totaled three points; Alexis Lafreniere had a career-high three assists; Vincent Trocheck had two helpers; goalie Igor Shesterkin made 36 saves; and Zibanejad led the way with his record-setting performance.

The win ended a three-game skid (0-2-1) for the Rangers, who scored twice on the power play Friday and were 5-for-6 on the penalty kill against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions.

The Panthers lost for the fourth time in six games (2-3-1) and seemed out of sync all night. Sam Reinhart scored his 23rd goal, but goalie Sergei Bobrovsky finished with just 15 saves.

The Rangers jumped out to a 2-0 lead with goals 1:04 apart late in the first period. After successfully killing off a pair of Panthers power plays earlier in the period, the Rangers scored on their first man advantage at 15:09.

Zibanejad drove down the middle to deflect a centering pass from Lafreniere past Bobrovsky to make it 1-0 on just New York’s fourth shot of the game. The scoring play took shape way back at the other blue line, when Reinhart failed to get the puck in deep as he headed for a line change. Panarin collected the puck and transitioned quickly the other way, and the Rangers ultimately scored a pretty goal off the rush.

They scored on their very next shot 64 seconds later to extend the lead to 2-0. Panarin snuck a long-range shot through a maze of players in front of a screened Bobrovsky, with Lafreniere and Zibanejad picking up the assists.

Artemi Panarin gives the Rangers the 2-0 lead in Miami pic.twitter.com/ctbwi6mPOq

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) January 3, 2026

Two shots later, it was 3-0 Rangers. Zibanejad finished off a 2-on-1 opportunity for his second goal of the night 58 seconds into the second period. Lafreniere collected the puck over the Panthers blue line behind defenseman Gustav Forsling and dished to Zibanejad for his third primary assist.

Trocheck did an outstanding job controlling the puck despite losing an edge and falling to his knees in the neutral zone, before chipping it ahead, where Lafreniere tapped it past Forsling to create the 2-on-1.

Laf to Mika AGAIN and Zibanejad has 3 points in 21 minutes!!!! pic.twitter.com/MokarOvDam

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) January 3, 2026

Later in the period, it appeared for a split second that Trocheck upped the Rangers lead to 4-0. However, officials immediately waved off his goal at 10:01 because he batted the puck out of midair with a high stick.

With under two minutes to play in the second, Bobrovsky robbed Trocheck’s one-timer from a couple feet out after a sweet setup by Lafreniere. The Panthers goalie lost sight of the rebound, and Trocheck hopped on it, but his quick dish went untouched through the slot.

Still, despite being outshot 25-12 through two periods, the Rangers held a 3-0 lead.

Shesterkin lost his shutout bid when Reinhart scored a power-play goal at 2:20 of the third period. But the Panthers failed to capitalize on another power play six minutes later, and the Rangers put the game away with their second power-play goal of the night shortly thereafter.

Panarin wired a high shot from between the circles past Bobrovsky at 12:25 to put the Rangers back up by three, 4-1.

A second serving of bread, anyone? Artemi Panarin has his second of the night! #WinterClassic

: @NHL_On_TNT & @StreamOnMax https://t.co/4TuyIATi3T
: @Sportsnet & @TVASports https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/qx2BMUEJyR

— NHL (@NHL) January 3, 2026

Reinhart appeared to make it 4-2 with another power-play goal at 17:39. But the officials waved it off and video review confirmed that Reinhart kicked the puck over the goal line during a scramble by Shesterkin’s crease.

Zibanejad finished off the historic hat trick, hitting the empty net from downtown to put an exclamation point on New York’s most memorable win of the season.

Now, somehow, the Rangers must carry this momentum back home with them. They return to action Monday at Madison Square Garden against the Utah Mammoth.

Key takeaways after Rangers defeat Panthers 5-1 in 2026 Winter Classic​

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Mika Magic​

Zibanejad’s record-setting night earned him the Cocoa Cup, which was presented by TNT commentator Darren Pang in a weird on-ice “ceremony” after the game. A bit later on the TNT set ice side, Rangers legend Henrik Lundqvist placed some serious Winter Classic-themed bling around Zibanejad’s neck.

First-ever hatty AND 5-point game in Winter Classic history?

Mika Zibanejad is your Cocoa Cup MVP! pic.twitter.com/OYuC5qckCm

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) January 3, 2026

Seriously, though, Mika deserved all the accolades coming his way after his dominant performance Friday. It’s been years since he was this dominant, and this performance could very well open the floodgates offensively for the streaky star — something the Rangers need badly to happen in their second-half playoff push.

PPG NUMBER

Mika has OFFICIALLY tied the franchise record for most power play goals! pic.twitter.com/lCFySmhONo

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) January 3, 2026

Not to be lost in the shuffle here is that Zibanejad scored his 116th power-play goal with the Rangers, tying Chris Kreider and Camille Henry for most in franchise history. Oh, and earlier in the day, he was officially named to Sweden’s roster for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.

Yes, this was a day to remember for Zibanejad.

No contest between pipes​

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Shesterkin and Bobrovsky are two of the best goalies in the NHL. But it was no contest who was better in the 2026 Winter Classic.

The Rangers netminder turned in a brilliant performance, especially considering the significant shot differential that heavily favored the Panthers 37-20. Shesterkin set the tone in this one during Florida’s first power play in the opening minutes of the game. He stoned Reinhart and Sam Bennett on separate Grade A chances, and never looked back.

The 30-year-old made 15 saves in the second period, and his best stop late in the third period — doing the splits on a scintillating glove save against AJ Greer — when the result of the game was pretty much decided.

Shesterkin was locked in, and appeared as such at practice Thursday, when he emphasized that this game wouldn’t be fun and that the Rangers absolutely needed to get the two points. He was all business.

On the flip side, Bobrovsky struggled all night, even on the simplest of shots. It appeared the 37-year-old, who’s a two-time Stanley Cup champion and twice won the Vezina Trophy, had trouble picking up the puck. He seemed slow to react time and again, and simply didn’t look like himself — though the Rangers had something to do with that, too.

Did a door open for Adam Fox?​

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Panthers defenseman Seth Jones sustained an upper-body injury blocking a shot by Lafreniere at 7:54 of the first period and didn’t return to the game. The injury occurred in his 900th NHL game, and on the same day he was officially named to the United States roster for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.

Seth Jones will not return to the game after taking a puck up high in the first period pic.twitter.com/e4d1qYDL7E

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) January 3, 2026

There’s no word how severe the injury is, but should it be bad enough to keep him out of the Olympics, there’s a chance that Adam Fox could get the call to replace him. That’s a pretty ironic twist, considering much was made of Fox not making Team USA’s roster, and there he was on the opposing bench when Jones — one of the eight defensemen selected instead of the former Norris Trophy winner — got hurt.

Time will tell if a door opened for Fox shortly after it appeared to shut closed.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...-outdoors-defeat-panthers-2026-winter-classic

 

[New York Rangers]

Ranking best New York Rangers outdoor games after 2026 Winter Classic win

The New York Rangers are 6-0-0 and have more outdoor victories than any team in NHL history after their 5-1 convincing 5-1 win over the Florida Panthers in the 2026 Winter Classic at loanDepot Park in Miami.

In those six outdoor victories, the Rangers outscored the opposition by a combined 26-14. Four of the games were decided by one goal, including a pair in overtime. The Rangers came from behind to win three times, and scored the game-winning goal twice in the third period.

They own an even split, winning three times in the Winter Classic and three times in the Stadium Series. Alain Vigneault was behind the Rangers bench for three outdoor victories. John Tortorella, Peter Laviolette, and Mike Sullivan each won once outdoors as coach of the Rangers. Hall-of-Famer Henrik Lundqvist retired with four outdoor wins, more than any goalie in NHL history.

In an interesting twist, the Rangers were the visiting team in each of the six games, including three played in New York City. The reason being that the Rangers would forfeit a sizeable tax exemption if they hosted a game anywhere but at Madison Square Garden.

So, there’s plenty of good history for the Rangers outdoors, making it difficult to differentiate which game was the best of all. But here’s our take, ranking each of their six outdoor games.

6. 2014 Stadium Series: Rangers 7 – Devils 3​

Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

On Jan. 26, 2014, in the first of consecutive outdoor games at Yankee Stadium over a span of three days, the Rangers rallied for a 7-3 win over the Devils. Lundqvist surrendered three first-period goals after the matinee was delayed by sun glare on the ice. But he didn’t allow the Devils to score again, and the Rangers exploded for six unanswered goals after trailing 3-1. They knocked legendary Devils goalie Martin Brodeur out of the game in the process, with Mats Zuccarello leading the way with two goals. Derek Stepan put the finishing touches on this one when he scored on a penalty shot midway through the third period.

5. 2014 Stadium Series: Rangers 2 – Islanders 1​

Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

On an absolutely frigid night, Daniel Carcillo scored a greasy third-period goal off a scramble in front of the Islanders net to lift the Rangers to their second outdoor win in three days at Yankee Stadium. The Islanders scored first on a Brock Nelson goal at 18:33 of the second period, but the Rangers answered back 40 seconds later when Benoit Pouliot scored. It was a night for the goalies, with Henrik Lundqvist (30 saves) outdueling Evgeny Nabokov (32 saves).

4. 2018 Winter Classic: Rangers 3 – Sabres 2 (OT)​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

J.T. Miller buried the rebound of a Kevin Shattenkirk power-play shot at 2:43 of overtime to secure this win for the Rangers on Jan. 1, 2018, at Citi Field. Miller’s heroics saved the Rangers from a bad loss. They held a 2-0 lead after one period, but allowed the Sabres to pull even with single goals in the second and third periods. Sabres goalie Robin Lehner had a lot to do with Buffalo’s comeback, too. Lehner finished with 39 saves, eight more than fellow Swede Lundqvist, who stopped 31 of 33 shots.

3. 2026 Winter Classic: Rangers 5 – Panthers 1​

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The first-ever outdoor game in Florida, and the southern-most game in NHL history on Jan. 2, 2026, is best known for Miami Mika Magic. Rangers center Mika Zibanejad recorded the first hat trick in Winter Classic history and became the first NHL player with five points in any outdoor game. Artemi Panarin (two goals, one assist) and Alexis Lafreniere (career-high three assists) each had three points, and Igor Shesterkin made 36 saves in the impressive win over the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers at loanDepot Park.

2. 2024 Stadium Series: Rangers 6 – Islanders 5 (OT)​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

No argument if someone wants to put this game in front of 80,000 fans at MetLife Stadium on Feb. 18, 2024, as the best, most exciting, or most memorable outdoor game in Rangers history. It was an absolute thriller, when the Rangers rallied from 4-1 and 5-3 deficits to stun their archrivals on Artemi Panarin’s goal 10 seconds into overtime. To even get to overtime, the Rangers needed power-play goals from Chris Kreider at 15:53 and Mika Zibanejad at 18:31 of the third period. Vincent Trocheck had two goals and an assist, and Igor Shesterkin settled in after a rough start to finish with 36 saves. Matt Rempe made his NHL debut and fought Matt Martin at center ice on his first shift.

1. 2012 Winter Classic: Rangers 3 – Flyers 2​

Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

You always remember your first, as the saying goes. And for the Rangers, their first outdoor game on Jan. 2, 2012 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, was an instant classic, worthy of the top ranking here. After a two-hour sun-glare delay and a scoreless first period, the Flyers scored twice in a span of 1:55 late in the second to put the visitors in an unenviable hole. But Mike Rupp scored 30 seconds after Philly’s second goal to get the Rangers right back in it, and stirred the pot by imitating the goal salute by Flyers forward (and former Rangers captain) Jaromir Jagr. Rupp then scored again 2:41 into the third period to tie the game. Brad Richards put the Rangers ahead at 5:21, and Henrik Lundqvist made it stand up as the game-winner when he denied Daniel Briere on a penalty shot with 19.6 seconds remaining in regulation — arguably the most memorable save in any NHL outdoor game.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...s-outdoor-games-after-2026-winter-classic-win

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers hope Winter Classic win triggers ‘fresh start’ back home in 2026

The New York Rangers’ stars, led by Mika Zibanejad, shone brightly in their 5-1 win against the Florida Panthers at the 2026 NHL Winter Classic on Friday night at loanDepot Park in Miami. Their job now is to translate New York’s latest success outdoors into more wins when they return to Madison Square Garden next week.

The Rangers improved to 3-0-0 in the Winter Classic and 6-0-0 all-time in outdoor games, largely thanks to the performance of their best players.

Zibanejad, who was named to Sweden’s Olympic team earlier in the day, had the first hat trick in Winter Classic history and the first five-point NHL game outdoors. Linemates Artemi Panarin (two goals, one assist) and Alexis Lafreniere (three primary assists) each had three points. They and Vincent Trocheck (two assists) combined for all 13 of the Rangers’ points.

Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

New York’s best defenseman, Adam Fox, and No. 1 goaltender, Igor Shesterkin also came up big. Fox was on the ice for the first four Rangers goals, and Shesterkin made 36 saves.

The question now is where the Rangers (20-18-5) go from here after a much-needed win closed a 2-3-1 stretch of six straight games on the road. For New York to have realistic hopes of returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, this victory must be the spark that starts a winning surge, especially on home ice.

“We played the way we wanted to play,” Panarin said. “We played the way we discussed before the game. Hopefully, in the future, we’re going to play the same way.”

Rangers hope Winter Classic win sparks surge, especially at MSG​

Beginning Monday night against the Utah Mammoth, the Rangers play four of their next five games at the Garden, where they are just 5-10-3. And 23 of their remaining 39 games are at MSG. So, Zibanejad knows the Rangers, who are one point out of the second wild-card position in the East but just 15th in the conference with a .523 points percentage, can’t keep losing at home and expect to reach the postseason.

“For us as a team, the home record we have hasn’t been very good,” he told TNT after the game. “At times I think we’ve just been able to keep things very simple on the road. We have to find a way to do that at home.

“I think early on the [home] struggles got to us – the reaction of not losing at home, trying to get that first [win]. … I’m hoping with the new year, we’ll get a bit of a fresh start and come back home with a good feeling after this one.”

ZIBANEJAD HAS THE FIRST EVER WINTER CLASSIC HATTY pic.twitter.com/MBQrtnfjxC

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) January 3, 2026

Zibanejad’s hat trick was the third in any NHL outdoor game, joining David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins (2021 NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe) and Tyler Toffoli of the Los Angeles Kings (2020 Stadium Series). It was his fourth career five-point game, and the first since March 25, 2021, when he had six points (three goals, three assists) against the Philadelphia Flyers.

He and his teammates did a good job not letting all the Winter Classic hoopla cloud the fact that this was a win the Rangers desperately needed after a three-game winless stretch (0-2-1) following the Christmas break.

“The energy around an event like this, and a lot of the activity around an event like this, sometimes, if you’re not careful, the unintended consequence is you lose sight of the fact that these are two real important points in the standings,” coach Mike Sullivan explained postgame. “That was something that we tried to have a discussion with our players about and just making sure that when the puck dropped that everybody understands what’s on the line here and the impact that it could potentially have. And how important it was for us to stop the bleeding, so to speak.

“I thought the guys did a great job. We competed hard.”

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Rangers are 1-0-0 in 2026 after a 2025 they’d rather forget. As Sullivan pointed out Thursday, they’re still close enough that a hot week or two can help vault them into a wild-card spot – or, even better, into the top three in the Metropolitan Division.

Zibanejad said the Rangers hope that starting the new year by defeating the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions on national television is what they need to run off the kind of surge that’s eluded them this season. The Rangers haven’t won more than three games in a row this season. Their last four-game winning streak was in October of 2024.

“We talked about it, about a fresh start here,” Zibanejad said. “Got a couple days as a team, with families and friends, and just enjoy this moment. I thought we did a good job with that and really focused when it came to game time.

“We’re hoping this can be a start to something good for us.”

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/winter-classic-win-spark-playoff-push