RSS Rangers Team Notes

[New York Rangers]

Rangers vs. Flyers: Lineups, storylines for Metro matinee

It’s been nearly a month since the New York Rangers last played a game within the Metropolitan Division. But that’ll change Saturday, when the Rangers host the Philadelphia Flyers in a matinee at Madison Square Garden.

In fact, the Rangers schedule features five of their next six games through the end of the calendar year against divisional foes. So, this is a good time for them to start playing consistently better within the division if the Rangers wish to make a serious run at a playoff spot this season.

The Rangers (17-15-4) are 3-4-0 against Metropolitan Division teams, most recently skating to a 4-2 road win over the first-place Carolina Hurricanes on Thanksgiving Eve. This upcoming stretch through Dec. 31 sees the Rangers face-off twice against the Washington Capitals, and once each against the Flyers, Hurricanes, and Islanders.

As of Friday, the Rangers are sixth in the eight-team Metropolitan Division, though just three points behind the third-place Islanders. They’re two points behind the Flyers, who hold the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

This is the first meeting in 2025-26 between the Rangers and Flyers. Neither team qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, when the Flyers took two out of three in the season series.

The Rangers come off a 2-1 overtime win in St. Louis against the Blues on Thursday. Gabe Perreault scored his first NHL goal early in the second period to tie the game, before J.T. Miller netted his third OT winner this season.

That was their second win in seven games (2-3-2) and their League-leading 13th on the road. It’s well documented that the Rangers are not nearly as successful this season on home ice, where they have a 4-10-1 record. Earlier in the week, New York scored one goal when they lost back-to-back home games to the Anaheim Ducks and Vancouver Canucks.

The Flyers have points in five of their past six games (2-1-3), but lost 5-3 to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. Philly hasn’t lost consecutive games in regulation since Nov. 1-2, and is 5-1-3 within the Metropolitan Division.

3 storylines when Rangers host Flyers​

Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

1. Working overtime​

With these two teams playing one another, be prepared for the game to last more than 60 minutes Saturday. The Rangers played their 10th overtime game Thursday, improving to 6-4. They’re 5-4 in sudden death and 1-0 in the shootout. Miller had a direct hand in five of those six OT wins. He scored three goals in overtime and assisted on one by Will Cuylle, and also notched the shootout winner against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

MILLER TIME IN OVERTIME

J.T. Miller scores the Subway Canada OT winner for the Rangers pic.twitter.com/NXdtaiW29g

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 19, 2025

Thirteen of the Flyers’ 33 games to date were decided in overtime. That’s a whopping 39.4 percent of their games. Three of their past five games went past 60 minutes. Philly is 7-6 in overtime this season — 2-4 in sudden death and 5-2 in the shootout.

2. Goalie focus​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

This is an intriguing goalie match up. The Rangers starting goalie is expected to be Igor Shesterkin, who stopped 26 of 27 shots in St. Louis, the sixth time he’s allowed one goal or fewer in 28 starts this season. Since 2021-22, no NHL goalie has more starts allowing one goal or less than Shesterkin, who’s done it 74 times.

Among goalies to start at least 20 games this season, Shesterkin is tied for the sixth lowest goals-against average (2.49). His 16.0 goals saved above expected is sixth most in the League, per MoneyPuck. And he has a solid .910 save percentage, which is tied with Flyers goalie Dan Vladar for seventh in the NHL among those who’ve played 20 games.

Vladar signed a two-year, $6.7 million contract with the Flyers this past offseason. After spending four seasons as the No. 2 goalie with the Calgary Flames, where he never played more than 30 games, Vladar already started 20 for the Flyers as their No. 1. The 28-year-old’s been excellent, and his 2.41 GAA, so far, is the best of his career and better than his New York counterpart heading into their clash Saturday.

3. Flyers pain could be Rangers gain​

Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

Earlier this week, the Flyers revealed that forward Tyson Foerster is out for the rest of the regular season following arm surgery. That’s a big blow to the Flyers. The 23-year-old scored at least 20 goals in his first two NHL seasons, including 25 a year ago. He was off to a fast start with 10 goals in 21 games before sustaining an injury two weeks ago.

Foerster, you might remember, had a hat trick against the Rangers last April in an 8-5 Flyers win. So, it’s safe to say the Blueshirts won’t miss playing against him.

In his absence, the Flyers must find more production within their lineup. Trevor Zegras, the Bedford, New York native, is off to a nice start with 14 goals, and Travis Konecny scored his 10th of the season in the loss Thursday. But the rest of the forward group is hit or miss. Especially Matvei Michkov, the uber-talented 21-year-old, who scored 26 goals as a rookie in 2024-25, but has eight so far this season.

New York Rangers projected lineup​

Will Cuylle — Mika Zibanejad — Alexis Lafreniere

J.T. Miller — Vincent Trocheck — Conor Sheary

Gabe Perreault — 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. Flyers: When, where, what time, how to watch​

Who: New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers

When: Saturday, Dec. 20 at 12:30 p.m. ET

Where: Madison Square Garden

How to watch: MSG

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...ineups-storylines-metropolitan-division-clash

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers get uninspiring glimpse at life without Artemi Panarin

For the first time in 2025-26, the New York Rangers hit the ice without star forward Artemi Panarin, who was sidelined Thursday against the St. Louis Blues with an illness. Not surprisingly, offense came at a premium.

The Rangers eked out a 2-1 overtime win over the Blues, thanks to another clutch game-winner from captain J.T. Miller.

New York will take wins any way it can get them, especially after losing five of its previous six games (1-3-2). But it’s also a sobering reminder of what this squad looks like without its biggest threat and leading scorer.

Happily, Panarin was back in the lineup for the Rangers’ Saturday matinee against the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden. He’s missed just three games since the start of the 2022-23 season, and been productive as well as consistent.

Since joining the Rangers ahead of the 2019-20 season on a blockbuster seven-year, $81.5 million contract, Panarin’s 584 points rank fifth among all NHL skaters — only Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, and David Pastrnak have more. He maintained a point-per-game rate through his first six seasons, leading New York in scoring each time.

CUYLLE TO PANARIN HITS ONE LEG OF THE BIZZY BETS JUST 3 MINUTES IN pic.twitter.com/YPEJIHTBX5

— NHLonTNT (@NHL_On_TNT) November 28, 2025

He’s continued to be a bright spot for the Rangers, even as their scoring rate dipped to third-worst in the NHL (2.50 goals per game) this season. Panarin’s 11 goals and 34 points in 35 games pace the Blueshirts.

Less-inspiring performances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs draw the ire of fans, but Panarin’s regular-season production remains invaluable to the Rangers. Still, his future on Broadway remains uncertain.

The prolific forward, who turned 34 in October, can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.

Panarin reportedly declined New York’s more team-friendly extension offer, one similar to the extension agreed to by Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar.

Elliotte Friedman: Re Artemi Panarin: They went to him and said, would you be willing to take a Kopitar kind of deal and the answer was no; you know it's gonna be a big number; you just wonder where this is all gonna go – FAN Hockey Show (10/15)

— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) October 16, 2025

Kopitar decided to finish out his NHL career with the Kings, the only team he’s ever played for, inking a two-year deal worth $7 million annually on July 6, 2023 — a drop of $3 million in average-annual value (AAV) from his previous eight-year contract.

Rangers offense without Panarin leaves much to be desired​

Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

New York celebrated a much-needed win over the Blues, but it was hardly an inspired performance offensively, especially at even strength.

It stands out that the Rangers failed to score a 5-on-5 goal Thursday. For reference, St. Louis ranks third-worst in goals-against-average and allowed 86 goals at 5-on-5 — the most in the NHL.

Their only tallies came on the power play, when Will Cuylle’s second-period shot deflected into the net off the skate of rookie forward Gabe Perreault, and during the 3-on-3 overtime period on Miller’s one-timer.

They outshot the Blues 31-27, but Panarin’s puck skills were sorely missed — particularly when St. Louis tilted the ice in the third period. Too often, New York’s offensive possessions lacked bite without the threat of a dynamic playmaker.

COACHES: Here's a great clip from Artemi Panarin on buying time entering the offensive zone.

He enters the zone on a 1v3. But rather than try to beat everyone 1v1 like you see all the time in youth hockey, he moves laterally to the open ice and buys time for his teammates to… pic.twitter.com/OCopKJXSFs

— Topher Scott (@HockeyThinkTank) November 13, 2025

Panarin is the only Ranger with more than five goals at 5-on-5 this season. The offensive outlook is bleak in his absence, and that’s a scary thought given his murky future with the team.

New York already has three 32-year-old forwards — Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck, and Miller — on the downturn production-wise and under contract until at least 2028-29. It’s possible general manager Chris Drury isn’t inclined to commit to another aging forward, especially if Panarin commands a high AAV.

Allowing the four-time 90-point scorer to walk was more appetizing when a slew of high-profile forwards — including Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Martin Necas, Kyle Connor, and Adrian Kempe — were eligible to become free agents. But each re-upped with his respective team, leaving the 2026 free-agent class lacking in star power.

Panarin is one of two players on expiring contracts who recorded at least 70 points last season. The other is Alex Ovechkin, who turned 40 in September and remains noncommittal about his future beyond 2025-26. If Panarin elects to sign elsewhere, New York will be hard-pressed to find a similar-level talent on the open market.

They can seek to fill the void internally, although that’s an awful lot of pressure on the likes of Alexis Lafreniere, Noah Laba, and Cuylle. Lafreniere has yet to take the next leap after a breakout 2023-24 season. Cuylle and Laba are forwards to build around and should continue to develop offensively, but neither projects to be an elite point producer.

GABE PERREAULT HAS HIS FIRST NHL GOAL pic.twitter.com/EgNolawavw

— NHL (@NHL) December 19, 2025

Panarin’s departure could open up a coveted top-six spot for Perreault, their 2023 first-round pick (No. 23 overall) — but under coach Mike Sullivan, that role must be earned, not given.

The Rangers recalled Perreault and 2021 first-round pick Brennan Othmann ahead of the Blues game. But even with Panarin scratched, neither forward cracked the top six.

Veteran Conor Sheary, who sits on one goal in his age-33 season, remained in the top six on a line with Miller and Trocheck, and Cuylle moved up to replace Panarin.

Perreault skated on the third line next to Laba and Taylor Raddysh, finishing the night with 13:09 TOI and his first NHL goal. Othmann was on the fourth line and logged just 7:14, the lowest ice time of any Rangers skater.

Sullivan is transparent about what he wants from his rookies — quick decisions and a defensively responsible game. Those standards won’t change, even if Panarin leaves or is traded at some point this season.

Why Rangers must address offensive woes​

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

There’s a case to be made for moving on from Panarin, despite his highly accomplished Blueshirts tenure.

New York’s offense is floundering this season, even with another solid campaign from Panarin. The most valuable path for the Rangers may be to deal their star forward ahead of the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline.

A tightly packed Eastern Conference makes it difficult for even a flawed Rangers squad to fall out of the postseason picture. But perhaps Drury considers such measures if a reasonable extension is unlikely.

Panarin wields a full no-movement clause, potentially limiting New York’s leverage. Still, he could net a sizeable return if he finds another destination appealing. It’s hard to see the Rangers punting on this season, but there’s major value to be gained in a potential trade.

That doesn’t mean the Rangers must enter a full-scale rebuild.

Beyond Miller, Trocheck, and Zibanejad, the Rangers already tied up Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin long term. And that was before they signed Sullivan to a five-year deal, making him the highest-paid coach in the NHL, and added Vladislav Gavrikov in free agency on a seven-year, $49 million contract on July 1.

Those are the moves of a team that envisions itself a contender — and it’s unrealistic to expect Drury to abandon that mindset so quickly, even if the Rangers miss the playoffs for a second consecutive season.

The defensive structure under Sullivan is sound enough to keep the Rangers competitive. But if the game Thursday is any evidence, it’s hard to put much faith in a Panarin-less offense, at least without significant additions. The Rangers may part ways with Panarin, but if they do little to address their offensive woes, they’ll remain in a similar purgatory.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...panarin-out-illness-glimpse-future-free-agent

 

[New York Rangers]

Gabe Perreault earns promotion, makes impact in Rangers’ win over Flyers

Mike Sullivan’s plan for promising rookie forward Gabe Perreault looks like it’s working out better than even the New York Rangers coach expected, so far.

Before a Saturday matinee against the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden, Sullivan spelled out for the media why the promising 20-year-old forward is best suited to play a third-line role right now. However, Sullivan also noted Perreault may be elevated in the lineup at any point.

In his second game since the Rangers recalled him from Hartford of the American Hockey League earlier this week, Perreault made his coach look prescient.

Perreault was a key contributor Saturday, helping the Rangers rally from two goals down in the third period to stun the Flyers 5-4 in a shootout victory on home ice. His most important moment came midway through the third, when he made a nifty move off a broken play to gain zone entry and get the puck to J.T. Miller, who set up Vincent Trocheck’s goal with 9:13 remaining that cut their deficit to 4-3.

REBOUND, SCORE

Troch cleans it up pic.twitter.com/WQK8R8NfkG

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 20, 2025

Being in position to make that play was a testament to Perreault earning his way onto the ice in crunch time of a crucial game against a Metropolitan Division opponent. The kid now has three points (one goal, two assists) in five games with the Rangers this season, including points in consecutive games following his recall to the NHL.

Rangers coach didn’t wait long to move Gabe Perreault into top 6 against Flyers​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Perreault began the contest Saturday on the third line with Will Cuylle and Noah Laba, He also played on the third line in the 2-1 overtime win against the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, when he scored his first NHL goal, a power-play deflection assisted by Cuylle and Laba.

The bottom-six role was a departure from his three-game stint with the Rangers in November, when Perreault played in the top six. But Sullivan sought to tamp down the pressure and expectations on the youngster initially — but left the door open a crack.

“Our observation when we had him up the last time was, it was a really difficult task,” Sullivan said Saturday morning. “And our thought process was, when we put him right up into the top six, is we understand the type of player that he is, and we’re trying to put him in a position to be successful. He’s an offensive player with good offensive instincts, and so our intention was to put him with our best offensive people, and that’s what we did.

“The flip side of that is you’re going to play against the opponent’s top players. You’re going to get the top defense players. You’re going to get the very best players that you’re playing against. And so, this time around, we thought more in terms of, ‘Would it make sense for Gabe if we put him around some different people, and maybe he doesn’t get the top defense pair?’ It gives him an opportunity to act on his instincts and do his thing that way, and then we’ll watch him and we’ll see. If there’s an opportunity to move him up, we’ll move him up.”

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

It was as if Perreault listened — and then followed his coach’s blueprint for him to a tee.

Perreault played a strong first period for the Rangers, helping to drive play with Laba and Cuylle. The trio established a strong forecheck and generally dominated possession and chances when they were out there 5v5. Perreault hit a wide-open Laba with a perfect pass from behind the net for a point-blank chance that was stopped by Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson in the first period. He also fearlessly went to the front of the net and had several chances on loose pucks and shots from the point.

With the line also getting regular time on the second power-play unit, Perreault’s shot toward the net during a man advantage was knocked down in front, and nearly led to a goal by first Cuylle and then Laba.

Gabe Perreault’s importance to Rangers increases if J.T. Miller misses time with injury​

Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Perreault was engaged and on the puck through the period, and Sullivan liked what he saw. Keeping to his word in the pregame news conference, the coach moved Perreault up to replace Conor Sheary on the Miller-Trocheck line to start the second period – where he stayed for the rest of the game.

“We liked Gabe’s game, we thought he was playing really well, we thought we’d give it a shot,” Sullivan said afterward, looking very much like the cat who ate the canary. “I had this conversation with you guys before the game, so it’s probably nothing that you didn’t expect, so when you saw it, I hope that’s proof that I’m speaking the truth to you guys.”

Perreault was a plus-1 and posted a 73.3 expected goal share when playing 5-on-5, per Natural Stat Trick. He logged a season-high 15:31 TOI.

GABE DEFLECTS IT IN FOR HIS FIRST NHL GOAL pic.twitter.com/6TCB3vfvKX

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 19, 2025

Time will tell if Sullivan decides that Perreault did enough to remain in the top six on a regular basis. Based on his pregame comments, it seems likely that the coach will be cautious with Perreault’s assignments and make decisions about his role on a game-by-game, situational basis.

But with Miller leaving midway through the third period with an upper-body injury, that could sideline him, the Rangers will need all the help they can get.

J.T. Miller left for the locker room after this collision with Nick Seelerpic.twitter.com/SKsRSZ1IMN

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) December 20, 2025

Perreault’s elite hands, vision and hockey sense probably meant that he wasn’t going to stay in the minors for long. Yet his effectiveness and confidence on the ice against the Flyers, even when tasked with tough matchups and creating offense in big moments, must have Sullivan thinking his prized rookie is ready for more responsibility going forward.

One of Sullivan’s responsibilities is developing the younger players on the roster — particularly Perreault, the organization’s top prospect. It’s looking like Perreault is more than ready to make his coach’s task much easier.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/perreault-makes-impact-in-win-over-flyers

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers rally in third, beat Flyers 5-4 in shootout: Takeaways

The return of leading scorer Artemi Panarin was just what the New York Rangers needed to end their 2025 home schedule with a win.

Panarin scored twice in regulation after missing one game with illness, then got the winning goal in the shootout to give the Rangers a 5-4 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden on Saturday afternoon.

They survived Philadelphia’s four-goal second period by scoring twice to overcome a 4-2 deficit in the third, with Mika Zibanejad’s power-play goal tying the game with 2:34 remaining. They killed off two Flyers power plays in overtime to help secure the extra standings point.

Panarin opened the shootout by snapping a shot past Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson, who got a late call to start after Dan Vladar couldn’t go because of an upper-body injury. Igor Shesterkin then stopped Trevor Zegras, one of the League’s best in the shootout, before Vincent Trocheck beat Ersson in Round 2. The game ended when Travis Konecny hit the crossbar.

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

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

It was the Rangers’ second straight Saturday comeback win at home in overtime; they overcame a three-goal deficit to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 a week ago.

The Rangers (18-15-4) improved to 5-10-3 at home as they prepare to play their final five games of this year on the road, beginning with a visit to the Nashville Predators on Sunday night. They’ve won their past two games after losing 4-1 to the Anaheim Ducks on Monday and 3-0 to the Vancouver Canucks 3-0 on Tuesday.

“This is the kind of confidence we need,” Trocheck said postgame.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Philadelphia trailed 1-0 after the first period but scored four goals in the second, including in a span of 3:36. Three of the four goals came on special teams; the Flyers ended an 0-for-16 power-play drought with two man-advantage goals and added their first short-handed goal of the season.

But the Rangers showed the kind of urgency that’s been lacking on numerous nights at MSG.

Trocheck’s goal midway through the third period gave them a spark, and Zibanejad tied it after Rasmus Ristolainen took a delay of game penalty at 17:00 for shooting the puck in the crowd. They won the shootout after playing down a man for 2:51 of the five-minute overtime.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Shesterkin was at his best in the early going, stopping four Grade A chances before the game was four minutes old. Two of them came from right in front against Denver Berkey, the grandson of long-ago Rangers defenseman Randy Legge, who was playing his first NHL game.

The Rangers began to dominate play after that, but the Flyers gave Ersson plenty of help, blocking 11 shots in the opening period. New York got the only power play in the first period when Philly’s Carl Grundstrom was called for tripping Panarin at 13:57; the Rangers had three shots but none was especially dangerous.

The Flyers won the draw after they iced the puck with 42 seconds left, but an excellent play by Zibanejad led to the game’s first goal. Zibanejad jammed the wall and stopped a clearing attempt, then fed Panarin in the high slot. Panarin quickly wristed a 30-footer that beat Ersson cleanly with 35.8 seconds remaining for a 1-0 lead. It was the 24th time in 34 games that the Flyers surrendered the first goal.

You certainly don't want to give Artemi Panarin that much time and space! pic.twitter.com/XX43FJYHEl

— NHL (@NHL) December 20, 2025

But the second period almost proved to be the Blueshirts’ undoing.

Will Cuylle ended up with the only penalty out of a big scrum at 5:17, and the Flyers made the Rangers pay when Travis Sanheim took a pass from Barkey and beat Shesterkin past his blocker for a power-play goal at 6:42. The 1-1 tie lasted just 25 seconds before Barkey earned another assist, setting up Owen Tippett for a shot from the high slot that again went past Shesterkin’s glove.

Zegras needed just three seconds to make the Rangers pay for Panarin’s slashing penalty at 10:15. Noah Cates won the draw back to Jamie Drysdale, who fed Zegras for a blast from between the circles that caught the top corner behind Shesterkin’s blocker for a 3-1 Flyers lead.

Panarin cut it to 3-2 at 12:23 when he picked off a stray pass in the neutral zone, skated into the right circle and beat Ersson. The Rangers got a power play at 13:48 when Nicholas Deslauriers was called for boarding Brennan Othmann before the two took matching fighting majors. But Scott Morrow’s backhand pass was intercepted by Sanheim, setting up a 2-on-1. Sanheim’s pass to the front of the net hit Rodrigo Abols’ skate and slid between Shesterkin’s legs at 14:36, giving the Flyers their first shorty of the season and a 4-2 lead.

Igor Shesterkin on the team's resilience today: pic.twitter.com/RoqSZK59Fh

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) December 20, 2025

“We went the second period without a goalie,” Shesterkin said of his play in the middle 20 minutes.

Boos filled the Garden when the Rangers did nothing with a power play early in the third period, but the cheers returned when Trocheck backhanded his own rebound between Ersson’s pads at 9:13. Zibanejad’s game-tying one-timer drew even more cheers, and the building was rocking during the overtime penalty kills.

“I loved the response we showed in the third,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the way our guys played in the third period and overtime.”

Key takeaways after Rangers rally to defeat Flyers 5-4 in shootout​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Confidence booster​

The sellout crowd of 18,006 at MSG almost seemed resigned to another home loss after the dismal second period, and the Rangers themselves seemed downcast until Trocheck’s goal began the comeback.

From there on, the Rangers kept pushing and pushing until they found a way to win, surviving a slashing penalty by Panarin eight seconds into overtime and a tripping call against Morrow with 50.8 seconds remaining.

For a team that hasn’t shown much confidence at home, it was the kind of win that can spark a surge,

“It’s huge for us,” Trocheck said. “The confidence, we need that. We need to know when we’re down a couple goals we can still make it a game and come back.”

The Breadman delivers​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Panarin showed no signs of whatever illness kept him out of the 2-1 overtime win against the St. Louis Blues. He was flying from the opening face-off, finishing the game with two goals, seven shots on goal and earning First Star of the Game honors.

It’s the kind of performance the Rangers are going to need on an every-night basis from the man who’s led them in scoring for each of his six seasons on Broadway. They got a taste of what playing without Panarin is like on Thursday, when the offense 5v5 mostly was non-existent.

Panarin can become a free agent after this season, and with most of the big names who were on the market having already signed new deals with their current teams, he figures to be the best player available. Even at age 34, he showed Saturday that he still has plenty left in the tank.

Back-to-back issues​

The Rangers seek their first victory in the second half of a back-to-back set when they take the ice in Nashville on Sunday. They are 0-5-1, with the only point coming in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights at the Garden on Dec. 7.

The opposition outscored the Rangers 19-4 in the six games.

The good news is that the Predators also have a back to back this weekend; they host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. The bad news is that unlike the Rangers, the Preds don’t have to travel.

The Rangers are 11-6-0 all-time in Music City, though they lost 2-0 there last Dec. 17.

How’s Miller?​

The lone piece of bad news from one of the Rangers’ best wins of the season came midway through the third period when captain J.T. Miller collided with Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler.

J.T. Miller left for the locker room after this collision with Nick Seelerpic.twitter.com/SKsRSZ1IMN

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) December 20, 2025

Miller was on the ice for several seconds, then staggered to the bench and appeared to be holding his right shoulder when he went to the locker room and didn’t return.

Sullivan said after the game that Miller was being evaluated for an upper-body injury but didn’t know any more. If he can’t play Sunday, Jonny Brodzinski or Taylor Raddysh figures to draw into the lineup.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/rally-for-shootout-win-vs-flyers

 

[New York Rangers]

Jonathan Quick heroics not enough, Rangers lose 2-1 to Predators: Takeaways

Jonathan Quick’s outstanding goaltending, not to mention his fiery demeanor, nearly was enough for the New York Rangers to steal a point — or maybe two — Sunday night in Nashville. But instead the badly out-played Rangers lost to the Predators 2-1 at Bridgestone Arena.

Both teams played the night before, but the Rangers (18-16-4) appeared to have far less gas in the tank than the Predators. Not only was this New York’s sixth game in nine days, and second back-to-back set this week, but the Rangers were without four key players in their lineup.

Most significantly, captain J.T. Miller is week to week after he sustained an upper-body injury in the stirring 5-4 shootout win over the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. Forwards Gabe Perreault and Matt Rempe were late scratches due to illness. And top defenseman Adam Fox missed his 10th game due to an upper-body injury.

“Sucks not having everybody. Obviously, tough spot back to back, and then guys are getting sick and guys go down,” Vincent Trocheck said postgame. “But, I mean, that doesn’t affect how we play with pride. If there’s anything to take away from today, we didn’t play with pride.”

Quick did everything in his power to will the Rangers to victory, finishing with 30 saves. Despite allowing only 11 goals in his past five starts, Quick is winless (0-4-1) since Nov. 7. The Rangers scored six goals in that stretch with Quick between the pipes.

Quickie coming in clutch pic.twitter.com/Nnab4prSlF

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 22, 2025

“He was unbelievable tonight. It definitely sucks when you can’t get anything for him,” defenseman Braden Schneider said.

The Rangers didn’t score until 35.9 seconds remained in the third period. Jonny Brodzinski’s third goal of the season ruined Justus Annunen’s bid for his third NHL shutout. Annunen faced only 17 shots Sunday.

Filip Forsberg scored his seventh goal in the past eight games for Nashville, which defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 at home Saturday. Steven Stamkos scored his 14th goal, an empty-netter, the shift before Brodzinski’s tally.

Somehow, the Rangers reached the second intermission trailing by just a single goal. Badly out-shot, out-attempted, and out-chanced through 40 minutes, the visitors leaned heavily on Quick to keep them in this one. And the 39-year-old goalie didn’t let his teammates down.

The only goal he allowed was an absolute missile off the stick of Forsberg 10:44 into the second period. Ryan O’Reilly gained entry into the Rangers zone, then spun around to make a scintillating pass to Forsberg on right wing. Forsberg wired his 16th goal top shelf over Quick’s glove to make it 1-0.

MAN I LOVE FIL FORSBERG pic.twitter.com/2S1GsPpgqn

— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) December 22, 2025

The Predators out-shot the Rangers 15-6 in the scoreless first period and 11-4 in the second. Through 40 minutes, the home team out-attempted their guests by a whopping 53-28 margin.

New York’s frustration was palpable, and then visible during one sequence late in the second period. Artemi Panarin had a rare clean entry into the offensive zone, but before he could unleash a shot, Predators defenseman Roman Josi got back and canceled him out. Josi came away with the puck, and a clearly frustrated Panarin hooked him to the ice at 18:08, and then barked at the officials on his way to the penalty box.

Quick made several clutch saves early in the third period, including right after his own turnover forced him to make a pair of clutch, scrambling stops. Later, he calmly stoned Forsberg with a left-pad save on a clean breakaway at 9:09, moments after the Rangers failed to tie the game on their second power play of the night.

Given another power play when Forsberg flipped the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty at at 16:01, the Rangers again couldn’t capitalize. They finished 0-for-3 on the power play Sunday.

Stamkos scored into an empty net with 47.6 seconds to play, before Brodzinski made things interesting again 12 seconds later when he buried his own rebound past Annunen. However, the final 36 seconds featured the Rangers turning the puck over in the neutral zone multiple times, without a single rush into the offensive zone.

It was a fitting finish to a frustrating night.

Key takeaways after Rangers’ 2-1 road loss to Predators​

Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Mismanaging the game​

The Rangers didn’t make excuses after this loss, one that dropped them to 0-6-1 in the second of back-to-back sets this season. But coach Mike Sullivan acknowledged he knew early on the Rangers weren’t at their best. But then he explained what irritated him most about this defeat.

“For me, that’s a situation, I think, when I’m talking about managing the game right. You got to be able to win with your B game, if you don’t have your A game,” Sullivan said. “The way you do that is you don’t beat yourself. You force teams to have to make good plays to beat you. You defend hard, you manage the puck, you make them play goal line to goal line. You watch your shift lengths. You change smart. You don’t take offensive zone penalties. I just don’t think we did that in any aspect of it.”

Well said, Sully. Well said.

Lineup juggling​

David Kirouac-Imagn Images

With Miller, Perreault, and Rempe sidelined, the Rangers went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen in their lineup for the first time this season. Brodzinski and Taylor Raddysh drew in up front, and Urho Vaakanainen dressed as the seventh defenseman, playing just five shifts and logging 3:59 TOI.

Brodzinski, a healthy scratch the previous three games, looked fresh and led the Rangers with five shots on goal. Raddysh assisted on Brodzinski’s goal, his first point in 10 games.

Brennan Othmann moved up to the third line, where he and fellow rookie Noah Laba each had a rough night. Each had an expected goal share of just under 15 percent, and the Predators held a 7-1 advantage in scoring chances 5v5 with Laba and Othmann on the ice, per Natural Stat Trick.

Hitting iron​

As good as he was, Quick also caught a couple breaks in this one. The Predators hit the post behind Quick twice in a four-minute span of the second period. So, what was a 1-0 deficit for New York, very easily could’ve been 2-0 or 3-0.

Nearly 13 minutes into the period, Michael Bunting blistered a right-wing shot off the far post. The goal light went on, and the play was blown dead, even though the on-ice officials correctly said the puck didn’t go in the net. Since play stopped with the Rangers in possession of the puck, Sullivan was furious with the referees.

Then at 16:18, Nicolas Hague hammered a slap shot off the post with Nashville on the penalty kill.

To be fair, the Rangers also caught iron with a pair of shot attempts. Alexis Lafreniere did so in the first period, and Brodzinski wired a left-circle blast off the crossbar 5:52 into the second.

Close Call​

Predators forward Reid Schaeffer came awfully close to sustaining a very serious injury in the first period. The close call occurred at 14:31, when the 22-year-old rookie collided with Rangers defenseman Scott Morrow along the left-wing boards in New York’s defensive zone. Morrow got the worst of the hit, fell backwards, and his leg kicked up in the air. That’s when his skate accidentally clipped Schaeffer on the chin.

Reid Schaefer of the #Smashville took a skate to the chin from #NYR Scott Morrow.

That’s a nasty gash he’s got there. pic.twitter.com/JhC0QRyefi

— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) December 22, 2025

Bleeding from a significant gash, Schaeffer immediately skated to the Nashville bench, and the referees initially handed Morrow a double-minor for high-sticking. However, after video review, the penalty was rescinded.

A fraction of an inch higher, and Schaeffer would’ve caught the skate blade in his mouth. A bit lower, and his throat and neck were in danger of being slashed open. Fortunately, Schaeffer returned to the ice four minutes later, albeit with a nasty looking gash on his chin.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...keaways-lose-predators-jonathan-quick-heroics

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers Week Ahead: Christmas break comes at right time

Perhaps no NHL team needs the three-day Christmas break more than the New York Rangers.

They ended a week that featured five games in seven days with a 2-1 loss to the Predators in Nashville on Sunday night. Their visit to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday, the last day before the break, will be their seventh game in 11 days – a stretch that would wear down almost any team.

New York looked like a weary team in Nashville. The Rangers were outplayed all night and had a chance to win only because goaltender Jonathan Quick was brilliant, stopping 30 of 31 shots – the lone one to beat him was a perfect wrister by Filip Forsberg midway through the second period.

The Rangers needed a gem from Quick to have a chance to win on a night they were down three forwards – J.T. Miller didn’t make the trip because of an upper-body injury sustained in a 5-4 shootout win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, and Gabe Perreault and Matt Rempe missed the game due to illness. That forced coach Mike Sullivan to dress a lineup with 11 forwards and seven defensemen.

Mike Sullivan was asked if he liked what he saw from the Rangers' depleted lineup tonight:

"No." pic.twitter.com/6p7G2o1UmI

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) December 22, 2025

Ironically, it was the goal Quick didn’t allow that proved to be the game-winner. Steven Stamkos’ long-distance empty-netter with 48 seconds left made it 2-0, meaning that Jonny Brodzinski’s goal 11 seconds later on the Rangers’ 17th and final shot on goal merely prevented their eighth shutout loss of the season. It was the fourth time this season the Rangers came up short against a team at the bottom of the NHL standings and dropped them to 18-16-4 overall — and 0-6-1 in the second half of back-to-back games.

It also ended a frantic week that saw the Rangers lose 4-1 to the Anaheim Ducks and 3-0 to the Vancouver Canucks on consecutive nights at Madison Square Garden before a 2-1 overtime win against the Blues in St. Louis and the shootout win Saturday afternoon in their final home game of 2025.

However, the win against the Flyers — when the Rangers overcame a two-goal deficit in the third period –proved costly. Miller sustained an upper-body injury in the third period and is week to week, according to NHL.com.

Who’s hot​

Quick continues to be one of the top backup goalies in the League, though his 3-5-1 record might indicate otherwise. He lost both his decisions last week despite allowing three goals on 47 shots.

Who’s not​

Alexis Lafreniere’s underlying stats may be good, but he’s not putting points on the score sheet. He has one assist and is minus-4 in his past seven games. Seven goals and 18 points in 37 games isn’t nearly enough production for a top-six forward – especially one who was the first player taken in his draft year (2020).

Rangers lookahead this week includes …​

Games 2 and 3 of a six-game road trip sandwiching the three-day Christmas break.

Rangers at Washington Capitals (Dec. 23, 7 p.m.; MSG2)​

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Rangers pay the first of two visits to Capital One Arena in an eight-day span looking to avenge a 1-0 loss at the Garden on Oct. 12 and end a four-game losing streak to their Metropolitan Division rival. They’re 0-4-0 in their past four visits to our nation’s capital.

The Capitals come off a home-and-home weekend sweep by the Detroit Red Wings and are 1-3-2 in their past six games. They’ve scored just 11 goals in that span and surrendered five goals in each of the three regulation losses.

Mika Zibanejad had one of three five-goal games in Rangers history against the Capitals on March 5, 2020; he has 19 goals and 36 points in 48 career games against them. Alex Ovechkin, the all-time NHL goal-scoring leader, has 46 goals in 77 games against the Rangers.

Rangers at New York Islanders (Dec. 27, 6 p.m., MSGSN/MSG2)​

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

NHL teams can’t practice or travel during the Christmas break, so being the visiting team on the day play resumes can be a hassle – unless you’re playing an opponent that’s less than 20 miles away. The Rangers are lucky in that regard; they resume their season with a visit to the archrival Islanders at UBS Arena.

Each team seeks some revenge. The Islanders rolled to a 5-0 victory at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 8, and the Rangers embarrassed them in a 9-2 win in their last visit to UBS on April 10 last season.

This figures to be another battle between frenemies Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers and Ilya Sorokin of the Islanders. Sorokin got the better of his fellow Russian goalie in the shutout victory, which ended the Blueshirts’ five-game winning streak against their suburban rivals. Shesterkin is 7-2-0 against the Islanders since the start of the 2023-24 season.

Artemi Panarin feats on the Islanders, with 18 goals and 47 points in 39 games – including five goals and seven points last season, when the Rangers won all four games. Defenseman Adam Fox, who’s been out since sustaining an upper-body injury on Nov. 29, is eligible to come off long-term injured reserve for this game, though it’s unknown if he needs a little more time before returning.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/schedule-ahead-christmas-break

 

[New York Rangers]

What’s next for Rangers after J.T. Miller lands on IR with upper-body injury

Trying to ensure that they don’t ice a short-handed lineup again, the New York Rangers placed J.T. Miller on injured reserve Monday and recalled forward Brett Berard from Hartford of the American Hockey League.

The night before, the Rangers dressed 11 forwards and seven defensemen in a 2-1 loss to the Predators in Nashville because three of their forwards couldn’t play. Miller missed his first game after sustaining an upper-body injury during a 5-4 shootout victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday; Gabe Perreault and Matt Rempe were late scratched due to illness.

So, in the short term, Berard gives the Rangers another forward option for their road game Tuesday against the Washington Capitals. To make room for him on the roster, the Rangers had to place Miller on IR.

UPDATE: #NYR has recalled forward Brett Berard from the Hartford Wolf Pack. pic.twitter.com/MxkUJqutl2

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) December 22, 2025

Defenseman Urho Vaakanainen dressed, but only played five shifts against the Predators. That basically left the Rangers short-handed, since coach Mike Sullivan utilized only 17 skaters instead of 18, plus had to double shift forwards throughout the game to get ice time for the fourth line.

The Rangers are off Monday, so there’s no update on the status of Perreault and Rempe. If neither is able to play Tuesday, Berard draws in to the lineup. If one or both is available, then Sullivan has personnel decisions to make on who’s in, and who’s out against the Capitals.

As of Monday, it didn’t appear that the Rangers wished to place Miller on IR, even though he’s week to week with an upper-body injury. The Rangers captain sustained the injury on a third-period collision with Philly’s Nick Seeler on Saturday.

J.T. Miller left for the locker room after this collision with Nick Seelerpic.twitter.com/SKsRSZ1IMN

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) December 20, 2025

What’s next for Rangers with J.T. Miller on injured reserve​

Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Big skates to fill​

Say what you will about Miller’s decreased production this season — 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 35 games — the 32-year-old is still an extremely valuable player, leader, and tone-setter on the Rangers. His intangibles are difficult to replace because he plays so hard and with so much passion. And even with his traditional stats trending the wrong way, Miller tied a franchise record with three overtime goals already this season. Plus he’s got four OT points and a shootout-winning goal in 2025-26 He is Captain Clutch, not to mention a point-per-game threat still.

He’s also among the best face-off men in the NHL at 59.9 percent, a responsible defensive forward most often tasked with playing against the other team’s best, and always accountable with his teammates and the media.

MILLER TIME IN OVERTIME

J.T. Miller scores the Subway Canada OT winner for the Rangers pic.twitter.com/NXdtaiW29g

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 19, 2025

Sullivan didn’t sugarcoat the impact of Miller’s absence.

“He just means so much to this team,” Sullivan said Sunday. “I think he’s the leader of this group in so many ways, emotionally with how he plays the game. I think his game was really building too; I think his game was really starting to come, especially on the offensive side.

“I talked to him, I know he was feeling better and better with every game that he played. It seems like this early part of the season, every time he starts to build his game he gets banged up. And we’re just going to have to work through that, but J.T. is not an easy guy to replace. He’s a terrific player first and foremost, but he impacts this team in so many different ways.”

Been there, done that​

This isn’t the first time that the Rangers must overcome an injury to a key player. Center Vincent Trocheck missed 14 games with an upper-body injury. Rempe broke his thumb in a fight and was out nearly two months. Backup goalie Jonathan Quick missed two weeks with a lower-body injury. Adam Fox remains on LTIR with an upper-body injury and sat out his 11th straight game Monday. And even Miller was out for two games with a health issue earlier this season.

That’s not meant to play the pity card here. The League’s been overrun by injury this season. It’s a big reason why parity is at a historic rate in the NHL. Every team deals with this adversity, and the Rangers (18-16-4) must embrace the grind here if they wish to remain relevant in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

All eyes on Vincent Trocheck​

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Trocheck is the player most similar to Miller on the Rangers roster. His intensity and passion are obvious, and dedication to playing a committed 200-foot game an inspiration. He and Miller not only are linemates, but best friends from their youth in the Pittsburgh area. They’re in lockstep together.

So, expect Sullivan to lean heavily on Trocheck with Miller out of the lineup. The Rangers already ask a lot of Trocheck in every facet of the game. But now the focus on him increases because Miller’s not there. The 32-year-old’s thrived in this on-ice role before with the Rangers, so it’s a natural fit for him, and perhaps spurs a jump in his production (17 points in 24 games), as well.

Trocheck is also an extremely intelligent and respected veteran. He very likely was in the conversation to become Rangers captain before Miller landed the honor prior to the season. That’s another role he’s very comfortable with, and his voice carries plenty of weight with the Rangers.

And he’s already stepped forward in Miller’s absence, calling out his team’s effort, or lack thereof, after the loss in Nashville.

“It sucks not having everybody,” he pointedly said postgame. “It’s obviously a tough spot back to back, and then guys are getting sick and guys go down, but that doesn’t affect how we play with pride. If there’s anything to take away from today, we didn’t play with pride.”

Opportunity there for Rangers kids​

Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Losing Miller thins New York’s options down the middle and on the wing, since he skated in a hybrid role on lines with centers Mika Zibanejad and Trocheck the first half of the season. Like Trocheck, Zibanejad must be more consistent with his offensive production. Same can be said of his linemates, Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. Throw Will Cuylle into that mix, too. Miller’s absence opens the door for Cuylle to be a top-six fixture.

Bottom-six centers Noah Laba and Sam Carrick will get the chance to take on more responsibility, at the face-off dot and on both sides of the puck. Let’s see if Perreault gets more ice time and opportunity to do what he does best, score goals and set up chances for his teammates. As for Brennan Othmann, the former first-round pick must do more with the chances he’s given than what we saw in a sub-par showing Sunday against the Predators. If not, he’ll quickly lose his opportunity since Sullivan doesn’t seem to have a lot of patience for the 22-year-old.

Ditto for Berard, who’s pointless in 11 games with the Rangers this season.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/jt-miller-upper-body-injury-impact

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers vs. Capitals: Lineups, storylines last clash before Christmas break

For the seventh time in 11 days, the New York Rangers play a game Tuesday, this time a road tilt against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena. However, after this Metropolitan Division clash, the Rangers schedule eases up with just one game in five days, thanks in large part to the three-day NHL Holiday break this week.

The Rangers (18-16-4) sure looked like a team in need of a break in their 2-1 road loss to the Nashville Predators on Sunday. An already fatigued lineup was further depleted by injury and illness with five regulars missing.

In fact, the freshest player on the ice for the Rangers was their oldest one. Jonathan Quick, their 39-year-old goalie, stopped 30 of 31 shots before Nashville potted an empty-netter in the final minute. The Rangers avoided their eighth shutout loss of the season when Jonny Brodzinski scored off his own rebound with 36 seconds to play.

Already without Adam Fox and Adam Edstrom, each currently on LTIR, the Rangers placed J.T. Miller on injured reserve with an upper-body issue. The Rangers captain is week to week with the injury.

Forwards Gabe Perreault and Matt Rempe missed the game Sunday due to illness. Each took part in the morning skate Tuesday.

Despite all those obstacles, the Rangers must come up with a big effort Tuesday. It’s an important contest against a division rival that sits three points ahead of the Rangers and has two games in hand. The Capitals blanked the Rangers 1-0 in their first meeting on Oct. 12 at Madison Square Garden.

After his 35-save shutout that night, Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren proclaimed that the Rangers are “going to be a tough out this year.”

What Lindgren and most everyone else didn’t foresee was how badly the Rangers would struggle offensively this season. They’re currently tied for last in the NHL, averaging 2.50 goals per game. New York’s scored two goals or fewer 21 times, and been shut out on seven occasions, in 38 games

The Capitals (19-12-5) are 10th in the League in scoring (3.17 goals per game), but slowed considerably with 16 goals in their past eight games. That coincides with a recent slide, when the Capitals are 2-3-3 after a rousing six-game winning streak. They were swept in a home-and-home set against the Detroit Red Wings this past weekend, including a 3-2 overtime loss Sunday.

3 storylines when Rangers visit Capitals​

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

1. Elite goalie matchup​

Two of the best goalies in the NHL go head-to-head Tuesday. Igor Shesterkin is the Rangers starting goalie, making his League-leading 30th start. Seven days shy of his 30th birthday, Shesterkin is 15-11-3 and just one win off the most in the NHL. He’s allowed two goals or fewer goals 15 times, second most in the League. His 15.5 goals saved above expected ranks seventh among all goalies this season, per MoneyPuck.

However, the top goalie on that list is Logan Thompson, who gets the starting nod for the Capitals on Tuesday. In 25 games, he has a whopping 25.2 goals saved above expected and also leads the NHL with a 2.09 goals-against average. Thompson likely will be one of Canada’ goalies at the 2026 Milan/Cortina Olympics.

2. It’s not just Ovi​

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Alex Ovechkin keeps adding to his all-time NHL goals record — his 14 goals this season have him sitting at 911 entering play Tuesday. Forty-six of those goals are against the Rangers. At age 40, the Great 8 is second on the Capitals in goals and points (31). Ovechkin remains an elite threat, even though he’s pointless and minus-6 in his past four games, and without a goal in eight straight.

But he’s not the only Caps player to be concerned about. Rugged forward Tom Wilson leads Washington with 17 goals, six power-play goals, and 34 points. The 31-year-old is averaging nearly 20 minutes of ice time per game, and he’s under consideration for a spot on Canada’s roster for the Olympics. Like Ovechkin, he’s slowed a bit recently, with just three assists in his past seven games.

Jakob Chychrun is tied for the NHL lead among defensemen with 14 goals, and tied for eighth with 28 points. It’s the third straight season that the 27-year-old scored at least 14 goals. He had an NHL career-high 20 last season, third most among League defensemen.

3. Carson Soucy milestone​

Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

Rangers defenseman Carson Soucy plays his 400th NHL game Tuesday. The 31-year-old is in his seventh season in the League, and also played for the Minnesota Wild, Seattle Kraken, and Vancouver Canucks, from whom the Rangers acquired Soucy last season ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.

Soucy didn’t exactly distinguish himself with the Rangers after they traded for him. But he settled in nicely this season, quietly playing a very effective all-around game on the second defense pair with his partner Will Borgen. That pair regularly plays against top-six forward groups, which makes the fact that the Rangers hold a 19-13 goals advantage with Soucy on the ice 5v5 even more impressive.

Soucy’s contributed three goals and six points in 34 games, and his plus-8 rating is best on the Rangers. Even though his underlying numbers aren’t great, per Natural Stat Trick, Soucy remains a key member of New York’s top four on defense.

New York Rangers projected lineup​

Artemi Panarin — Mika Zibanejad — Alexis Lafreniere

Will Cuylle — Vincent Trocheck — Gabe Perreault

Jonny Brodzinski — 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. Capitals: When, where, what time, how to watch​

Who: New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals

When: Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 7 p.m. ET

Where: Capital One Arena

How to watch: MSG 2

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...ls-preview-lineups-storylines-christmas-break

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers head home for Christmas after rallying past Capitals 7-3: Takeaways

The New York Rangers can celebrate Christmas with a little extra enthusiasm after a five-goal third period carried them to a 7-3 victory over the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Tuesday night.

Goals by Taylor Raddysh and Alexis Lafreniere 68 seconds apart turned one-goal deficit into a 4-3 lead. Vincent Trocheck then sandwiched two goals around an empty-netter by Artemi Panarin to ensure that the flight back home would be a happy trip for a team that finished a stretch of seven games in 11 days with a 4-3-0 record, with three of the wins coming in the final four games.

The Capitals scored three times in the second period and led 3-2 after 40 minutes. They were 16-0-0 when entering the third period with a lead and had outshot the Rangers 21-10 to that point. But Raddysh’s backhand chip hit a defenseman and went past Logan Thompson at 8:10 to tie the game.

“We needed to reset after the second period,” said forward Jonny Brodzinski, one of seven Rangers with multiple points.

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Lafreniere put the Rangers ahead at 9:18 by deflecting Panarin’s shot past Thompson. The Blueshirts owned the rest of the night, pushing the tempo and not allowing the Capitals any good scoring chances. Trocheck made it 5-3 at 13:43, Panarin hit the empty net with 2:16 remaining and Trocheck scored again 25 seconds later.

It was the Rangers’ fifth third-period comeback victory this season, tying them for third in the NHL — as well as the first time since Feb. 22, 1972 (at Montreal) that they trailed heading into the third period and won by at least four goals.

New York enters the three-day Christmas break at 19-16-4, including 14-6-1 on the road. The Rangers are off until Saturday, when they visit the New York Islanders.

Jonny B. with the feed + Raddysh buries it pic.twitter.com/m8RRDlvZLd

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

The Capitals dominated the early going, holding the Rangers without a shot on goal until just after the nine-minute mark. The Blueshirts finally forced Thompson to make a couple of saves during a four-minute power play after Ryan Leonard drew a double minor for high-sticking Brodzinski.

The Rangers got on the board first at 14:57 after a perfectly managed 3-on-2 rush. Brodzinski carried down right wing and fed a perfect pass through the seam to Raddysh, who slammed it past Thompson for his sixth goal of the season and first in 23 games. The Blueshirts held the Caps without a shot on goal for the final 9:01 of the period and skated off with a 1-0 lead.

That lead lasted just 23 seconds into the second period. John Carlson tied it by coming late into the play, taking a pass from Aliaksei Protas and beating Igor Shesterkin from inside the right circle high to the far side.

The Rangers killed off a slashing penalty to Matthew Robertson at 3:57, but they weren’t as fortunate when Carson Soucy was called for holding at 8:29. The Caps controlled the draw and forced Shesterkin to make a superb save on Conor McMichael at the left post. It appeared he’d made an even better stop against Dylan Strome on the rebound, but a video review showed the puck was indeed in his glove – but over the goal line, giving Washington a 2-1 lead.

Cools taps it in pic.twitter.com/03PvqNHnAD

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

Will Cuylle got the Rangers even at 11:14, finishing off a superb passing play with Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad for a power-play goal. But Washington went back in front 57 seconds later. Sonny Milano took a shot that hit Shesterkin’s pads and came right to Protas, who buried the rebound for a 3-2 lead.

The Rangers failed to score on an early third-period power play, but Raddysh’s tying goal lit a spark that carried them the rest of the way

“Once we got the goal that made it 3-3, they were back on their heels a little bit,” Brodzinski said.

Key takeaways after Rangers use five-goal third period to beat Capitals 7-3​

Resilience yields another win​

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Just as they did Saturday, when they rebounded to beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 in a shootout after allowing four second-period goals, the Rangers showed the kind of resilience needed to win. The five-goal third period was their highest-scoring 20 minutes of the season.

It would have been easy to pack it in after the second period, especially at the end of a jam-packed 11 days and with the Christmas break 20 minutes away. Instead, they regrouped and filled the net.

Even more impressive was that they did it without their best defenseman, Adam Fox, who’s been on long-term IR this month with a left-shoulder injury, and captain J.T. Miller, who missed his second game with an upper-body injury that landed him on injured reserve. They were also without assistant coach David Quinn, who’s battling the flu and didn’t make the trip.

“I’m proud of our guys, how they competed,” coach Mike Sullivan said.

Milestone night for Lafreniere​

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Lafreniere’s goal was his eighth of the season and the 100th of his NHL career. The first player selected in the 2020 NHL Draft regressed in 2024-25 following a breakout season, and he’s struggled for much of this season.

Sullivan wants to see Lafreniere generate more offense.

“I thought Laf had a strong game,” he said. “He’s such a talented player. It’s been a struggle for him most recently to score. I thought he had a number of really good looks tonight. He was hanging onto pucks. He was also getting inside the dots and going to the net a little bit more.

“I think that’s got to be a more consistent element of his game. I think he’ll create more offense if he does. He’s very capable.”

A much-needed break​

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Five games in seven days last week and seven in 11 days is a lot to ask of any team. The Rangers looked worn out on Sunday, when they were a step slow in a 2-1 loss to the Predators in Nashville – the fourth time this season they lost to a team at the bottom of the NHL standings.

But they wouldn’t let fatigue or anything else slow them down against the Capitals. Shesterkin kept them in the game in the second period with a handful of key saves before the offense came alive in the third.

“Down after two, and we come back and play a really big third like that,” Lafreniere said. “It’s really good for us right before break, just to have a big win like that.”

The Blueshirts will welcome the rest, because the schedule heats up right away after the break. Their first four games are on the road, with the Rangers heading to Carolina for a game Monday, back to Washington for a New Year’s Eve matinee and on to South Florida for the NHL Winter Classic against the Panthers on Jan. 2.

All four of those teams are ahead of the Rangers in the tightly packed Eastern Conference standings, and their 39 games played are more than anyone else in the East. The Blueshirts had better come back rested and ready to roll.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...rally-past-capitals-witrh-5-goal-third-period

 

[New York Rangers]

How Rangers responded, showed ‘pride’ says lots after called out by leader

In the first game after having their collective pride questioned by a respected team leader, the New York Rangers displayed plenty of heart and resiliency Tuesday, scoring five times in the third period to rally for a 7-3 win over the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena.

Whether Vincent Trocheck’s harsh critique 48 hours earlier following a dismal 2-1 loss in Nashville to the Predators had any effect on the comeback win in DC is difficult to quantify. But the Rangers sure looked like they had something to prove.

Trocheck contended the Rangers “looked f***ing dead” in Nashville, when they played without injured captain J.T. Miller and ill forwards Gabe Perreault and Matt Rempe. That’s on top of missing Adam Fox and Adam Edstrom, who remain on LTIR.

“Sucks not having everybody. Obviously, tough spot back to back, and then guys are getting sick and guys go down,” Trocheck said postgame Sunday. “But, I mean, that doesn’t affect how we play with pride. If there’s anything to take away from today, we didn’t play with pride.”

He also said this after the Rangers remained winless in the second game of back-to-back sets.

"They just played harder than us. We've got to be able to be professional, prepared for the game and we have to be better. We have to try harder. We have to have more pride in ourselves."

– Vincent Trocheck on the Rangers being 0-6-1 in second halves of back-to-backs pic.twitter.com/lAeH5Bm0JB

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) December 22, 2025

Though far from perfect in their performance against the Capitals, the Rangers showed plenty of resolve erasing a 3-2 deficit nearly halfway through the third period to come away with a huge divisional victory.

“I was happy for our guys and proud of our guys,” Sullivan said postgame. “These guys don’t look for excuses, they’re just trying to find ways to win every night, And I’m happy for them that they were able to score some goals tonight.”

Holiday hugs pic.twitter.com/uhAbWq0dnO

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

To Trocheck’s credit, he scored two goals and posted his first three-point game of the season Tuesday. The 32-year-old alternate captain walked the walk, as they say, following his blistering commentary.

Eleven of New York’s skaters had at least one point, and seven had multi-point games, including Taylor Raddysh, who had two goals and an assist against his former team.

Rangers respond favorably to Vincent Trocheck’s harsh critique, rally for important win against Capitals​

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Whether Trocheck simply was angry after the loss Sunday, or tried to light a fire under a team that looked exhausted amid a stretch of seven games in 11 days is unclear. Only Trocheck knows his motives.

But the 2025-26 Rangers aren’t like last season’s team. Effort and will — or “pride” — are rarely the issue for any struggles or middling play this season. That’s in stark contrast to last season, when the Rangers showed little resolve and cratered during a horrendous 4-15-0 stretch through November and December that submarined their playoff hopes.

Tuesday marked the fifth time this season that the Rangers rallied to win when trailing in the third period. That’s third most in the NHL. It’s helped keep the Rangers (19-16-4) afloat in the Eastern Conference playoff race halfway through the season.

Ironically one of their most stirring such victories occurred Saturday on home ice. The Rangers erased a 4-2 third-period deficit, killed off two penalties in overtime, and defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 in a shootout. Talk about pride and resolve, the Rangers showed plenty of each in that win.

That’s what made the timing of Trocheck’s harsh remarks 24 hours later in Nashville the more curious. But no matter his intent, Trocheck and company looked the part of a determined team, spurred on by a miserable loss in their previous game, when they stormed the Capitals in the final game before the well-earned three-day NHL holiday break.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...ride-after-vincent-trocheck-critical-comments

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers at Christmas break: Stuck in mushy middle, NHL playoffs within reach

No team is happier than the New York Rangers to reach the NHL three-day Christmas break.

Their 7-3 win over the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Tuesday night marked the end of an 11-day stretch when they played seven games, including five in seven days last week. They won three of the final four and finished 4-3-0 – rallying to win in each of their four victories.

The win in Washington puts the Rangers at 19-16-4 (42 points), and they head home for a well-earned rest before playing their next four games on the road. That begins with a visit to the New York Islanders on Saturday and ending with an outdoor matchup against the Florida Panthers in the NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 2 at loanDepot Park in Miami.

Merry and bright pic.twitter.com/bzoYQpnjh0

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

The Rangers hit the break outside the top eight in the East. They are even in points with the Panthers, who hold the second wild-card spot, but played three more games than the defending champs. In fact, each of the other 15 teams have games in hand on the Rangers, whose .538 points percentage is 14th in the 16-team conference.

Still, things are a lot cheerier than they were at this time a year ago, when the Rangers were embarrassed 5-0 by the New Jersey Devils in their final pre-Christmas game and headed into the break losers in 13 of 17 games on the way to becoming the fourth team ever to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs after winning the Presidents’ Trophy the previous season.

There’s a lot of work to do, but the Rangers are just a hot week or two from taking a big leap in the Eastern Conference playoff turtle derby – one where 10 teams are separated by just four points.

Breaking down Rangers season & what’s ahead after Christmas break​

Goaltending​

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Igor Shesterkin is the highest-paid goaltender in the NHL, and he’s playing up to his paycheck.

Shesterkin is a workhorse. His 29-save performance in Washington came in his 30th start of the season, the most in the NHL. He’s 16-11-3 with a 2.55 goals-against average and .908 save percentage; both numbers are improved from last season. His 16 wins are tied for most in the NHL; more ominous is that his 839 shots faced are by far the most in the League.

The most indispensable player on the Rangers roster has 16.5 goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck, fourth most in the NHL.

His backup, 39-year-old Jonathan Quick, is playing much better than his 3-5-1 record would indicate. He has a 1.79 goals-against average and .937 save percentage. Both are NHL bests among goalies who’ve played at least nine games. Quick has not allowed more than three goals in any of his nine starts. The Rangers lose nothing when they put the winningest U.S.-born goaltender in League history in the crease instead of Shesterkin.

Defense​

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The loss of Adam Fox, their best defenseman, to an upper-body injury on Nov. 29, was a big blow. However, they’re 6-4-2 without the 2021 Norris Trophy winner and haven’t allowed more than four goals in any of the 12 games.

Before the injury, Fox and newcomer Vladislav Gavrikov were among the League’s best defensive pairings. Gavrikov paired with Braden Schneider with Fox out, to favorable results Gavrikov is the elite shutdown defenseman the Rangers signed him to be, and already matched his career high with six goals.

Will Borgen and Carson Soucy form an effective second pairing that does a good job dealing with the opposition’s top scorers. Matthew Robertson is a pleasant surprise on the third pair. Fox’s injury created an opportunity for offense-minded rookie Scott Morrow, but his defensive shortcomings are still apparent.

Fox is eligible to return after the break. It’ll be a big lift when he’s back.

Forwards​

Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Putting the puck in the net is the Rangers’ biggest issue this season. They’ve been shut out a League-leading seven times, with six of those coming at Madison Square Garden. The offense is averaging 1.94 goals per game at MSG, a big reason the Rangers are 5-10-3 in their own building.

Oddly, the offense rarely seems to struggle on the road. The Rangers scored at least four goals in 10 of their 21 road games – a big reason they are 14-6-1 away from MSG.

Artemi Panarin leads the Rangers in goals (14) and points (38) in 38 games. Those aren’t great numbers for a player who’s averaged more than a point a game in each of his first six seasons with the Blueshirts – he’s tied for 27th in the NHL scoring race. Twelve of Panarin’s points came in three four-point performances, meaning he has just 26 points in the other 35 games.

Mika Zibanejad (12), Will Cuylle (10) and injured captain J.T. Miller (10) are the only other players to reach double figures in goals. Among the biggest disappointments is Alexis Lafreniere (eight goals, 20 points, minus-6 in 39 games), who’s not even on pace to match last season’s disappointing numbers (17 goals, 45 points).

The Rangers need more depth scoring. Taylor Raddysh had two goals and an assist in the win at Washington; before that, he’d gone 23 games without a goal The bottom-six forwards aren’t producing much; rookie center Noah Laba’s 12 points are the most of anyone who doesn’t play regularly on the top two lines.

Perhaps rookie Gabe Perreault, who’s on a three-game point streak since his latest call up from Hartford of the American Hockey League, provides a spark offensively in the second half.

Special teams​

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The injury to Fox blew a hole in the power play. The Rangers were 13-for-61 (21.3 percent) before Fox got hurt; they are 5-for-34 (14.7 percent) without him – and surrendered four of their League-worst six short-handed goals. Coach Mike Sullivan tried to compensate for Fox’s absence by using a five-forward unit on PP1, but it did not produce a goal before he changed course last week, moving Morrow into Fox’s spot with only slightly improved results.

One problem is the lack of power-play time; the Rangers average just 4:15 per game with the man advantage, 29th in the NHL.

The penalty-killers are doing a decent job (80.7 percent, 17th overall); this month they allowed six goals in 31 man-down situations. Five of the six came in Rangers victories — two against the Ottawa Senators on Dec. 4, two against the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 20 and one in the win against Washington.

Coaching​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Rangers are still getting used to Sullivan’s system. His approach is more of a zone defense rather than the man-to-man system used by his predecessor, Peter Laviolette. The goal is to improve coverage while still giving his players plenty of energy to attack. When it works the way it’s intended to, Sullivan’s system takes time and space away from opposing attackers in the defensive zone, rather than have players chase their man for the entire shift, as usually happens in man-to-man.

Sullivan wants to see his players swarm on the forecheck, shoot the puck more often and get traffic in front of the net – what he calls “the good ice.” Given the Rangers’ personnel limitations, he wants them to incorporate what he describes as “a grind game” and be “a team that’s hard to play against.”

However, each of the top-six forwards experienced production drops this season, and the bottom six doesn’t have anyone resembling a proven scorer. Suffice it to say that installing his system is a work in progress for the two-time Stanley Cup winner.

Schedule​

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Rangers become the first team to hit the halfway mark in their season when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday in the fourth of a six-game road trip. They’re back in Washington for a New Year’s Eve matinee before heading to South Florida to face the Panthers in the NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 2.

The Blueshirts split their remaining 14 games before the Olympic break in early February, with seven home games and seven on the road. That includes a three-game swing through California from Jan. 19-22, and a rare home-and-home set with the New York Islanders on Jan. 28 (at UBS Arena) and Jan. 29 (at the Garden).

The Rangers spend most of the post-Olympic portion of their schedule at home. They return from the break with four straight home games, beginning a stretch that has them play 17 of their final 23 contests at the Garden. That includes a seven-game homestand from March 27-April 8 before ending the season with visits to the Dallas Stars, Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/christmas-break-nhl-playoff-picture

 

[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