A Garand Entrance: Rookie Goalie Gets First Career Shutout in Rangers Win

Posted on October 3, 2026 by Derek

What a week for Dylan Garand. After passing through waivers on Monday to be assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack, he got the call from the Rangers to come back due to Joonas Korpisalo being placed on the injured reserve. He witnessed Igor Shesterkin making history by becoming the first Ranger to score a goalie goal in a win at the home opener.

A night later, Garand was perfect in his first start by making 22 saves to pick up his first career NHL shutout in a 2-0 win over the Red Wings on Friday night at Little Caesars Arena. He went from not knowing where he’d be to winning his first start of the season. It was well deserved for the 24-year-old from British Columbia, who’s now 3-0-1 in four starts with a sparkling .961 save percentage (5 GA on 118 shots).

“Awesome. So happy for him. He’s a great kid. He’s a good goalie. He showed it tonight. He’s got a calm demeanor in there. He made some big saves for us through the middle part of the game. Some of those saves that he made, they look a little bit easier than they actually are. He had to fight through traffic to find sight lines to make those saves, and I thought his rebound control was great. I couldn’t be happier for him,” Mike Sullivan said afterward on Garand, who became the eighth Rangers rookie goalie to record a shutout in four games or less.

Garand called it “the craziest week of my life.” He went from just getting an apartment in Hartford to getting recalled and picking up a shutout to spoil the Red Wings home opener.

When asked by reporters about what it meant, he told them, “Yeah. A lot. The team played really well. I just tried to battle and give them a win. Proud of the group. Whole D-corps was unbelievable tonight.”

Playing for the third time in four nights with an earlier start due to it being a national game on the NHL on TNT, the Rangers bent but didn’t break. They got off to a good start thanks to an early penalty on Nate Danielson for a hold on Oliver Bjorkstrand.

It was the second unit that delivered the game’s first goal. On a play in transition started by Will Cuylle, Gabe Perreault had enough time to find a cutting Sean Durzi for a shot that beat John Gibson for a power-play goal at 5:12. It was Durzi’s first as a Ranger since coming over from Utah this past summer for Vincent Trocheck. He nearly had his second on another power play.

With Michael Rasmussen boxed for roughing Jaroslav Chmelar, it was again Perreault who created what looked like Durzi’s second power-play goal. However, Red Wings bench boss Todd McLellan successfully challenged for offside, with Cuylle just ahead on the entry to overturn it.

As the period went on, the fresher Red Wings began to take control. They tested Garand for the remainder to outshoot the Rangers 11-8. To his credit, Garand stood up to the challenge. He was particularly good late in the first and during most of the second period.

The Rangers got into penalty trouble at the start of the second when Durzi took down J.T. Compher to put Detroit on the power play. But the Rangers penalty kill was superb to remain perfect on the season.

In three games, they’ve successfully killed off 10 penalties. In particular, the additions of Marcus Pettersson, Durzi, Joe Veleno, and Eeli Tolvanen have solidified a unit that also includes Vladislav Gavrikov, Braden Schneider, Adam Fox, Noah Laba, Tye Kartye, Cuylle, Mika Zibanejad, and J.T. Miller. Sullivan now has more defensive oriented players to lean on. That improved depth has already made a difference in the first two wins.

With Garand continuing to repel Red Wing shots, Durzi was challenged by Marco Kasper with less than eight minutes left in the second. After Kasper got in the first shot, Durzi responded with some hey makers to win the tilt with a knockdown on a strong right. The amusing part was that Kasper got off the first punch as The Beastie Boys “Fight For Your Right To Party” played over the speakers. Perfect timing.

Despite the Red Wings pressing hard for the equalizer, it never came. When Garand wasn’t making timely stops, his team defense was making it difficult for the Red Wings to get clean looks.

The Rangers defended extremely well in a tight checking third period. Not only did they hold Detroit to only two shots, but they forechecked well enough to kill time. They outshot the Wings 6-2.

Sullivan made one change by moving up an effective Kartye onto the third line, which meant Oliver Bjorkstrand went down to the fourth line. It was a case of it being a low scoring, defensive game. Kartye was more noticeable and earned the promotion. For a player that was claimed on waivers last year, he’s a strong two-way forward who can be plugged anywhere. The line with Laba and Cuylle did a good job spending time in the offensive zone.

Miller also had a very good night defensively. He was double shifted a couple of times with Kartye and Tolvanen by Sullivan. Miller hasn’t gotten going yet offensively, but his overall game has been solid. He had a big hit on one shift to separate a player from the puck in the defensive zone. Hopefully, the Rangers captain can add more offense when the Rangers return home for a 6 PM game on Sunday against the Mammoth.

With McLellan pulling Gibson for a 6-on-5, the diligent checking from Kartye led to a Tolvanen empty netter that sealed it with 1:16 remaining.

Chmelar Replaces Rempe

For a second straight game, Chmelar replaced Matt Rempe in the lineup. Sullivan made the late change for the home opener. So far, so good. The Rangers improved to 2-0 with Chmelar, who adds a different element than Rempe. He’s a better skater. In 13 shifts, he recorded two hits with a shot over 9:11.

The Rangers have to be pleased with Veleno so far. The new fourth line center has been a factor due to his skating and checking. A strong player on the walls, he’s effective on the cycle. He’s also trusted on the penalty kill, which looks improved. Veleno went 7-and-6 on faceoffs in 13:34 last night.

Trocheck Returns to MSG

When the schedule was released this past summer, one of the first games circled was October 4 at The Garden. A few months after being traded, Trocheck makes his MSG return on Sunday.

A well respected player who was a good Ranger, the 33-year-old who signed with the team as a free agent on July 13, 2022 was instrumental to the team’s success in 2023-24.

After Filip Chytil went down to a concussion against Carolina, Trocheck became a permanent fixture as the number two center between Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere under former Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette. The trio became the NHL’s best scoring line that season. While Panarin set career highs with 49 goals, 71 assists, and 120 points, Trocheck had 25 goals with personal bests in assists (52) and points (77). Lafreniere went 28-29-57 for his breakout.

Trocheck was front and center scoring and setting up goals while dominating in the dots with a 58.7 win percentage. A hard-nosed player who created room for Panarin by finishing checks, he finished second on the Rangers in scoring and ranked among the league leaders in faceoffs that season.

The Blueshirts finished with the league’s best record to capture the Presidents’ Trophy. Although they came up short in their bid to win a Stanley Cup, it was an exciting season that saw them return to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second time in three years. Trocheck was a big reason why they had success, leading them in postseason scoring with 20 points. Aside from Igor Shesterkin, he was their best skater.

Although they were never able to duplicate that success the last two seasons, Trocheck remained a consistent player for the Rangers. When his name was heavily rumored to be on the block last spring, he never let it affect him. He was finally moved to the Mammoth on July 1 for Durzi, prospect Cole Beaudoin and a conditional 2027 third round pick.

Despite returning tomorrow as an opponent, Trocheck will be warmly received and get a video tribute. In 313 games as a Ranger, he totaled 89 goals with 164 assists and 253 points. A popular former teammate, it should be fun to see him back.

In his first game with the Mammoth, he picked up an assist in a 6-0 win over the Blackhawks.

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Kenny Albert Predicted the Shesterkin Goalie Goal

Posted on October 2, 2026 by Derek

One of the things that makes Kenny Albert so great is that he has a feel for the dramatic. Aside from being one of the best broadcasters who doubles as the lead announcer for the NHL on TNT and works on the NFL on Fox, Albert usually can tell when something is about to happen.

Case in point, look no further than last night. With the Rangers comfortably in front of the Lightning in the home opener at The Garden, Jon Cooper lifted Andrei Vasilevskiy early with his team trailing 4-1. By taking the Vezina winner out with over four minutes to play, that meant the Rangers had more chances to score into a vacated net. While it was understandable why Cooper went for the 6-on-5 attack, the odds of a miraculous three-goal comeback were stacked against the Bolts.

Of course, when it comes to the NHL, anything’s possible. Crazy things have happened before when teams pulled the goalie. We’ve seen teams pull a magic rabbit out of the hat by scoring twice to come back from two goals down with less than three minutes remaining. However, it isn’t the norm. A lot has to go right for it to happen. The puck has to bounce your way.

While Albert was calling the game with Dave Maloney on MSG Networks, he called his own shot by accurately predicting that Igor Shesterkin could score due to the amount of time left. After both Jake Guentzel and Nikita Kucherov came close to making it 4-2, the Rangers cleared the zone. As the Lightning were transitioning back up the ice, Albert said:

“This would be the perfect opportunity for Igor if he gets control of the puck.”

Several minutes later, Shesterkin took a puck that came right to him off the back boards and went for it. He made franchise history by becoming the first Rangers goalie to score a goalie goal. He’s the 18th different netminder in NHL history to score a goal. It’s the 21st time it’s happened. Albert’s call was perfect.

“Shesterkin will shoot for the empty net! He scores! He scores! Igor has done it! The first Ranger goaltender to score a goal.“

Of course, Albert had the insight that it could happen. Shesterkin has always been very aggressive when the opportunity has been there. A goalie who doesn’t mind coming out and handling the puck, he’s shot for the empty net before, but never scored before Thurday night.

A night that’ll be remembered forever by the Rangers and their fans. October 2, 2026.

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He Did It: Shesterkin Makes Franchise History by Scoring A Goal to Highlight Rangers Win

Posted on October 2, 2026 by Derek

He did it. For seven years, Igor Shesterkin kept trying to do it. It took him eight years to finally make history by scoring a goal to highlight an exciting 5-1 Rangers win over the Lightning to take the home opener at a boisterous Madison Square Garden.

With the game already decided, the magic moment came when Shesterkin took an errant Lightning shoot in and fired the puck down into an empty net at 17:26 of the third period to raucous cheers from the capacity crowd, who got their monies worth this time. What followed were excited teammates who poured off the bench to mob him after he celebrated becoming the 18th goalie in NHL history to score a goaltender goal.

When asked by MSG’s Michelle Gringas on the bench afterward what it felt like to become the first ever Rangers goalie to score a goal in franchise history, he said, “Actually, I don’t know. I thought I didn’t hear a whistle for icing. I thought I’ll keep trying to score and I did it.

“We did an awesome job, our penalty kill. Amazing. Everyone played the right way. Everyone played for the team. So, we’ll just try to get points for the team. We’ll keep doing that.”

Shesterkin also finished with 24 saves on 25 shots to earn the first star of the game. Unlike the season opener when the team didn’t play well in a 3-0 shutout loss to the Bruins, the Rangers were superb from start to finish. It was a total team effort in a convincing win over a disjointed Lightning, who were a couple of steps behind playing their first game of the season.

Their newest star had himself a special night. Pavel Dorofeyev scored his first goal and assisted on another to record his first two points as a Ranger. Playing for the second time in three nights, the 25-year-old forward was around the puck early and often. With the Rangers on the power play, Adam Fox set up Dorofeyev for a hard one-timer that caromed off Andrei Vasilevskiy right to Mika Zibanejad, who made no mistake burying his first of the season.

When they were at even strength, the Rangers played more like a five-man unit by attacking and defending with more purpose. There weren’t many gaps for the dangerous Lightning to exploit. That included the penalty kill, which was a big part of their success. They were a perfect 7-for-7 killing off a few too many unnecessary penalties.

That included one on Braden Schneider for a hold on Brandon Hagel. However, the normally potent Lightning attack found it difficult to break through. It was the same personnel except for one noticeable difference with John Carlson replacing former Bolt Darren Raddysh on the point. After Raddysh left for Toronto, Carlson signed with Tampa Bay.

The Rangers got plenty of work against a unit that features two-time Hart winner Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Jake Guentzel, Hagel, and Carlson. They were up to the challenge. Instead of overusing Zibanejad and J.T. Miller on the kill, head coach Mike Sullivan leaned heavily on Joe Veleno (6:33) and Tye Kartye (5:51) while shorthanded. He worked in Noah Laba, Will Cuylle, and Eeli Tolvanen to give the veterans a breather with another game on Friday at Detroit.

Following a successful kill to bail out Schneider, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Dorofeyev combined on a nice goal that made it 2-0. An aggressive Bjorkstrand forced a turnover in the neutral zone. After he stole the puck, he pulled ahead and then dished across to Dorofeyev for a nice finish.

The Rangers killed off a chintzy Cuylle holding minor a few minutes later. To put it mildly, the officiating wasn’t good. There were some calls that left the coaches shaking their heads. The refs are probably still in preseason mode.

Less than two minutes into the second period, the third line struck thanks to some diligent work from all three forwards. Following a strong Laba forecheck, Tolvanen centered a pass in front for Cuylle, but it never reached him with it instead ricocheting off a Lightning player in front for a 3-0 lead. Tolvanen got credit for his first as a Ranger after Lightning head coach Jon Cooper burned a timeout to take a closer look at the replay.

During a scrum, Schneider didn’t take too kindly to Jeffrey Viel, who tried to be a nuisance with Shesterkin. They each went off for roughing minors. Unlike the nightmarish opener that saw him make a bad read on J.J. Peterka’s goal, he was sharper. As a pair with 18-year-old rookie Albert Smits, they had a good night combining to go plus-five. Aside from one coverage mistake, Smits was steady in his true MSG debut. He logged 14:09 to become just the second 18-year-old Rangers defenseman to play at that age since former captain Dave Maloney.

The Lightning were finally able to get on the scoreboard thanks to some puck wizardry from Kucherov, who banked in a shot off Laba past Shesterkin. Point started the play at center ice with a nice lead pass for Ilya Mikheyev, who got the puck over for Kucherov. He then wisely sent the puck towards the front for his first of the season.

With the Rangers nursing a two-goal lead, they had to kill off a Miller penalty for hooking Anthony Cirelli. He took a couple of undisciplined penalties in the contest. The Rangers captain has to make sure he moves his feet. Following another easy kill, Gabe Perreault restored order when he deflected in a Fox shot pass to make it 4-1. Zibanejad got it started by moving the puck over to Fox, who patiently waited before finding Perreault wide open in front for his first.

Perreault had a much better game along with Alexis Lafreniere, with the two playing well off each other. Although he didn’t get on the score sheet, Lafreniere was more assertive by using his strength to get a backhand off and draw an iffy tripping minor on J.J. Moser early in the third.

The game remained 4-1 until there was less than three minutes remaining. With Cooper lifting Vasilevskiy with over four minutes to go, the media and fans knew there was a chance for something to happen. Shesterkin took advantage of a wide shoot in and quickly got off an accurate shot that hit the net for an emphatic celebration.

It was well deserved.

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Devils Open Up Against Flyers

Posted on October 1, 2026 by Derek

Following a frustrating 2025-26, the Devils made the wise move to replace Tom Fitzgerald with Sunny Mehta as the new team president and general manager. Since he took over, Mehta has overhauled the roster more to his liking.

By subtracting Jacob Markstrom, who the Panthers were willing to gamble on as their starting goalie, Mehta was able to address the team’s forward depth. After being able to pry Evan Rodriguez and Jesper Boqvist away from Florida to offset Markstrom’s $6 million salary, he signed free agent Anthony Mantha for a two-year deal worth $4.75 million AAV without trade protection. If he can flourish with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt on the number one line, pencil Mantha in for at least 25 goals and 50 points.

In a move that had to be made, Mehta moved on from Simon Nemec by dealing him to the Flames with Max Tsyplakov for Etienna Morin, a 2026 second round pick (Ryan Roobroeck), a 2027 first round pick and conditional 2028 first. A trade that established the Devils top six on the blue line. He added Declan Chisholm from Washington in a trade. Due to Jonathan Kovacevic starting the season on the injured reserve, Chisholm will start the season on the third pair with Brenden Dillon.

The remainder of the back end remains the same. Dougie Hamilton will be counted on to supply offense and log key minutes while teamed up with Jonas Siegenthaler, who plays more of a stay at home defensive game. Luke Hughes will look to bounce back from a tough season that saw him struggle defensively. At this stage, he must be more consistent for the money the Devils are paying him. A gifted player with great acceleration and skill, Hughes must deliver in order for the team to be successful.

Brett Pesce will again work with Hughes. Back fully healthy, he remains the team’s best defensive defenseman. A human eraser who’s very good at preventing goals, the former Hurricane can’t have another injury-riddled year. The Devils are already thin to begin with due to the injury to Kovacevic, who when he returns should be slotted on the third pair with Dillon.

One of Mehta’s best moves was stealing Luke Evangelista from the Predators, who for some reason were unwilling to extend the playmaking forward. Evangelista is coming off a breakthrough season that saw him notch career bests in assists (44) and points (56). He had the advantage of setting up Steven Stamkos, who scored 42 goals for Nashville.

However, the 24-year-old Toronto native is an emerging player who should solidify the top six. After Mehta signed Evangelista to a five-year extension for $7.25 million, he’s slotted to play with captain Nico Hischier and Timo Meier. Perhaps he can be the key to unlocking Meier, who hasn’t fulfilled expectations despite making close to $9 million. At some point, Meier must hit the 30-goal mark. Maybe it comes this season.

Mehta also acquired Amadeus Lombardi from the Red Wings at the 2026 NHL Draft for a fourth round pick (Adam Levac). If he can continue to show off the speed and skill that he displayed in training camp, the Devils could have a steal. Lombardi made the team, beating out Boqvist and Stefan Noesen to start on the fourth line. Cody Glass will anchor one of the better checking lines. Noesen looks much healthier entering the year. He’ll play on that line with Lombardi and Boqvist due to Connor Brown placed on the injured reserve.

Once Brown gets back, he’ll play with Glass and either Lombardi or Boqvist. The Devils might have to waive a forward. Noesen has a higher salary. He makes the most sense.

In net is where it gets interesting. For now, Jake Allen is the starter. A solid 1B goalie, he put up respectable numbers last season. However, he isn’t someone that can play daily. The Devils are hoping Nico Daws can fulfill his potential. He’s never really been given an opportunity to run with it. He was a bit shaky in the preseason. If he isn’t up to the challenge, we could see Remi Poirer in net later this month.

A waiver pickup, the 24-year-old netminder has never played an NHL game. He won 27 games and posted a 2.61 goals-against-average with a .912 save percentage in the American Hockey League for the Texas Stars last season. We’ll see if Poirier becomes an x-factor with so much uncertainty surrounding the Devils goaltending.

Sheldon Keefe returns for another season behind the bench. He isn’t Mehta’s guy. Considering the upgrades that were made to the offense, there’s considerable pressure on Keefe. If for some reason the Devils struggle early on, Keefe could become a coaching casualty.

The Devils should be able to score goals. An area that became problematic when Hughes went down to the steakhouse incident, which derailed 2025-26. A healthy Hughes is capable of eclipsing 40 goals and 100 points. He’ll need more help from Bratt, who’s been in a decline the past couple of years. Expect Bratt to return to form with Hughes up and running.

The keys to the season are how well the defense plays and what happens in net. It can’t be a repeat of last year.

PREDICTION: 3rd place in Metropolitan Division

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Rangers Place Korpisalo on Injured Reserve

Posted on October 1, 2026 by Derek

A few hours before they host the Lightning in the home opener at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers announced that Joonas Korpisalo was placed on the injured reserve due a lower-body injury.

This came out of nowhere. After they traded for him in the off-season, Korpisalo was expected to be the backup goalie behind Igor Shesterkin. In two preseason games, he didn’t show any signs of being hurt. What happened? Did the injury occur during practice, or perhaps in warmups when the Rangers visited the Bruins on Tuesday night?

In any event, it’s puzzling. Even more so, Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury was willing to leave Dylan Garand unprotected this past Sunday. Luckily, he passed through waivers on Monday and cleared to be assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Three days later, Garand was recalled to back up Shesterkin for Thursday night. With the Rangers having a back-to-back tomorrow when they visit the Red Wings, he’ll likely make his first start of the season.

The Rangers will then return home for the Mammoth on Sunday and the Islanders next Tuesday.

Iorio Assigned to Wolf Pack

After being placed on injured reserve, defenseman Vincent Iorio passed through waivers unclaimed. The Rangers assigned him to the Wolf Pack.

Lineup Remains the Same

When the Rangers are introduced, head coach Mike Sullivan will go with the same lineup as the one that got shut out in Boston.

Gabe Perreault-Mika Zibanejad-Alexis Lafreniere

Pavel Dorofeyev-J.T. Miller-Oliver Bjorkstrand

Will Cuylle-Noah Laba-Eeli Tolvanen

Tye Kartye-Joe Veleno-Matt Rempe

Vladislav Gavrikov-Adam Fox

Marcus Pettersson-Sean Durzi

Alberts Smits-Braden Schneider

Igor Shesterkin

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Rangers Fall Apart Late to Lose Opener to Bruins

Posted on September 30, 2026 by Derek

For the second straight year, the Rangers were shut out in a season opener on national TV. They might want to petition the league to start 2027-28 on MSG Network. This time, it was the Bruins who blanked the Rangers 3-0. Unlike last year when they lost at home to the Penguins by the identical score on Oct. 7, 2025, it came on the road in Boston.

Aside from being unable to score, the Rangers didn’t mount much of an attack against the Bruins, who had the better of the scoring chances throughout the game. They were sloppy defensively and committed 20 giveaways for the night. That made it hard on Igor Shesterkin, who as usual held up his end by denying the Bruins on four breakaways.

It took until there was less than four minutes left in regulation for the Bruins to beat him. He was blameless when the Rangers fell apart literally by allowing three consecutive goals in 75 seconds to turn a scoreless contest into a laugher late. If you saw the first two goals, you’d agree.

On a night that the Yankees took care of the Red Sox behind Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card, the collective thud in Boston probably wasn’t heard by many New York sports fans. It was game 1 of 84. There’ll be plenty of more time for the Rangers to recover.

Outside of those fighting for a roster spot, most of the regulars only played six full periods in the abbreviated preseason. With how out of sync they looked, it showed. In particular, the new second pair of Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi struggled with the Bruins speed through the neutral zone. They especially found gaps that frequently had Durzi chasing while Pettersson was back. It was a rough start for both.

Despite being outplayed badly, the Rangers trailed the Bruins by just one shot entering the deciding third. They were a little better in the second half. A quicker start to the final period saw the Blueshirts generate more offensive zone time. However, they weren’t able to take advantage of their stronger play.

When they tested Jeremy Swayman, he made the key stops. His best might’ve come on Braden Schneider off a Mika Zibanejad pass in front. But Schneider couldn’t bury it. That was one of the few shifts that Zibanejad created offense with Alexis Lafreniere, who was the most noticeable out of the trio that included Gabe Perreault. However, the top line only had two shots with both coming from Zibanejad. They can’t afford a repeat of last season.

Pavel Dorofeyev’s best chance came on an outlet thanks to some strong work done by Alberts Smits. After he rubbed out a player, Smits intercepted a shot pass and moved the puck out for Dorofeyev, who came in and forced Swayman into a tough pad save on a backhand. On the same play, he nearly had J.T Miller for the Rangers’ first goal. In his debut, Dorofeyev led the Blueshirts with five shots. He also nearly scored earlier in the contest thanks to some strong work down low from Oliver Bjorkstrand, who finished with four shots.

Overall, the top two lines didn’t establish enough on the forecheck. When they host the Lightning in the home opener on Thursday, they’ll need to be better. Instead, it was the fourth line that generated some of the best chances. That included Matt Rempe, who nearly got into it with Nikita Zadorov before the linesman separated them.

On a strong shift from the fourth line in the third period, Rempe got a shot on Swayman that he stopped. After the play was blown dead, Tye Kartye jarred in a loose puck in the crease. That’s as close as the Rangers came to scoring.

With the game looking like it might go to overtime, a bad read from Vladislav Gavrikov led to the Bruins’ first goal. He forced a pass that didn’t work, which Mason Lohrei intercepted before sending Fraser Minten back into the Ranger zone. Minten patiently waited before using Adam Fox as a screen to whip a snapshot past Shesterkin with 3:46 remaining. Fox made the mistake of getting in the way, which didn’t let Shesterkin pick it up in time.

Less than a minute later, Zibanejad turned the puck over and went for a line change. That allowed Hampus Lindholm and Elias Lindholm to transition up for J.J. Peterka, who then turned Schneider into a statue before deking Shesterkin for his first with 2:54 remaining. It was an embarrassing sequence for Schneider, whose poor defense got exposed. Unfortunately, his younger partner Smits was caught on for the backbreaking goal that finished the Rangers off.

Adding further insult to injury, Mike Sullivan pulled Shesterkin when the Rangers didn’t have clean possession. That mistake led to Minten feeding Mark Kastelic for an easy empty netter 23 seconds later.

Outside of Shesterkin playing well, Smits had a strong debut. Aside from a pair of giveaways early on, the 2026 first round pick made some superb defensive plays. The Latvian teenager used his size well to take pucks off Bruins. Before he scored the winner, Minten couldn’t get past Smits, who prevented him from getting in. Instead of wearing number 63 like he had in preseason, he wore number 12. He took 23 shifts and finished with two hits and a block in 16:54 of ice time.

If there was a surprising stat, Fox only played 18:25. The Rangers only had one power play, which didn’t generate much. Both Pettersson and Durzi each had over 23 minutes in the loss.

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NHL 27: Season Rankings, Playoffs, and More

Posted on September 29, 2026 by Derek

It’s officially NHL 27. When the defending champion Hurricanes roll out the mat to raise their Stanley Cup banner at the top of the hour, they’ll face the former two-time champion Panthers on ESPN as part of a tripleheader.

The Cats will look to claw their way back to contention after Aleksander Barkov missed last season. At their disposal will be the Tkachuk Brothers, featuring the skilled Matthew Tkachuk and more ornery Brady Tkachuk. Adding Brady to a core that includes Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Matthew, Anton Lundell, and Sam Bennett should make them formidable. Questions still remain in net with the Panthers making a questionable trade that subtracted Evan Rodriguez and Jesper Boqvist for Jacob Markstrom. Eventually, Brad Marchand will return. Are they good enough in goal and on defense?

Can the Canes repeat? They’ll start without Seth Jarvis. Meanwhile, Alexander Nikishin continues to hold out. He’ll likely be traded due to the salary cap. Can a tandem of Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov have success in net? Or will Carolina go shopping with Connor Hellebuyck suspended by the Jets for his trade request due most likely to his family being harassed by despicable Canadians online? That untenable situation will be worth following.

Is Mike Babcock the taskmaster to get Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl over the hump? Or will the continued questionable goaltending, which this time features Tristan Jarry and injured former Canes hero Frederik Andersen doom Edmonton? Might former Sabres prospect Devon Levi steal the net away? The Oilers remain the league’s most interesting team.

The Maple Leafs think acquiring moody former Blue Jacket Kirill Marchenko will dramatically improve them up front. They subtracted a good player in Matthew Knies, whose strong work ethic should be welcomed by Rick Bowness in Columbus. Toronto will still largely depend on a healthier Auston Matthews, who could return to being a 40-goal scorer. Is top pick Gavin McKenna ready for prime time in the biggest hockey media market? It’s a bit of a Panthers reunion with Sergei Bobrovsky rejoining former backup Anthony Stolarz.

Are the Uber talented Sharks ready to return to the playoffs? New captain Macklin Celebrini could overtake McDavid for the game’s best player. Second pick Ivar Stenberg is one of the frontrunners for the Calder. A very exciting team that also includes Will Smith, Michael Misa, and Collin Graf is ready to compete. Did Mike Grier add one too many veterans on the blue line by taking Darnell Nurse from the Oilers after signing Jacob Trouba? Yaroslav Askarov holds the key to the season.

The Wild find themselves in a precarious position. They’re already down key defenseman Brock Faber (skull fracture), who was set to team up with polarizing star Quinn Hughes. Hughes is still without a contract next season. Apparently, he can’t make up his mind or already has. The continued headache about playing with his brothers in New Jersey will become as annoying as Taylor Swift during an NFL game. Is the older Hughes just a selfish player who will quit on a second team if things go bad? He did in Vancouver as their captain.

The Stars are hoping this is the year and not another early exit. Jason Robertson could play out the season for a huge raise. Wyatt Johnston is a rising star who could hit 50 goals. Jake Oettinger doesn’t get the same criticism as Hellebuyck for not coming up big in the postseason. Mikko Rantanen and Miro Heiskanen hope to change the narrative in Dallas.

Up in Montreal, they’re already planning the parade. A talented squad that features Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson, Ivan Demidov, and Juraj Slafkovsky could be poised to play for the Cup. Much depends on Jakub Dobes, who’s clearly the number one goalie over veteran Sam Montembeault. Jacob Fowler came up last season. Expect him to be up if Montembeault falters. Chris Kreider in a Canadiens jersey feels wrong. All is forgiven with Carey Price for 2014.

Do the Sabres have too many questions without Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram? They’re already without Mattias Samuelsson, Olen Zellweger, Jason Zucker, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to start the season. Even Alex Lyon is banged up, leaving Colten Ellis as the likely starter. The talent remains due to Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Zach Benson, and Josh Doan. It might be a tough start in Buffalo.

Who can surprise? Perhaps the Blues if Robert Thomas can stay healthy. Joel Hofer is a goalie to keep an eye on. Pittsburgh is banking on Sergei Murashov to take over in net and bring them back to the playoffs in what’s likely the final year of Evgeni Malkin’s legendary career. He might be joined by Alex Ovechkin, who has more weapons thanks to the additions of Jordan Kyrou and Tuch. Ovechkin left himself open to criticism for a puzzling ad in support of Vladimir Putin and Russia.

So, what should we expect? Let’s take a look at our division picks, rankings, playoff picks, and more!

ATLANTIC

  1. Canadiens
  2. Lightning
  3. Panthers
  4. Sabres
  5. Bruins
  6. Maple Leafs
  7. Senators
  8. Red Wings

METROPOLITAN

  1. Hurricanes
  2. Capitals
  3. Devils
  4. Rangers
  5. Penguins
  6. Blue Jackets
  7. Flyers
  8. Islanders

CENTRAL

  1. Avalanche
  2. Stars
  3. Mammoth
  4. Wild
  5. Blues
  6. Predators
  7. Jets
  8. Blackhawks

PACIFIC

  1. Golden Knights
  2. Sharks
  3. Oilers
  4. Ducks
  5. Kings
  6. Kraken
  7. Canucks
  8. Flames

PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(M1) Hurricanes over (WC2) Rangers

(M3) Devils over (M2) Capitals

(A1) Canadiens over (WC1) Sabres

(A3) Panthers over (A2) Lightning

Hurricanes over Devils

Canadiens over Panthers

Canadiens over Hurricanes

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(C1) Avalanche over (WC2) Ducks

(C3) Mammoth over (C2) Stars

(P1) Golden Knights over (WC1) Wild

(P3) Oilers over (P2) Sharks

Mammoth over Avalanche

Golden Knights over Oilers

Golden Knights over Mammoth

STANLEY CUP FINALS

Golden Knights over Canadiens

AWARDS

HART Macklin Celebrini

ROSS Connor McDavid

RICHARD Leon Draisaitl

NORRIS Lane Hutson

VEZINA Igor Shesterkin

CALDER Anton Frondell

BYNG Aleksander Barkov

SELKE Nick Suzuki

ADAMS Ryan Warsofsky

DISHONOR

FIRST COACH FIRED Sheldon Keefe

COACHING CASUALTIES John Hynes, Scott Arniel, Travis Green, Glen Gulutzan (after season), D.J. Smith

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Rangers Preview: Dorofeyev and Revamped Defense Keys to Season

Posted on September 29, 2026 by Derek

Green Day’s “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” used to be the annual song for the start of hockey. While it’ll still hold true for some NHL teams who must wait for October to kick off the longer and more condensed 84-game schedule, the Rangers get going tonight when they visit the Bruins for the second part of an ESPN tripleheader.

Unlike last year, expectations are higher this time around. Thanks in large part to team president and general manager Chris Drury overhauling a roster that struggled offensively and defensively this past offseason, there’s more excitement surrounding the Rangers. Call it guarded optimism that Drury’s biggest moves can pay off in hopes of seeing them returning to the playoffs.

Is there a chance? Sure. But everything must go right for the Blueshirts to avoid missing the postseason for a third straight year. It’s a much different roster than the one they entered 2025-26 with. As the last hints of a hot summer drop this week, we’ll soon find out if it’ll be a more hopeful forecast for autumn and the long winter that awaits.

FORWARDS

The biggest change is the arrival of Pavel Dorofeyev from Vegas. Knowing he needed to bring in a goalscorer to aid an offense that’ll enter its first full season without Artemi Panarin since 2018-19, Drury rolled the dice by acquiring Dorofeyev for a pair of first round picks. He then signed the 25-year-old forward to a seven-year, $77 million contract. His $11 million cap hit ranks right behind Igor Shesterkin ($11.567 million AAV) on the team.

Dorofeyev has totaled 72 goals over the last two seasons. He’ll no longer have Jack Eichel to set him up. While much has been made of that, he should have no problem connecting on the power play receiving feeds from Adam Fox and Mika Zibanejad. A strong shooter with a lethal one-timer, Dorofeyev led the Golden Knights with 20 power-play goals last season. Of the 72 he’s scored the past two years, 33 have come on the man advantage.

If there’s an area he’ll need to produce, it’s at even strength. Still a relatively young player entering his fourth season, he’s getting better. In 2025-26, Dorofeyev set personal bests in goals (37), assists (27), and points (64). That included 34 even-strength points (17-17-34) and 30 power-play points.

Despite being the Rangers’ best finisher, he’ll start with J.T. Miller and Oliver Bjorkstrand on the second line. Miller is looking to bounce back from an injury riddled season that limited his effectiveness. If he can return to form, the Rangers captain should be able to put up 70 points. Bjorkstrand signed for one year at $4.5 million. A proven scorer who usually can get 20 goals, he’s being counted on to solidify the top six. Bjorkstrand is a streaky player who will be used on the second power play unit. If he’s up to the challenge, 40 to 50 points is possible.

Although he scored an identical 20 goals for the second straight season, the gritty Will Cuylle is better suited for the third line. His skating and physicality make him the Rangers’ toughest forward. A no-nonsense player who isn’t shy about finishing checks, Cuylle went over 300 hits for the second consecutive year. Due to his instincts, he’s also featured on the penalty kill. If Bjorkstrand struggles, Cuylle could find his way up into the top six. Second-year head coach Mike Sullivan will over see that.

Due to how well they finished together, Zibanejad remains between Alexis Lafreniere and Gabe Perreault. The question is whether or not both Lafreniere and Perreault can duplicate the chemistry they had with Zibanejad, who paced the Blueshirts in several categories, including goals (34), assists (44), points (78), and power-play goals (16). The Rangers’ franchise all-time leader in PPG’s (124) is the unquestioned leader of the offense. He was asked to do too much last year.

It falls on Lafreniere to finally put together a true breakout season. Matching his previous career best in points (57) was nice. It hardly qualifies for the money they’re paying him. At times, the former 2020 top pick has had issues finishing. There have been moments where he wasn’t noticeable. He made strides improving defensively thanks to Sullivan calling him out. Now in his seventh year, Lafreniere needs to become a more consistent performer in order for the Rangers to have success. That means getting 30 goals and 70 points.

The 21-year-old Perreault has some superb vision and offensive instincts that should make him a dangerous player. Coming off a solid rookie year that saw him finish strong with 27 points in 54 games, the 2023 first round pick could be in line for an early breakout. The organization decided to wait before signing him to an extension. They want to see it first before committing lots of years and dollars. Perhaps they decided to proceed with caution after rewarding Lafreniere so early in 2024-25.

It’s my belief that Perreault will produce at least 30 assists. Despite starting on the second power play unit, he should be able to crack 50 points. We’ll see if he forces Sullivan’s hand. For now, the top unit will feature Zibanejad, Dorofeyev, Miller, Lafreniere, and Fox.

If there’s an area that looks improved, it’s the bottom six. In particular, the third line which features Cuylle alongside second-year center Noah Laba and key addition Eeli Tolvanen. For a first-year player who made the roster out of training camp, Laba proved that he belonged. An effective two-way forward who excels at winning battles, the 23-year-old from Northville, Michigan earned Sullivan’s trust through hard work. Using his six-foot three, 218-pound frame well, he plays with a tenacity that rubs off on teammates.

Bringing in former Kraken forward Tolvanen for $1.5 million over one year made sense. He plays a similar style that should fit what Sullivan wants from his energy line. All three forwards should be able to hit double digits in goals. Tolvanen has reached double figures seven times in his career, including a career-best 23 in 2024-25. Laba put up nine in his first season while also winning over 50 percent of faceoffs. He’ll once again be featured on the penalty kill with Cuylle, who has good hands in front.

The fourth line has a new center. Replacing Sam Carrick is Joe Veleno. He won’t do much offensively. However, he’s a solid checking type who likes to get the jersey dirty. He’ll start with Tye Kartye and Matt Rempe. Kartye is by far the most skilled of the trio. He brings a lot of energy, speed, and physicality. Primarily, that line’s job isn’t to provide offense. However, it would be nice if at some point, Kartye has someone who can bring more than grit to the table. We’ll see how long Rempe lasts before Jaroslav Chmelar comes in.

In regards to the team’s improved depth, the proven Taylor Raddysh will start in Hartford. Dylan Roobroeck remains the favorite if Sullivan feels he needs an injection of younger legs. The Rangers will be monitoring the progress of Adam Sykora (out until February) following the lower-body injury he sustained versus the Devils last week. He definitely would’ve pushed for a spot. Hopefully, he can return healthy and resemble the player the organization saw last spring.

DEFENSEMEN

Even after bringing in Vladislav Gavrikov to pair up with Fox last season, it wasn’t enough to overcome the Rangers’ defensive deficiencies. Nobody was fooled except for Drury about the reality of handing Will Borgen a big contract that guaranteed him top four minutes. As it turned out, subtracting the reliable K’Andre Miller and having no replacement was an unmitigated disaster.

At one point, Sullivan was employing the slow and slower tandem of Borgen and Carson Soucy as his second pair last year. There was also Fox’s injury that led to him trying Gavrikov and Braden Schneider together on the number one pair. They were unwatchable. Unfortunately, Schneider has never become the top four defenseman the organization envisioned. In fact, Drury and Schneider settled on one year for $5.5 million. It’s a good bet that if the team isn’t in contention, Schneider will be the first to go.

At least Drury realized he miscalculated. By unloading the remainder of Borgen’s contract to Boston, he was able to pivot by acquiring Marcus Pettersson from Vancouver. It cost a 2030 first round pick to bring in an experienced defensive defenseman that Sullivan is familiar with dating back to their days spent in Pittsburgh. By also adding reliable skating right defenseman Sean Durzi from the Mammoth in the Vincent Trocheck deal, which also netted promising prospect Cole Beaudoin, Drury remade the second pair.

The best part about Durzi is that he’s a mobile, puck moving defenseman capable of contributing offensively. Unlike the past few seasons when Fox was asked to carry the offense from the blue line, he’ll finally have some help. Durzi has gone over 30 points twice in his career. In 60 games last season for Utah, he had 27 points. Fox will no longer be asked to run the full power play. Durzi will run the point on a second unit that looks more promising.

As for Fox, he was still excellent putting up 53 points in 55 games despite missing significant time. He remains one of the league’s best defensemen. At this point, he’s underrated due to where NHL Network ranked him. There’s no way Fox shouldn’t be in the top 10. None of that matters. He’s one of the best at making perfect outlets to start plays out of his zone that lead to transition. Fox is a genius at keeping pucks in and remains one of the best at running the power play due to his passing and hockey IQ. While not the fastest, he makes up for it in smarts. The Rangers need a healthy Fox to again remind people what makes him special.

When they selected Alberts Smits with the number five pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, it was with an eye towards the season. Listed at six-foot-three, 208 pounds, the 18-year-old Latvian combines skating with defensive awareness. In two preseason games, Smits didn’t look out of place. As is the case for most young players, he’ll make some mistakes. Sullivan must be patient with the rookie defenseman.

Smits will start the season on the third pair with Schneider. Hopefully, his skating and ability to transition from defense to offense can aid Schneider, who sometimes can have issues getting out of his end.

Unlike last year, the Rangers have stronger depth on the back end. They decided to go with eight defensemen by keeping both Matthew Robertson and Scott Morrow. Robertson was a pleasant surprise last season, earning praise from Sullivan. A smart and steady left-handed defenseman, he is solid in his end and capable of contributing. In a way, it’s unlucky that he’s become the seventh defenseman because he didn’t do much wrong. It speaks to how highly thought of Smits is. If he struggles with the speed of the game, he can go down to Hartford.

Morrow came over from the Hurricanes as part of the return for Miller, who helped them win a Stanley Cup. An offensive defenseman who plays the right side, he had his issues last season. Some inconsistency defensively led to him spending the majority of 2025-26 with the Wolf Pack. Now 23, the Darien, Connecticut native showed improvement in the preseason scoring against the Islanders. He’s number four on the depth chart behind Schneider. It remains to be seen if Morrow will get a chance. That might depend on how the season goes.

GOALTENDING

For the sixth straight year, Shesterkin will be largely counted on in net for the Blueshirts. Now a 30-year-old veteran in the second year of a huge contract, Shesterkin looks to lead the Rangers back to the playoffs.

Considered by many to be the game’s best goalie among a list that includes Andrei Vasilevskiy, Connor Hellebuyck, and Ilya Sorokin, he hasn’t won 30 games since 2023-24 due to the team in front of him. Defense was indeed optional the past two seasons. With Drury making improvements to the blue line and up front by adding both scoring and checking, Shesterkin could be in line to challenge for his second Vezina.

Nobody is expecting him to ever duplicate the 2.07 goals-against-average and .935 save percentage he had when he was voted the league’s best goalie by general managers in 2021-22. However, Shesterkin should win more games and have better numbers across the board. Hopefully, that also means more shutouts. After recording six in 2024-25, he only posted one last season. He has 22 for his career. He’s 13 shy of 200 victories. That’s a milestone he should reach.

The importance of Shesterkin is similar to Fox on the blue line. If both can stay healthy unlike last season, the Rangers should be much better. Considering that Sullivan will likely give him close to 60 starts due to the schedule, they need Shesterkin to be at his best.

In camp, Joonas Korpisalo beat out Dylan Garand for backup duty. He’s been around long enough to know how to prepare for starts. When the Rangers play four games over six days early on, they’re going to be counting on the 32-year-old Korpisalo to provide steady goaltending. He can’t let in soft goals that have defined his career. They need him to be similar to former backup Jonathan Quick. Maybe not the 2025-26 version. But more often than not, Quick could go in and not miss a beat.

Hopefully, Korpisalo can be trusted enough to spell Shesterkin. If he struggles, it shouldn’t be long before we see Garand.

COACHING

Hired last year by Drury to replace Peter Laviolette, Sullivan enters his second season behind the Rangers bench. Obviously, the first year didn’t go as planned. Even with the injuries to key stars, the team continued to play for him.

When Drury made the difficult decision to move on from Panarin, Sullivan adjusted by putting Zibanejad with Lafreniere and Perreault. A line that he’ll lean on early to set the tone. If they get out slowly, how long before he bumps up Dorofeyev? Ideally, he should play with the best playmakers, which are Zibanejad and Perreault.

It’ll be interesting to see how Sullivan handles the losses of Panarin and Trocheck. While so much of the focus is on what Panarin brought, the value of Trocheck wasn’t only the offense he provided. It was also his leadership and intangibles that convinced a young team like the Mammoth to part with Durzi and a good prospect to bring him in.

Sullivan has more of a roster that he prefers. There shouldn’t be any catering to one star.

ANALYSIS

There’s no doubt that the Metropolitan Division remains very weak. Even with the Capitals and Devils upgrading their rosters, there isn’t any reason that the Rangers can’t compete for a top three spot. The Hurricanes are the hunted now that they’re the champs. After the Devils, who look to have more scoring depth despite questions in net, there’s a big drop-off. If everything works out, the Rangers should challenge for the playoffs.

PREDICTION: 4th in Division

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Rangers had deal with Hurricanes for Alexander Nikishin, Unable to agree on contract

Posted on September 28, 2026 by Derek

While the Maple Leafs were making headlines by acquiring disgruntled forward Kirill Marchenko from the Blue Jackets, hockey insider Elliotte Friedman reported on his 32 Thoughts podcast that the Rangers and Hurricanes had a deal in place for Alexander Nikishin earlier this offseason. However, the Rangers were unable to agree on a contract with the unsigned restricted free agent.

It wasn’t exactly a revelation. During the summer, the Rangers were heavily attached to rumors for Nikishin. A talented left-handed puck moving defenseman who had 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points with a plus-18 rating in his first season with the Hurricanes, the 24-year-old Russian reportedly asked for too much money. Based off one year, neither the Hurricanes nor the Rangers were willing to give into his contract demands that were said to be as high as $9 million per year.

A former Hurricanes 2020 third round pick, Nikishin came over from the Kontinental Hockey League where he starred for St. Petersburg SKA and had success with Carolina. However, his ask was absurd despite helping the Canes win the Stanley Cup. Instead of being signed for a fair deal, he remains unsigned entering the 2026-27 season.

The Hurricanes are set to kick off the 84-game schedule by raising their championship banner against the Panthers at 5 PM tomorrow. They’ll do so without Nikishin, who doesn’t look like he’ll be joining them anytime soon. The defending champs will begin the season with Jaccob Slavin and K’Andre Miller leading the way on the blue line, followed by Sean Walker, Shayne Gostisbehere, Jalen Chatfield, and rookie Charles-Alexis Legault.

With Seth Jarvis ($7.42 million AAV) starting the year on injured reserve, the Hurricanes have $8.42 6 million in cap space. Once he returns, it’ll be considerably lower. There isn’t any room to overpay Nikishin. Expect something it to get resolved sometime before the Dec. 1 deadline.

Regarding the Rangers, they made the right decision to walk away from Nikishin. We don’t even know what Chris Drury was planning to give up. The cost was too rich for them and would’ve come at the expense of 2026 first round pick Alberts Smits, who’ll make his NHL debut on Tuesday night against the Bruins at 8 PM on ESPN.

Drury was able to revamp the blue line by adding Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi via trades that only subtracted Vincent Trocheck from last year’s roster. We’ll see how the new look defense fares starting tomorrow on the same night the Yankees and Red Sox get together for Game 1 of the American League Wild Card.

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Rangers Luck Out With Garand Clearing Waivers

Posted on September 28, 2026 by Derek

On Monday at 2 PM, both Dylan Garand and Taylor Raddysh cleared waivers. The Rangers assigned each to the Hartford Wolf Pack for the start of the American Hockey League later this week. The Wolf Pack open up at the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this Saturday on Oct. 3.

By leaving Garand exposed on Sunday, Chris Drury gambled that the 2020 fourth round pick wouldn’t be claimed. With the Jets deciding to claim former Capitals goalie Clay Stevenson, the risk paid off. Now, Garand can begin his fourth pro season as the Wolf Pack starting goalie. The 24-year-old former 2025 AHL All-Star will look to prove that he deserves to be an NHL backup. A ‘battle‘ he lost to veteran Joonas Korpisalo, who Drury prefers.

To be perfectly blunt, it’s rather absurd how the organization views Garand. At what point will their philosophy shift of choosing experienced backups over an NHL ready goalie prospect who’s paid his dues? Perhaps when or if the mediocre Korpisalo struggles, they’ll rethink the decision to give up a fourth round pick for a 32-year-old career backup. Korpisalo is coming off a bad year with the Bruins in which he posted a 3.15 goals-against-average and .894 save percentage.

In fact, he’s posted a sub-.900 save percentage the past three seasons. His career best in save percentage came in 2022-23 when he had a .914 with both the Blue Jackets and Kings. Then, the Senators made the mistake of signing him to a five-year, $20 million contract on July 1, 2023. After he flopped badly as a starter, they traded him with Mark Kastelic and a 2024 first round pick to the Bruins for Linus Ullmark.

Following two years as the backup behind Jeremy Swayman, Korpisalo was dumped to the Rangers, who absorbed $6 million of the remainder of his contract that expires in 2028. If it doesn’t work out, Drury will wind up eating more salary in dead cap space. Something that’s become a frequent occurrence. While the Rangers will go with Korpisalo to back up Igor Shesterkin, the Bruins are banking on former Canucks prospect Michael Dipietro to back up Swayman. Once a Vancouver 2017 third round pick, he’s appeared in four NHL games.

To be fair, most teams have the same philosophy when it comes to the backup position. However, not every general manager is cut out of the same mold. Over the weekend, the Devils put journeyman David Rittich on waivers and claimed Remi Poirier from the Stars. A year older than Garand, he’s never played in the NHL. However, he performed well for the Texas Stars in the AHL in 2025-26. Poirier will turn 25 on Oct. 6.

New GM Sunny Mehta isn’t afraid to roll the dice. He also stole Amadeus Lombardi from the Red Wings. Lombardi made the team and will start on the fourth line over vets Jesper Boqvist and Stefan Noesen. He’ll make his NHL debut later this week.

From a Rangers viewpoint, it would be nice if Drury got with the times. Matt Rempe would be a solid fourth line player if we were in the 1990s or 2000s. He really doesn’t have a place on a roster. It isn’t like he can contribute anything of value aside from the occasional big hit or scrap, which he isn’t good at. His size can be utilized to screen goalies on the forecheck. There isn’t much else he can bring.

Similar high character players can provide more. The best examples of fourth liners that can contribute are Marcus Foligno, Adam Klapka, Kastelic, and A.J. Greer. There are more skilled types such as Mathieu Olivier and Kiefer Sherwood, with both becoming top nine players due to their ability to score goals and play shorthanded. Lawson Crouse and Jamie McBain play on the same line due to what they add for the Mammoth.

Let’s put it this way. Rempe was developed by the Rangers. His popularity grew in stature due to his introduction to the NHL. Taking on tough customers like Matt Martin and Olivier earned respect from his peers. However, he also got suspended twice for illegal checks that injured players. Jonas Siegenthaler was concussed on one of them. He toned it down the last two years. With Sullivan wanting to see him pick his spots, Rempe made the mistake of taking on Ryan Reaves last season. The end result led to two thumb surgeries due to connecting with Reaves’ helmet. It cost him most of the year. He was ineffective when the Rangers rushed him back for no reason.

In 85 career games, Rempe has totaled five goals and six assists for 11 points with 149 penalty minutes. Now 24, the 2020 sixth round pick is likely in his last NHL season. If he struggles to establish himself, the more skilled Jaroslav Chmelar will play instead.

The thing is that the Rangers have options in Hartford. Dylan Roobroeck had a good showing in training camp. He is close to graduating. Three years younger and selected in the same round in 2023, the 22-year-old center should be knocking on the door. Adam Sykora proved that he could contribute when he was brought up last season by having three goals and an assist in 11 contests. Unfortunately, it’ll be a long road back from the serious lower-body injury he sustained in preseason against the Devils.

Even Raddysh has proven he’s capable of contributing. Once Drury signed Eeli Tolvanen, that made Raddysh expendable. Only a year ago, he started the season in the top nine and even found his way up when called upon. However, Sullivan also played favorites like nephew in law Conor Sheary. With key additions Pavel Dorofeyev and Oliver Bjorkstand solidifying the top nine, there won’t be any of that.

Who’s to say Raddysh can’t come back up and play a fourth line role? He’s way more skilled than Rempe. It’s just that the Rangers prefer to have a grinding line with more size. That’s why Chmelar made the team. He’s on a two-way deal, which means they can send him down.

For now anyway, Rempe is expected to start the season on the new fourth line with Joe Veleno and Tye Kartye when the Rangers visit the Bruins tomorrow night. We’ll see where things go.

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