August highlighted by top 20 lists and the unholy war for Quinn Hughes

Posted on August 27, 2026 by Derek

With only a few days left in August, hockey is around the corner. Believe it or not, only 33 days remain until a new season begins. On Sept. 29, the NHL will start a bit sooner with an 84-game schedule returning for the first time since 1993-94.

That means a triple header with the Carolina Hurricanes beginning their Stanley Cup defense against the Florida Panthers. The second part of the ESPN feature includes the New York Rangers renewing acquaintances with the Original Six rival Boston Bruins. Part three has the Chicago Blackhawks without Connor Bedard taking on the defending Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights.

Up North, the biggest rivalry kicks off between the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs as 2026 top pick Gavin McKenna should be expected to make his NHL debut. Out in the Pacific Northwest, the Vancouver Canucks look to spoil the fun for Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.

If you love puck, it’ll be front and center a week into fall. It’ll definitely be odd to see regular season action before October. It’ll be eerily similar to baseball opening in late March instead of traditional April. Something that’s still hard to get used to. The difference is that starting at the end of September isn’t bad. The longer season will still conclude before spring. It remains to be seen if there’ll actually be any baseball at the start of next year. Armageddon is coming.

If you do follow the sport, it’s really down. The Yankees are less fun to watch than the revamped Mets. Parity has made its way to baseball with American League teams under .500 in wild card contention. It’s been a perplexing summer.

Dylan Larkin, the Red Wings, and the Buddy System

What’s in store for the upcoming hockey season? Well, if you like standoffs, the Detroit Red Wings aren’t giving in to Dylan Larkin. They hope bringing in a new general manager to replace Steve Yzerman can fix the strained relationship between Larkin and the organization. Oddly enough, the Red Wings haven’t named a new GM yet.

As for Larkin, he’s only their captain. If they eventually trade him, he only wants to go play with his friends in Minnesota.

I don’t know about anyone else. But I’m fed up with the buddy system. Brady Tkachuk weaseled his way out of Ottawa to go team up with older brother Matthew in Florida. Now, Larkin wants to reunite with gold medal teammates and Team USA architect Bill Guerin. How soon before Quinn Hughes tries to force his way to New Jersey to team up with younger brothers Jack and Luke? It depends on what you believe.

Has there been anything more embarrassing than the social media barbs traded between Wild insider Michael Russo and Devils buddy J.P. Gambatese? I have no dog in this fight. But Russo has acted unprofessional towards Devils media. For a well known beat reporter who’s covered the Stanley Cup, he’s let Devils fans get underneath his skin. Taking unwarranted shots at the devoted reporters who cover the Jersey side looks bad for him. It reeks of arrogance.

I’ll just leave you with this regarding the uncertainty surrounding Hughes. Kirill Kaprizov didn’t sign his record breaking eight-year, $17 million AAV contract extension until Sept. 30, 2025. Technically, Hughes doesn’t have to sign anything right now. It’s his choice.

Funny, but nobody has made any fuss over Cale Makar taking his time with the Colorado Avalanche. He’s set to make $9 million next season. Little brother Taylor is in the Avalanche organization. He’s on a two-way deal. His older brother will likely become the first player to sign for $20 million. According to Elliotte Friedman, it sounds like the two sides are very close to a new contract that will keep Makar in Colorado.

Verbeek’s Mismanagement Leaves Ducks in Cap Conundrum

It’s still hard to believe that Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek let Leo Carlsson sign a $18 million offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers – forcing him to match and create serious cap issues for the Ducks. It could’ve been avoided if he had made Carlsson a better offer in the $16 million price range.

Now, Cutter Gauthier rejected a four-year, $13 million AAV offer. Why would he take it after leading the Ducks in scoring during the regular season and postseason? Unlike Carlsson, Gauthier isn’t offer sheet eligible. Eventually, they’ll hammer out a new deal that’ll make Gauthier one of the highest paid finishers. Once that happens, Verbeek will look to shed salary by making Frank Vatrano, Alex Killorn, and possibly Chris Kreider available.

At present, Anaheim has over nine million in cap space. However, once they get Gauthier squared away, they’ll be over the cap by a significant margin. If they can find a team to absorb Vatrano and pick up part of Killorn’s contract, that should be enough to retain Kreider for the final year of his contract. Although he’s started to decline, he remains a key veteran presence for a team that reached the second round in its postseason return last season. Kreider can still get 20 to 25 goals with most of it from in front.

NHL Rankings Debate

As usual, with nothing going on in August, the NHL Network has been busy with their latest installment of rankings. So far, they’ve presented the top 20 scoring wings, the top 20 defensemen, the top 10 goalies, and finally the top 20 centers

First up was the blue line. The easiest prediction was them having Makar and Hughes 1-2. Here’s how the remainder of the top 20 looked.

They went with Zach Werenski at number three over Rasmus Dahlin, who was outstanding for the Buffalo Sabres last postseason. Werenski won his first Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman. Despite playing for a team that missed the playoffs, he remains elite. Miro Heiskanen rounded out the top five. Probably the best overall defenseman, he earned his ranking.

Afterward, they went with younger players over more established stars. How else to explain Lane Hutson and Matthew Schaefer at 6-7 (pun) over Moritz Seider and the disrespected Adam Fox? Hutson is definitely in the top 10 after backing up his rookie year by helping lead the Canadiens to the Eastern Conference Finals. Schaefer is undoubtedly very talented as evidenced by his record 23 goals scored as an 18-year-old to run away with the Calder Trophy. However, let Schaefer prove himself before putting them that high.

They love Jake Sanderson, ranking him eighth. He’s definitely an emerging star on the Ottawa Senators who could contend for the Norris. Rounding out the top 10 were Seider and the offensive-minded Evan Bouchard, who was rated accordingly due to his hiccups defensively.

Both Charlie McAvoy and Jaccob Slavin led the way from 11 through 20 as part of a strong American trio that included Fox ranked 13th. Brock Faber followed him at number 14. So, there are plenty of Team USA representation, with both Hughes, Hutson, and Sanderson amongst the top eight. Practically the whole Olympic blue line sans Fox was included. Jackson LaCombe was number 17 on the countdown.

Roman Josi (15), Josh Morrissey (16), and Victor Hedman (18) remained in the top 20, along with Shea Theodore and Devon Toews, who were the final two to crack the list.

I believe Thomas Harley deserved a spot in the list. Injuries limited him to 70 games last season. Harley plays second fiddle to Heiskanen, who’s one of the league’s best defensemen. I’m not sure there’s much difference between him and Faber, who benefited from playing alongside Hughes. The healthier Faber had the better year. So, he moved up.

Kucherov Tops List of Scoring Wings

As expected, Nikita Kucherov remained at the top of the list of scoring wings. The rating Hart winner is a dominant player who shows no signs of slowing down. His 130 points ranked second behind Connor McDavid (138) for the Art Ross.

The 33-year-old Kucherov has hit the century mark six times over his career, including the past four seasons. He’s won the scoring title three times and the Hart twice. Aside from the gaudy numbers that include 401 goals, 723 assists, and 1,124 points in 879 games, Kucherov is a plus-200. Both he and Nathan MacKinnon are the best five-on-five players. MacKinnon is a plus-229 with 1,142 points in 950 games. In case you’re wondering, McDavid is a plus-186 with 1,220 points in 794 games.

In assessing the top 20 list, they did a good job. I had Brandon Hagel a little higher due to how well-rounded he is. He made my top 10 over Matthew Tkachuk and Cole Caufield. I also had Sam Reinhart ranked higher. Similar to Hagel, Reinhart doesn’t have any flaws. One of the league’s best penalty killers, he’s scored 13 shorthanded goals over the past three seasons. They probably dropped him due to the production. He still finished with 29 goals and 61 points in 64 games while playing without Aleksander Barkov.

I had Jason Robertson in the top five. Nobody can dispute David Pastrnak, who does more with less than anyone else. Pastrnak is such an outstanding player. What if he had a top center to get him the puck? Even though he slipped to 29 goals, Pastrnak achieved a new personal best with 71 assists to hit 100 points for the fourth straight season. What a player.

They still had Artemi Panarin at number 12. There’s no denying his talent. Now, we’ll get to see what the former Ranger can do in the final chapter of his career with the Los Angeles Kings. Similar to the Big Apple, he won’t have an elite center in Hollywood. Quinton Byfield has yet to prove himself. Panarin will have the puck a lot while working with Byfield and Adrian Kempe. Kempe was somehow overlooked while Lucas Raymond still managed to come in at number 20. Playing in LA doesn’t help. He could be in line for a big season.

Gauthier also cracked the list coming in at number 19. He scored 41 goals in his sophomore year. Gauthier posted four goals with eight assists for a dozen points in the playoffs. He should only get better. Assuming Anaheim gets him done in time for training camp, 50 goals is possible.

Aside from Kempe, who missed the cut, Seth Jarvis didn’t make it either. Both Jarvis and Dylan Guenther are two players who could be in the top 20 by next year. Keep an eye on Kirill Marchenko and Gauthier’s teammate, Beckett Sennecke.

Vasilevskiy Heads Top 10 Netminders

Following a strong campaign that saw him win the Vezina, Andrei Vasilevskiy was ranked first on the top 10 goalies. He remains a very consistent player for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Without him, they would struggle. The Lightning are carried by both Vasilevskiy and Kucherov. However, they never put an emphasis on the backup goalie. At some point, that must change. Vasilevskiy isn’t a machine, even if the league-leading 39 victories in 58 games say otherwise.

Connor Hellebuyck dropped a spot down to number two due to a bad year. To be honest, it was his team. The Winnipeg Jets were a mess defensively, and leaned heavily on their top line. Hellebuyck nearly got them into the postseason. Now, we’ve learned that he wants out of Winnipeg. He made it official earlier today. His trade request was kept private out of respect for the Jets organization. It confirmed the rumors that he nearly became a Buffalo Sabre two months ago. We’ll see what happens with Hellebuyck likely to be moved.

Igor Shesterkin was ranked third. He remains a very steady goalie for the New York Rangers. Obviously, the past two seasons have been tough. But he still managed to post a .912 save percentage with a 2.50 goals-against-average in 2025-26. That was despite missing some time. He’s undoubtedly one of the game’s best netminders. There are few goalies most would rather have than Shesterkin. Can he elevate an improved Rangers defense to a postseason return?

I’ll admit that I rated Jeremy Swayman higher than Ilya Sorokin. However, Sorokin basically had to do it by himself last season for the New York Islanders. Unfortunately, he broke down due to a lousy defense. He still finished second for the Vezina. The Islanders haven’t improved at all this off-season. Where’s the scoring coming from? Sorokin could get Semyon Varlamov back to at least alleviate some pressure.

The bottom part of NHL Network’s goalie list is questionable. They moved up Dan Vladar, Jesper Wallstedt, and Jakub Dobes. The latter two did it as rookies to help get their teams to the postseason. Dobes was brilliant for the Montreal Canadiens, who reached the Conference Finals. Wallstedt is very talented. He could become the next great goalie. With Filip Gustavsson starting the year on long-term injured reserve, we’ll see if Wallstedt can deliver for in Minnesota.

Vladar had never been a starter before until he helped the Philadelphia Flyers reach the playoffs. They even made the second round. I think it’s a bit premature to have him that high. However, it speaks to how weak the current crop of goalies are.

Sergei Bobrovsky didn’t make the cut. His numbers were way down for Florida. He could reemerge with the Toronto Maple Leafs. It’ll be interesting to see how a Bobrovsky/Anthony Stolarz tandem does. Stolarz once was the backup behind Bobrovsky in Florida when they won their first Stanley Cup.

Lukas Dostal also dropped out completely due to an inconsistent year. He still won 30 games, but nobody knew which Dostal would show up. Neither of the Colorado Avalanche tandem made it. Scott Wedgewood had a great season, but he and Mackenzie Blackwood fell apart in a sweep to the Vegas Golden Knights.

There are a few goalies to keep an eye on entering the new season. They include Joel Hofer, Jet Greaves, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and Dustin Wolf. With Stanley Cup winner Frederik Andersen expected to miss the first few weeks in Edmonton, perhaps that’s the opening former Sabres prospect Devon Levi needs. We’ll see if he can take advantage. Can Yaroslav Askarov or Spencer Knight lead their teams to the playoffs? San Jose is a stronger bet. Knight has the capability to become a top 10 goalie.

McDavid and MacKinnon Top Centers

As usual, the top 20 centers came down to the two best players. McDavid and MacKinnon. I refer to them as 1A and 1B. That’s how special both are. Despite MacKinnon scoring 52 goals to win the Rocket Richard, it was again McDavid who ran away with the scoring title by posting 138 points. Next year, he’ll turn 30. The clock is ticking on winning a Cup with the Edmonton Oilers.

It’s astonishing to think that McDavid and sidekick Leon Draisaitl (#4 ranking) have yet to do it. Ultimately, their teams weren’t as good as the Panthers in 2024 or 2025. Last year was a huge step back. Losing to the Ducks didn’t sit well in the locker room. Two of the game’s most dominant players signed off on the controversial Mike Babcock to coach Edmonton. We’ll see if it works.

While McDavid still edges MacKinnon for the top spot, they did something that I thought was possible by moving Macklin Celebrini up to number three over Draisaitl. Celebrini made a quantum leap in Year 2 by putting up 45 goals, 70 assists, and 115 points. Although he clearly did more than any of the three players ahead of him, the teenage sensation finished fourth for league MVP. His day will come soon.

As special as Draisaitl is, I have no problem with Celebrini ranked third. He doesn’t have McDavid getting him the puck. Especially on the power play, where Draisaitl is lethal from that right side. There’s also no Bouchard up top. The Edmonton power play is pretty scary. Imagine if the defense and goaltending catch up. They dumped Darnell Nurse on San Jose, who had already signed Jacob Trouba. The latter deal made no sense.

After the top four, Barkov remained at number five despite missing the entire season. He’s that good. He proved it by leading Finland to the gold medal at the World Championships. Barkov is the best defensive forward since Patrice Bergeron. He’s a proven performer who matches up against the game’s best players. Ask Auston Matthews what it’s like facing him. Or better yet, McDavid.

Jack Eichel remained sixth behind Barkov. In another world, Eichel would be a top three center challenging for the Hart. He’s a complete player who can play both sides of the puck. A very disappointing Stanley Cup Final saw him blanketed by the Carolina Hurricanes. He didn’t score a single goal. As good as he is, he’ll be out to silence the critics. Vegas should be formidable once again.

Sidney Crosby came in at number seven, moving up a spot at 39! What a legend. There aren’t enough adjectives to describe how special Crosby has been. I’m in agreement with E.J. Hradek that he’ll one day eclipse 2,000 points. He enters the season with 1,761 in 1,420 games. Imagine if he didn’t miss time.

I still had Matthews ranked ahead of Crosby. I know that the bad back has diminished Matthews’ goal production the last two years. But he’s still a dominant three zone player who should be more respected for his defensive acumen. Excellent in the circle, Matthews remains a great player who can take over shifts. Injuries limited him to 53 points in 60 games last year. He went from scoring 69 goals in 2023-24 to 33 and 27 the past two seasons. Expect a motivated and hopefully fully healthy Matthews to thrive while teaming with top pick McKenna.

If there’s one player who was underrated, it’s Mark Scheifele. He put up a career-high 103 points on the Jets and wasn’t included in the top 10, which was flat out disrespectful. A model of consistency, Scheifele deserves his place at number 10.

As gifted as he is, American Olympic hero Jack Hughes hasn’t earned a spot in the top 10. He is one dimensional until proven otherwise. An explosive scorer with a great motor, Hughes hasn’t proven to be durable. His injuries are a big reason for the failure in New Jersey. Even if last season’s was one of the strangest setbacks a player has ever had, it cost him and the Devils in the standings. Hughes will always have the golden goal. Now, it’s time for him to put together a season similar to the one when he put up a franchise single season record 99 points in 2022-23.

For those wondering, I had Hughes ranked 12th. I went with Tim Stutzle for number 11. A similar talented young player who should only get better. Even if the bad Tkachuk is gone, that’s one less distraction for Stutzle and the Senators. Interestingly enough, Stutzle has taken his team to the playoffs two straight years. That hasn’t been done in Newark yet despite the Devils boasting both Hughes and Nico Hischier (#15). With new architect Sunny Mehta making upgrades to the roster, they should have enough to return to the postseason.

In looking at the bottom half of the top 20 centers, one player who was omitted that deserves a spot is Robert Thomas. He was in the same draft as Hischier. Their numbers are quite similar. Thomas is now at a point-per-game clip in St. Louis. Hischier has settled into a 70-point two-way pivot. Hischier has totaled 488 points in 609 games while Thomas has 460 in 530. I definitely would’ve included Thomas in the the top 20.

Instead, they had both Carlsson (#13) and Bedard (#16) ranked higher. Both have higher ceilings. We got a taste of how explosive Bedard can be before an injury limited him to 75 points in 69 contests. Carlsson also missed time with an injury, but still had 67 points in 70 games. He performed well in the postseason, totaling four goals and seven helpers for 11 points in 12 games. Carlsson is more well-rounded at this point than Bedard, which explains why he’s rated higher. Bedard will miss the start of the season.

Brayden Point still was ranked number 17 coming off a dismal season. An injury plagued year limited him to 50 points in 60 games. He really struggled in the Lightning’s first round loss to the Canadiens, only winding up with a single goal while looking slower. If he returns to form, then they look smart for keeping Point in the top 20. If he doesn’t, it stands to reason that Thomas would’ve been a better choice.

I didn’t understand having Wyatt Johnston so low at number 18. He exploded in his fourth season with career bests in goals (45), assists (41), points (86), power-play goals (27), and power-play points (42). Every year, his production has increased while never missing a game. The only concern is the 21.8 percent shooting percentage. That’ll probably drop. If the Stars and Robertson reach an agreement during the season on a contract extension, they’ll have both Johnston and Robertson around for the long haul.

I completely forgot about Tage Thompson. He’s basically a 40/40 guy for the Sabres. He isn’t a natural center. Thompson wins a shade under 43 percent in the dots. I’m curious to see if they shift him back to the right side with promising rookie Konsta Helenius arriving. That could depend on the health of Jiri Kulich.

Larkin was the final center in the top 20. He probably could be higher. So much is hanging in the air. Will Larkin return and play for Detroit until something happens? Time will tell.

Aside from Thomas missing out on the cut, so did Mika Zibanejad and Barzal. Nick Schmaltz is another very good center who plays in Utah. Younger players to follow include Adam Fantilli (unsigned RFA), Trevor Zegras, Logan Cooley, Matty Beniers, and Calder hopeful Anton Frondell.

With September approaching, there should be a lot of activity. There are still some unsigned free agents who could get pro tryouts. Patrik Laine, Jonathan Drouin, Matt Grzelcyk, Carson Soucy, and Pavol Regenda are several to keep an eye on. I’m surprised that nobody has signed Eeli Tolvanen or even Vladimir Tarasenko.

There’s sure to be a lot coming ahead. Maybe even a trade. We’ll see what happens with Quinn Hughes once Makar signs.

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Rangers Hire Quick as director of goaltending development, bring back Brassard

Posted on July 21, 2026 by Derek

On Tuesday, the New York Rangers hired Jonathan Quick as the new director of goaltending development.

In the same busy month that saw Madison Square Garden CEO James Dolan step aside so son Quentin Dolan could become the new President, Chief Operating Officer and Alternate Governor of the New York Rangers on July 3, the organization continues to make changes.

After spending the final chapter of a Hall of Fame career with the Rangers, Quick will oversee the development of goaltenders in the organization. A very successful former player who won three Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe, and became the winningest American-born goalie in NHL history with his 410 victories ranked 12th on the all-time list, Quick has a lot to offer younger players. It’ll be exciting to see what he can provide to help prepare goalies for the next level.

A former Los Angeles Kings 2005 third round pick, the Milford, Connecticut native grew into the greatest goalie in franchise history. In 2008-09, he won 21 games and posted a 2.48 goals-against-average with a .914 save percentage and four shutouts as a rookie. The following season, he became the starter winning 39 games with a 2.54 GAA, .907 save percentage, and four shutouts in a career best 72 starts.

It was in 2011-12 that Quick had his finest season. After winning 35 games while posting a 2.24 GAA, .918 save percentage, and six shutouts the previous year, he set career bests in GAA (1.95), save percentage (.929) and shutouts (10), which led the league. During the postseason, no goalie was better than him.

The Kings rode a hot Quick to their first Stanley Cup by defeating the New Jersey Devils in six games. In 20 games, he went a dominant 16-4 with a 1.41 GAA, .946 save percentage, and three shutouts. That memorable performance helped him win the Conn Smythe as the 2012 playoff MVP.

Two years later, he helped the Kings win their second Cup in three years. Most impressive was how they overcame trailing the San Jose Sharks 0-3 to pull off a historic comeback to win the first round series. After they won 6-3 in Game 5, he stopped 94 of 96 shots to backstop the Kings past the Sharks over the final three games.

The Kings came back to defeat the Ducks in seven to reach the Western Conference Finals. In an entertaining series, they edged the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks in seven games. After Marian Gaborik tied it up in the third period, Alec Martinez won the series in overtime.

In a very closely fought series that saw the Kings overcome third period deficits to win the first two games in sudden death, they defeated the Rangers in five to win their second Cup. In the second overtime of Game 5, Martinez was the hero by scoring on a rebound past Henrik Lundqvist. Similar to Games 1 and 2, it took another Kings comeback to win it. Gaborik tied the score on the power play in the third. He had two clutch goals that tied games the Kings eventually won. The Kings’ play in the third period and overtime was the difference in the series.

Quick outplayed Lundqvist to win his second Cup by finishing with 1.63 GAA and .932 save percentage and a shutout. Lundqvist posted a 2.47 GAA and .923 save percentage.

Following 2013-14, the Kings weren’t the same. They only made the postseason three more times with Quick, and never advanced out of the first round. In fact, since Quick was unceremoniously dumped to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Mar. 1, 2023, LA hasn’t had another series win since their last championship. After asking out of Columbus, Quick had the last laugh when he was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights, who won the Cup that year.

After signing with the Rangers that off-season, Quick was the perfect backup behind Igor Shesterkin. In 2023-24, he won 18 games with a 2.62 GAA, .911 save percentage, and two shutouts. He spent his last three seasons on Broadway. He went 35-30-6 with a 2.99 GAA, .899 save percentage, and seven shutouts as a Ranger.

Now, Quick will work for the Rangers in a role he should know well.

Brassard Returns to Organization as Player Development assistant

In another move to help improve the Rangers organization, another popular former player was brought back. Derick Brassard was hired as a player development assistant. He’ll report directly to player development boss Tanner Glass, who was promoted earlier in the off-season when Jed Ortmeyer departed the organization.

Over a decade ago, Brassard came over from the Blue Jackets in a trade for Gaborik. For three years, he produced consistently for the Rangers. During the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals, Big Game Brass delivered by scoring six goals and adding six assists for a dozen points. It was the cohesive trio of Brassard, Pouliot, and Zuccarello that were instrumental to the team’s success.

In 2014-15, he continued to play the best hockey of his career. That included posting a career-high 60 points, including 19 goals and 41 helpers during the regular season. Buoyed by leading scorer Rick Nash’s team best 42 goals, the Rangers clinched the league’s best record to win the Presidents’ Trophy.

After coming back to beat the Washington Capitals in thrilling fashion by overcoming a 3-1 series deficit on the strength of sudden death goals from Ryan McDonagh in Game 5 and Derek Stepan in Game 7, they lost a strange Eastern Conference Finals to the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven. In defeat, Brassard paced the Blueshirts in postseason scoring with nine goals and 16 points. That included a hat trick and five points in Game 6 at Tampa Bay. Unfortunately, the Rangers were shut out 2-0 by Ben Bishop in Game 7 back in New York.

Following 2015-16, Brassard was traded to the Ottawa Senators for Mika Zibanejad, who has since gone on to become one of the Rangers’ best players this century. In fact, the 10-year anniversary of the move just passed last Saturday on July 18. It’s considered one of the best deals in recent history by the franchise.

Although he never duplicated his success in Manhattan, Brassard had a successful 16-year career that included eclipsing 1,000 games and totaling 215 goals with 330 assists for 545 points. After concluding his career in Ottawa for a second stint, he retired.

Three years later, he’ll be assisting Glass and Quick in player development.

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Devils Open Season With Flyers

Posted on July 19, 2026 by Derek

On Thursday, the NHL released the official schedule for the 2026-27 season. For the Devils, they’ll have to wait a couple of days before beginning their campaign. On October 1, the Turnpike rivalry will be renewed when Jack Hughes and the Devils host Trevor Zegras and the Flyers.

https://x.com/i/status/2077393878794342751

Considering how last season ended, the regular season series against the Flyers could prove crucial to how they fare. In 2025-26, the hated rivals found their way into the playoffs and knocked off the Penguins before getting dominated by the eventual champion Hurricanes in the second round.

If the Flyers remain competitive, there should be more juice to the four matchups. The second meeting isn’t until January 24 when the Devils visit Philadelphia on a big NFL playoff Sunday. The Flyers and Devils will meet again on February 13 in the City of Brotherly Love. The final meeting takes place at The Rock on March 23.

One of the highlights of October are meetings at the rival Islanders on Oct. 3 and the hated Rangers on Oct. 15 in Newark. The Devils also see Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals on Oct. 17 for a Saturday 1 PM matinee. On Oct. 20, they’ll host Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and the Avalanche. Eight of their first 11 games are at home. For a team that only finished 21-17-3 in Newark last season, they can ill afford to have a repeat.

Following some home cooking, they’ll head on the road for a very challenging three-game Western swing against the Stars (Oct. 27), Avalanche (Oct. 28) and the Golden Knights (Oct. 30). The visits to Dallas and Colorado highlight an unfriendly 12 back-to-backs. They’ll then start November by hosting Oilers duo Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on Election Day. The Devils will again visit Elmont to battle the Islanders on Nov. 7. The following night, they head up north to get their first look at top pick Gavin McKenna and the Maple Leafs.

In what could be the final time they see Ovechkin in New Jersey, the Caps are back at Prudential Center on Nov. 12. The third meeting is two days later in D.C. as part of a home-and-home series. Starter Jake Allen could face former teams when the Canadiens visit on Nov. 18 and the Blues host the Devils on Nov. 21. Leading into Thanksgiving, there’s another home-and-home against the Blue Jackets on Nov. 23 in Newark and on Turkey Eve at Columbus. They conclude the month at home against Calgary and Winnipeg for another back-to-back (11/27-28).

Devils fans will want to circle their calendar for December 1 when Macklin Celebrini and second pick Ivar Stenberg of the Sharks invade the Rock. That one should be worth watching. Hughes and Nico Hischier will get a nice test when they head to the Steel city to face Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and the Penguins on Dec. 5 at 3 PM. Two days later, they’ll renew acquaintances with the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Can Hughes continue his dominance of the close Hudson rival? They’ll see each other three times over a 17-day span, including a return at home on Dec. 15. The fourth and final regular season meeting is three days before Christmas at MSG.

Perhaps a more challenging portion comes when they battle the Sabres in Buffalo on Boxing Day. That’ll feature plenty of stars, including gold medal heroes Hughes and Tage Thompson. The Devils wrap up December at home against the Bruins and then a visit to Utah two days before New Year’s Eve.

Due to that, they’ll kick off the new calendar year out in California with a challenging three games over four days against the Ducks, Kings, and Sharks (Jan. 1-2, 4). On Jan. 9, they’ll finally get to see new $15 million star Connor Bedard when the Blackhawks invade Newark for an early Saturday noon game on national TV. Three days later, Hughes, Hischier, and Jesper Bratt get to see Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, and Zach Benson in Buffalo. They’ll then travel to Montreal for the second of a back-to-back against Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and the Canadiens.

The third meeting against the Islanders comes on Jan. 16 at home. Then, they have a pair of good tilts versus the Stars and Lightning as part of a three-game homestand. After the Devils battle the Flyers on a Saturday night, they’re home for the Caps a day later.

Prior to the All-Star Game in Long Island, they’ll start a season-high seven-game road trip with the first three in the North Pacific against the Oilers, Flames, and Kraken to conclude the month. Three days later, they’ll wrap up the Northwest side of the trip in Vancouver on February 3. Ten days later, they head to Philadelphia, Nashville, and Florida. That’ll be followed by an entertaining back-to-back in Newark against the Sabres and Blackhawks on Feb. 20-21. Both on the weekend in the afternoon.

The despised Hurricanes pay a visit to The Rock on Feb. 23. The defending champs have been a thorn in the Devils’ side for years. They’ll look to change that narrative. Following a visit in Columbus, which hasn’t always been kind to them, they’ll get to see Quinn Hughes when they visit the Wild in a nationally televised game on the final day of the month. Whoever made the schedule has a good sense of humor.

In early March, there’s another set of back-to-backs at the Red Wings and home for the Golden Knights on 3/4-5. Following a trip to the sunshine state to visit the Tkachuk Brothers and the Panthers, along with Nikita Kucherov and the Lightning two days apart, the Devils are back in Raleigh for the Hurricanes on Mar. 13. Two days later, Crosby and Malkin invade The Rock for a big matchup after Saint Patrick’s Day. The Leafs will then visit on Mar. 23.

It’s mostly divisional matchups with three of the next four against Flyers, Pens, and Canes. March concludes with another Hughes family reunion with a start time of 7:30 PM in Newark. Network TV wins again.

The Devils will be busy in April with five games to wrap up the 84-game schedule. It starts with the Hurricanes on Apr. 3 in Raleigh, followed by the Panthers for the final back-to-backs of the season. Both are late afternoon on the weekend.

Starting with the Cats, the Devs conclude their schedule with a four-game homestand, which features the Lightning on Apr. 6, the Islanders on Apr. 8, and the Pens on Apr. 10. Will that be the final time they see Crosby and Malkin together? It’s very possible.

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Unlike their bitter rivals in Manhattan, the Devils have a more challenging schedule due to five more back-to-backs. However, it’s more spread out. They’re going to see a lot of division rivals late in the season. If they’re battling for the postseason, those games will carry extra significance.

As we sit here in late July, there’s no way of knowing how good some teams will be. While a good chunk of the off-season is already done, there are still some moves that could be made. Both Jason Robertson and Dylan Larkin remain unresolved situations. Robertson remains unsigned while Larkin wants out of Detroit. That probably won’t get decided until the fall.

There’s also the waiting game for both Hughes and Makar. Each can sign extensions. The likelihood is that Makar will stay in Colorado for the max at around $19 million. As for Hughes, who remains a coveted player due to his close relationship with Jack, he’s more likely to extend with the Wild for three years. A year away from unrestricted status, he’s been rumored to come in around $18 million for three additional years. If that happens, it would take him to 2030, which is the same year Jack’s contract expires.

All of this is pure speculation. Despite the Wild dropping hints that Hughes will sign, it still isn’t done. Perhaps they’re waiting to see what happens with Makar.

For the Devils, they need to return to the postseason. The schedule is always exciting for fans to look forward to. There will be 20 afternoon games on Mondays featuring European stars. It’s a way for the NHL to showcase those players to a very loyal audience that stays up at unusually late times to watch their favorite stars. Hischier isn’t part of it. So, fans can rest easy.

For the time being, that’s it for now.

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A Closer Look at the Rangers schedule

Posted on July 17, 2026 by Derek

On Thursday, Jul. 16, the NHL revealed the release of the 2026-27 schedule. For the first time since 1993-94, it’ll include 84 games. By adding two more to the schedule, it guarantees four games for each divisional opponent. Previously, there was an imbalance created by the league, which limited some division rivalries to only three matchups. For example, the Devils and Rangers only met three times last season. Now, that won’t be the case any longer with four regular season meetings.

For the Rangers, they’ll open up the season by visiting the Bruins on Sept. 29. It’ll be the second part of a nationally televised tripleheader on ESPN at 8 PM. They’ll follow up a battle between the last two Stanley Cup winners, featuring the Panthers and Hurricanes in Raleigh at 5 PM. The final part of ESPN’s Opening Night coverage will showcase the Blackhawks taking on the runner-up Golden Knights in Vegas.

Two days later, the Rangers will host the Lightning in their home opener at Madison Square Garden. Game time is at 7 PM following player introductions. Fans will get to welcome newest Blueshirt Pavel Dorofeyev, with the former Knights goalscorer wearing number 16. That’ll take some getting used to after popular former Ranger Vincent Trocheck was traded to the Mammoth on July 1 for a package that included defenseman Sean Durzi, 20-year-old center prospect Cole Beaudoin, and a 2027 third round pick.

Due to the longer schedule, the Rangers will play only four preseason games. It’ll be two sets of back-to-backs against the Devils and Islanders on Sept. 21-22 and Sept. 24-25. They’ll then have the weekend to set the roster.

Following their visit to Boston to kick off 2026-27, they’ll play the first of only seven back-to-backs by hosting the Lightning and then visiting the Red Wings on Oct. 1-2. Compared to other teams, that’s a very low amount.

Games of note include Trocheck’s MSG return on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 6 PM. He’ll definitely get a video tribute and a warm Garden welcome back. Two days later, the biggest rivalry is renewed when the Islanders take on the Rangers at 33rd and 7th. The season series includes a matchup in Elmont before Christmas on Dec. 20. Almost two months later, the Rangers and Islanders face off at UBS Arena on Feb. 12. The final meeting is six days later on Feb. 18 at MSG.

The Hudson Rivalry gets going with a visit to Newark on Oct. 15 to face the Devils. In the first full month, the Rangers will play the Lightning twice over 13 days with the Bolts back in town on Oct. 13 in a nationally scheduled game at 7:15 PM. On Oct. 19, they’ll host the Ducks. If he doesn’t get moved, Chris Kreider will once again return to MSG. In what should be their first look at 2026 top pick Gavin McKenna, the Rangers visit the Maple Leafs on Oct. 22.

In November, the Rangers see Connor McDavid and the Oilers at the start of the month. They’ll play Edmonton twice over nine days with the return match as part of a four-game road trip that begins in Seattle and concludes with stops at Calgary and Vancouver between Nov. 7-13. After returning to MSG for Montreal on Nov. 16, they get five days off before the defending champion Hurricanes visit on Nov. 22 for a 1 PM Sunday matinee.

A highlight is a Turkey eve visit at Buffalo to battle the Sabres on Nov. 25. After Thanksgiving, they visit the Blackhawks in a Black Friday matchup at 5:30 PM on national TV. They wrap up a busy week with a third game in four days at home against the Flames. The Rangers conclude November with another big matchup at MSG against the Hurricanes. That’s part of a five-game homestand that features Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks on December 3, Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche on Dec. 5, and Jack Hughes and the Devils on Dec. 5 for one of three matchups in the month against their bitter rivals.

The Rangers and Devils will also see each other on Dec. 15 at The Rock and Dec. 22 at MSG in the final game before Christmas. The Blueshirts will be top heavy with rivalry matchups around the holidays, including a visit to Philadelphia on Dec. 16. They’ll conclude December with games at the Blues, home for the Red Wings, and a stop in Dallas on New Year’s Eve.

The New Year begins with a home and home series against the Blue Jackets on January 3 and 5. Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks pay a visit to MSG on Jan. 7. The Rangers then embark on a three-game California trip with stops in San Jose, Los Angeles, and Anaheim between 1/9-12. Near the conclusion of the month, they visit Sidney Crosby and the Penguins on Jan. 29. That’s followed by a stop at Ottawa for a rare back-to-back.

After a home date with the Jets on February 3, the Rangers have over a week off due to the All-Star Game in Long Island. When they return, the Islanders will visit MSG. A stop at Montreal followed by a quick turnaround home for the Sabres marks a back-to-back on 2/14-15. As part of a four-game road trip, it’s all divisional matchups with a day off in between, which starts at the Islanders, followed by the Flyers, Hurricanes, and Capitals between 2/18-23. The Rangers then see Alex Ovechkin and the Caps on Feb. 26 before wrapping up the month at home for the Pens.

March is all games outside the division. That includes the Bruins on Mar. 3 and the Sabres Mar. 6. They then take on Vegas twice over six days with a home match on Mar. 7 and a road match on Mar. 13. In between, they’ll visit Utah and Colorado as part of a three-game road swing. A four-game homestand features the Senators, Maple Leafs, Pens and Caps between 3/16-21. The game on the 21st could be the final game of Ovechkin’s Hall of Fame career at MSG. That could be very special. Mark your calendars.

With most of the division wrapped up, only one of the final eight games inside the Metro. After concluding March with the Wild at home on Mar. 29, the Rangers visit the Canadiens on April Fool’s Day. That’s followed up by the Panthers, Pens, and Maple Leafs to conclude the regular season. The final game against Toronto is on Apr. 10. What about the home match on Apr. 6 against the Pens? Is that it for Malkin and Crosby? Who knows.

Overall, the Rangers have a very favorable schedule without many back-to-backs. There aren’t any long road trips. There are a few times where they have breaks, including three days off before the 84th and final game against the Leafs. Whether or not any of this matters depends on how well the team plays. Are they good enough to compete in an improved Metropolitan Division? Both the Caps and Devils got better. It’s hard to say the same for Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Columbus, and the Islanders.

A plus is having three games against the Devils in December, including two close to the holidays. A negative is how spread out the Islanders are. At least there’s two games just over a week apart in February. I like having the Caps for essentially two straight, along with the second to last game against the Pens in April. That’ll probably be the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award. It could be extra special with possibly handshakes with at least Malkin following the game.

That’ll do it for the schedule. There won’t be any commemorative celebration like the centennial anniversary. Hopefully, the on ice product will be better.

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Devils’ Mehta Continues to Improve Roster in Good Off-season

Posted on July 16, 2026 by Derek

Entering the off-season, new Devils team president and general manager Sunny Mehta had his work cut out for him. Looking to revamp a roster that missed the postseason, Mehta has done a good job managing the salary cap by making subtracting players to create necessary space to help improve the team.

After trading defenseman Simon Nemec to the Flames on Jun. 23, he turned that into a good haul by acquiring a pair of conditional first round picks in 2027 and 2028. In addition, he moved down two spots in the second round of the NHL Draft to select highly thought of Finnish prospect Matias Vanhanen and Lavr Gashilov (fourth round) in a deal with the Blackhawks, who selected Ryan Roobroeck.

Instead of dangling the number 12 pick, Mehta held onto it and grabbed Swedish center Alexander Command. A two-way center who is compared to Devils captain Nico Hischier. Despite many pundits who hoped to see him make a big splash similar to what the bitter rival Rangers did by acquiring Pavel Dorofeyev (2026 first and third, 2028 conditional first), Mehta wisely didn’t sacrifice any picks. Instead, he addressed a need by selecting seven players to restock a bare Devils system.

Sunny finds a taker for Markstrom

Even better, he was able to find a sucker team willing to take Jacob Markstrom’s contract. As it turned out, the Panthers took a flier on Markstrom by acquiring the former Devils goalie along with Angus Crookshank in exchange for Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist, and Ben Steeves on Jun. 30. Most astonishing is that Mehta didn’t have to attach a pick to dump Markstrom, who’s signed for the next two years with a $6 million cap hit.

The Devils Army desperately wanted to get rid of Markstrom. They would’ve taken anything for the 36-year-old Swede who was never the same following an injury that sidelined him for a stretch during 2024-25. His lateral movement was noticeably worse afterward. He’d frequently get caught out of position on rebounds due to still being down. Frustration boiled over when former GM Tom Fitzgerald extended him last October. The only saving grace was that he didn’t give Markstrom any trade protection. More than anything, that helped Mehta move on from a goalie who needed a change of scenery. We’ll see if the Panthers can fix him.

From a Devils’ vantage point, they added two solid depth forwards to solidify their bottom six. Rodrigues remains a good checking player with strong possession numbers. Obviously, playing for the two-time Stanley Cup champs helped in that measure. He was a 56.8 CF over three seasons for the Panthers.

Aside from being an asset at even strength, the 32-year-old veteran has produced five straight seasons of double digit goals and 30 or more points. A high character player who gets his nose dirty, Rodrigues can be moved up and down the lineup while playing both power play and penalty kill. His contract that pays him $3.075 million expires in 2027.

For the second time in his career, Boqvist is a Devil. The former 2017 second round pick has carved a role as a fourth liner in the NHL. The most goals he had came in 2024-25 when he scored a dozen with the Panthers. Ironically, his 23 points matched a career-high achieved in his first stint with the Devils. Following putting up 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points in 2022-23, he wasn’t qualified. He signed with the Bruins. After finishing 2023-24 strong, the Panthers signed him. He contributed two goals and three assists in 13 games to their repeat.

Coming off a down year in which he only managed four goals and nine assists in 73 contests, Boqvist gets a second chance in New Jersey. With a $1.5 million AAV that expires in 2027, he’ll compete with Nick Bjugstad and Stefan Noesen for ice time. Keep an eye on Lenni Hameenaho. Only 21, the 2023 second round pick tallied two goals and six assists for eight points in 33 games as a rookie. Hameenaho might not start next season with the Devils. But if the vets struggle early on, he’ll likely be the first call-up.

Offer Sheet to Barrett Hayton matched by Mammoth

In a very calculated move, Mehta signed Mammoth center Barrett Hayton to a one year offer sheet worth $4.775 million on July 1. After having their offer of a second round pick rejected by Utah at the draft, the Devils tried to upgrade at center by signing Hayton to a one-year deal.

The signing gave the Mammoth seven days to make a decision on Hayton. They could either match or walk away and accept the second round compensation. When the move was made, it looked like Mehta would get his checking pivot to further bolster a roster that hasn’t been known for its grit and character. Something the 26-year-old center has provided since being taken fifth overall by the former Arizona Coyotes in 2018.

He hasn’t always stayed healthy, but Hayton is a strong two-way center known for being able to generate offense despite being used more in his end. He posted a 53.9 CF despite starting 54 percent of his shifts in the defensive zone last season. He also won 52.6 percent of faceoffs.

With time running out, the Mammoth finally decided to match the offer sheet on July 8. Despite adding former Ranger Vincent Trocheck to Logan Cooley and Nick Schmaltz down the middle, Utah wanted to keep Hayton. Interestingly, they also signed Kevin Stenlund for more center depth. The Mammoth believe they can contend in a strong division that includes the Avalanche, Stars, and Wild. Utah was eliminated by Vegas in the first round last spring.

Due to NHL rules, Hayton can not be traded during the season. That guarantees that he’ll become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Even though he didn’t wind up with Hayton, Mehta certainly opened some eyes with the offer sheet. It proved that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to improve the Devils.

Devils Add Rittich to Goalie Carousel

Instead of going for a big fish, like the Maple Leafs did by landing former Panther Sergei Bobrovsky, Mehta decided to sign veteran David Rittich for one year at $1 million. He’ll likely be the backup behind incumbent Jake Allen to start the season.

The 33-year-old Rittich isn’t coming off a good year. However, he won 14 games and posted a 2.76 goals-against-average with a .894 save percentage with the Islanders. He went 2-0-0 versus the Rangers with a shutout. Ironically, he owns the Devils’ most hated rival, boasting a perfect 5-0-0 record with a 1.00 GAA (5 GA on 136 shots) and .963 save percentage. With the full schedule released on Thursday, it’s a good bet that Rittich will get a couple of starts against his favorite opponent in December. The Hudson rivals meet three times over 15 days between Dec. 7-22.

If for some reason he struggles like he did down the stretch for the Islanders, it finally could be time for Nico Daws. Now 25, the 2020 third round pick has patiently been waiting for an opportunity with the big club. Since getting into 46 combined games in 2021-22 and 2023-24, Daws has only appeared in nine NHL games over the past two seasons. That included winning three of four starts while posting a 1.60 GAA and .939 save percentage in 2024-25. He went 2-1-0 with a 2.62 GAA and .908 save percentage in 2025-26.

The goalie from Munich has spent most of his time playing in Utica of the American Hockey League the last two years. Despite being on bad teams, Daws put up decent numbers in the AHL He was re-signed to a two-year, one-way deal for $1.1 million AAV. That means he isn’t waivers eligible. If they place him on unconditional waivers, the Devils could risk losing him.

With a combined $3.9 million spent on all three goalies, the Devils could start next season with a three-goalie rotation. The Sabres did it with some success last season by keeping Colten Ellis on the roster with Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

Allen will be the number one goalie for the Devils. He has plenty of experience and had 21 quality starts out of 37 last season. On a team that was defensively challenged, he posted a 2.74 GAA and .903 save percentage. With 12 sets of back-to-backs, having three goalies should come in handy.

Mantha Bolsters Scoring Depth

With more room created due to off-loading Nemec and Markstrom, Mehta gave himself enough space to bolster the scoring depth by signing Anthony Mantha on Wednesday, July 15. He agreed to a two-year deal for a $4.75 million AAV.

Coming off his best year that saw him set personal bests in goals (33), assists (31), and points (64), Mantha benefited from playing with Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh. The Penguins shocked many observers by making the postseason. A big part of that was due to what Mantha contributed along with Malkin and Egor Chinakhov. They comprised the Pens’ best line at even strength. Of the 64 points he tallied, 51 were at even strength. He also had seven power-play goals.

When healthy, the 31-year-old is good at finishing around the net. Four times in his career, Mantha has scored 20 or more goals. More of an offensive player than defensive one, how Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe uses him will be crucial to how he performs. Despite being listed at six-foot-five, 240 pounds, he isn’t known for being overly physical. It’s all about production and health for Mantha, who missed most of 2024-25 with a torn right ACL.

He made the most of a prove it deal with the Pens. However, they were unwilling to re-sign him for three years. Instead, the Pens pivoted to Andrei Kuzmenko for a similar one-year deal for $5 million.

One of the big reasons they let Mantha go was due to a poor playoff showing. He disappeared in a six-game first round loss to the Flyers. Mantha finished with only an assist and a minus-5 rating. If there is some cause for concern, he’s never scored a goal in the postseason. He’s got seven assists and a minus-9 in 20 career playoff games.

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For the Devils, it’s all about getting back there first. Adding Mantha should help solidify their top nine. If he plays with either Jack Hughes or Hischier, that could prove beneficial.

So much of the Devils’ success depends on their 1-2 punch. Along with Jesper Bratt, they remain the big scorers on the roster. Having better depth thanks to adding Mantha and Rodrigues to a nucleus that includes Timo Meier, Dawson Mercer, and Connor Brown should make them better.

Mehta made sure to get key restricted free agent Arseny Gritsyuk done quickly by re-signing him for three years, $3.25 million AAV on Jun. 30.

A promising forward who came over from the Kontinental Hockey League and registered 13 goals with 18 assists for 31 points in 66 games, Gritsyuk is recovering from shoulder surgery. Like Mantha, he’s a top nine forward who can move up and down the lineup. If he can come back healthy, the skating and skill make him a good candidate to move up into a top six role.

A Better Plan for Success

Most importantly, Mehta didn’t spend to the top of the expanded salary cap. Instead, he’s left $3.85 million in space. Something that should come in handy if he feels the need to make another move, which is a better plan for success.

Considering where they are in terms of the roster, the Devils look pretty set. They have 13 forwards, seven defensemen, and three goalies. That includes Dougie Hamilton, who’s staying put in New Jersey after a very uneven 2025-26 due to an unnecessary distraction created by Fitzgerald. At the present, Hamilton remains the Devils’ number one defenseman with Luke Hughes right behind.

The top four on the blue line consists of Hamilton, Hughes, Brett Pesce, and Jonas Siegenthaler. All are capable of logging 20 minutes. Hamilton and Hughes will be counted on for supplying offense at five-on-five and on the power play. Pesce and Siegenthaler are defensive defensemen who each will see a lot of time at even strength and on the penalty kill.

Brenden Dillon and Jonathan Kovacevic should be the third pair. Dillon is entering the final year of his contract. He has a $4 million cap hit with a 10-team no trade list. Kovacevic has a $4 million AAV with full trade protection in 2026-27 before the remaining three years become a modified 10-team no trade list.

The only other move Mehta made was inking Declan Chisholm for one year, $1.6 million. Chisholm is a 26-year-old left-handed defenseman with 125 career games. He appeared in 25 contests for the Capitals last season, putting up a goal with six assists while averaging 13:44 of ice time. Chisholm will serve as the seventh defenseman.

The Devils also have Seamus Casey in their system. An offensive defenseman who put up four goals and four assists in 2024-25, he only appeared in two games last season. The 2022 second round pick spent his second pro season with Utica where he had a goal and 18 assists for 19 points. He has an accurate right shot that can beat netminders. However, Casey is still very young.

2024 first round pick Anton Silayev was signed to an entry-level contract. The 20-year-old Silayev will come over from the KHL and start in Utica.

At the very least, Fitzgerald left Mehta with a couple of promising defense prospects who could become part of the Devils’ future on the back end. He also selected Mikhail Yegorov in the second round of 2024 after acquiring that pick from the Mammoth in exchange for John Marino. Yegorov will enter his junior year with Boston University. He’s considered the future in net for the red and black.

With Mehta able to add Amadeus Lombardi and Etienne Morin in the system, Utica should be improved. It’s important to have players ready to be called up in case of injuries. Something that’s become all too common in today’s NHL. With the league adding two more games for an 84-game schedule, boasting more depth matters.

Regardless of what happens next season, the Devils are in better shape moving forward. Something that should reinvigorate a disenchanted fan base.

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Rangers, Schneider Agree to one year deal to avoid arbitration

Posted on July 14, 2026 by Derek

A day following the NHL setting the date for salary arbitration for July 29, the Rangers and Braden Schneider reached agreement on a one-year deal worth $5.5 million.

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Elliotte Friedman broke the news on Monday that the two sides reached a settlement that will keep Schneider a Ranger for at least one more year.

The subject of recent trade rumors, the 24-year-old defenseman returns to a crowded blue line that will include new acquisitions Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson. With Durzi and Pettersson expected to become the trusted second pair, that leaves Schneider on the bottom pair with a few candidates who could join him.

A 2020 first round pick, Schneider still hasn’t taken the next step as a player. Instead, he was inconsistent in his fifth season for the Rangers. Despite setting a career high by averaging 20:27 of ice time in 2025-26, he was caught on for too many goals against.

According to Natural Stat Trick, Schneider and Vladislav Gavrikov were outscored 29-14 at five-on-five. With top defenseman Adam Fox sidelined, Schneider played with Gavrikov on the top pair. In 515:40, they struggled defensively while posting a 44.58 CF with opponents outshooting them 260-188.

When he played with Matthew Robertson, Schneider was more effective in a lesser role. In 251:24, they were on for 11 goals and eight against and a 47.59 CF. While not great statistically, Schneider and Robertson were okay together. If that’s the third pair to begin next season, it wouldn’t be surprising.

Unlike last year, the Rangers have more defensive depth, which is a big plus. Robertson will have competition from Urho Vaakanainen, Drew Fortescue, and 2026 first round pick Alberts Smits. Vincent Iorio and Scott Morrow will also be looking to make an impression. 

With team president and general manager Chris Drury adding key veterans in Durzi and Pettersson to the mix, there won’t be as much pressure on Smits to make the roster. If he isn’t ready, they can send him down to Hartford to work on his game.

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For Schneider, the contract doesn’t take him to unrestricted free agency. Instead, it’s a prove it deal to show that he deserves a long-term commitment.

If there’s one area he excels, it’s at providing the nuts and bolts. For the fourth consecutive season, Schneider had at least 130 hits and 130 blocked shots. He led the team with 141 blocks and ranked third in hits with 163, which paced all New York defensemen last season.

An area he must improve at is turning over pucks. His 96 giveaways were the third most on the team. Unlike Fox, he isn’t a strong puck possession player who can provide offense. He posted two goals and 16 assists for 18 points over 82 games. That was less than the previous year when he set personal bests in goals (6) and points (21).

Throughout his career, Schneider has been very durable, only missing three games. Thus far, he’s played in 368 and has totaled 20 goals with  67 assists for 87 points. Eighteen of his 20 goals have come at even-strength. The other two were shorthanded. He’s mostly used at five-on-five and on the penalty killing unit.

With Drury showing financial restraint by being unwilling to go more than a year with Schneider, that means he’ll have to earn his next contract. He’s in a similar situation to K’Andre Miller, who battled consistency in 2024-25. Instead of re-signing him long-term, the Rangers traded Miller to the Hurricanes last year for Morrow, a 2026 first round pick, and a second round pick (Ben Macbeath).

After Miller helped the Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup, Drury used the first round pick, a third round pick, and a top 10 lottery protected 2030 first round pick to acquire Pavel Dorofeyev from the Golden Knights. At the very least, he now has a good player to show for subtracting a dependable top four defensemen whose game flourished in his first year with Carolina.

Unlike Miller, who was more proven despite his shortcomings, Schneider doesn’t have the same value. If he did, there’s a good chance he’s on another roster. Instead, his signing leaves the Rangers with $2.4 million in cap space. That likely spells the end of their off-season.

The best case scenario for the Rangers is that Schneider improves his play enough to draw interest at next year’s trade deadline. With the team unlikely to be in contention, perhaps he’ll still get moved.

For now, the projected lineup could look something like this.

Perreault Zibanejad Dorofeyev

Bjorkstrand Miller Lafreniere

Cuylle Laba Kartye

Sykora Veleno Chmelar

Gavrikov Fox

Pettersson Durzi

Robertson Schneider

Extras: Raddysh, Rempe, Vaakanainen

Much will depend on what happens in training camp.

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Drury’s Overhaul Bolsters Rangers

Posted on July 1, 2026 by Derek

When the clock struck high noon, it didn’t look like the Rangers would do anything significant on July 1. By the conclusion of Canada Day, team president and general manager Chris Drury had dramatically changed the roster.

The first move was met with criticism. The Rangers traded Kalle Vaisanen and a 2028 fourth round pick to the Bruins for goalie Joonas Korpisalo. The 32-year-old Korpisalo won 14 games in Boston where he served as the backup to Jeremy Swayman. Signed through 2027-28 with a $4 million cap hit, the Bruins picked up $1 million in salary to complete the deal. That saved the Rangers some money.

The reason it’s a questionable trade is due to the status of Dylan Garand. He was signed for two years at $875,000 per season. The first year is a two-way deal. However, if he can’t beat out Korpisalo for the backup job, Garand is no longer waiver exempt. If he does win the job, then Korpisalo could be placed on waivers. The Rangers would be on the hook for $1.77 million if he clears.

Following that perplexing move from Drury, he made a dull signing by giving center Joe Veleno a one-year deal worth $1.2 million. A former Red Wings first round pick in 2018, the 26-year-old Veleno moves to his third team in less than two years.

After putting up a career-best 12 goals and 16 assists for 28 points in 2023-24 for the Red Wings, he dropped to five goals and five helpers in 56 contests before he was dealt to the Canadiens for the remainder of 2024-25. Following a disappointing 2025-26, Veleno wasn’t qualified by Montreal making him a free agent.

A defensive-minded checking pivot who improved in the faceoff dot by winning 51.6 percent last season, Veleno is a six-foot-one, 201-pound center who finishes checks. For a player who had over 55 percent of starts in the defensive zone, his 47.6 CF at five-on-five wasn’t bad. If the plan is to have him center the checking line, then it looks like the Rangers are comfortable starting 2026-27 with Noah Laba as their third line center.

When they signed him for only a year, it left open the possibility for something much bigger to happen. At the time they inked Veleno, the mood on Rangers Twitter/X was very somber. Especially when the Islanders signed Matias Maccelli for $2.2 million over one year. Like most people, I was hoping the Rangers would get Maccelli. But he chose the Islanders.

For a while, it didn’t feel like anything else would happen to change the mood. Things sure changed in a hurry by late afternoon.

Drury Overhauls the Blue Line

The first hint that something was happening came when there were reports that the Rangers and Canucks discussed a deal involving defenseman Marcus Pettersson. While that was happening, a stunning turn of events led to Vincent Trocheck getting moved to the Mammoth. When the news hit, nobody could believe it. What would the return be for a valuable veteran center who Drury kept holding out on? My guess of either Barrett Hayton or Jack McBain and a first round pick was way off.

Instead, the Rangers sent Trocheck to Utah in exchange for defenseman Sean Durzi ($6 million AAV thru 2027-28), 2o-year old center prospect Cole Beaudoin, and a 2027 conditional third round pick.

The trade largely hinges on Beaudoin, who starred for Canada at the World Junior Championships. In seven games, he had three goals and four assists. A Mammoth 2024 first round pick (24th overall), Beaudoin is a left-handed center who can play responsibly. Listed at six-foot-two, 211 pounds, he has good size and defensive instincts. In 2025-26, he paced the Barrie Colts (Ontario Hockey League) in scoring with 33 goals and 55 assists for 88 points. Beaudoin followed that up with 10 goals and 19 assists for 29 points in the OHL Playoffs.

By filling an organizational need in getting the Mammoth to part with Beaudoin, Drury did well.

Durzi is a second pair right-handed defenseman who automatically should upgrade the Rangers’ blue line. A strong skater who can contribute offensively, the 27-year-old Durzi is the kind of player who can help support Adam Fox. For so long, Fox has had to shoulder the offensive load. He’s a player I liked on the Kings before they foolishly gave him away to the Mammoth [Arizona Coyotes] three years ago.

Following the Trocheck blockbuster with Utah, Drury wasn’t done. After Pettersson agreed to waive his no-movement clause to come to New York, the Rangers sent the Canucks a 2030 top-10 lottery protected first round pick.

Any time you swing a deal for a 30-year-old veteran who has five years of term left on their contract, there’s always a risk factor. By all accounts, Pettersson is a good skating left-handed defensive defenseman who can play in a shutdown role. He’s mostly used in the defensive zone, as evidenced by his starts for the Canucks topping over 60 percent the past two years.

Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan had him in Pittsburgh for seven seasons. He knows Pettersson quite well. That probably was a big factor in Pettersson deciding to accept a trade to the Rangers. He has a $5.5 million AAV with trade protection that doesn’t expire until the conclusion of 2030-31. His full NMC becomes a 15-team no trade list by 2029.

Once Drury added Pettersson in addition to Durzi, someone had to go. It was either going to be Braden Schneider or Will Borgen. Drury decided quickly by swinging another deal with the Bruins by sending Borgen to Boston in exchange for a 2027 second round pick and a 2028 conditional third round pick.

It all came together very fast. As soon as Pettersson was acquired, Borgen was sent packing. Drury had to cut some salary. He was able to offload Borgen’s $4.1 million AAV and recover two draft picks.

Not long ago, Borgen came back from Seattle for Kaapo Kakko. A solid defensive defenseman who played physically, it was obvious that he became the odd man out once Durzi was brought in.

By changing the look of the back end, Drury has improved a key area that was a disaster the past two seasons. Along with the selection of Alberts Smits at fifth overall last Friday, the Rangers look set up better on the blue line.

If we were projecting the lineup, it would look like this:

Gavrikov-Fox

Pettersson-Durzi

Smits-Schneider

Robertson

With Drew Fortescue signed to a two-way deal, they don’t have to rush him. They can properly develop the 21-year-old 2023 third round pick at Hartford in the American Hockey League.

If Smits doesn’t make the roster out of training camp, he can be reassigned. The Rangers still have Urho Vaakanainen under contract for $1.55 million through next year. He’ll likely be placed on waivers.

The Rangers qualified Vincent Iorio. Along with Schneider, he remains unsigned. It’ll be interesting to see what happens with Schneider. A 24-year-old right defenseman who made $2.2 million, Schneider is due for a significant raise. If they’re committed to him, the question becomes how much for. Given the way the market is due to the rising cap, he could wind up with similar money to former teammate K’Andre Miller (7.5 million AAV). His game isn’t comparable to Miller, who’s a better skater and stronger defensively.

Time will tell what happens with Schneider, who’s arbitration eligible.

Rangers Add Bjorkstrand

Needing to fill another hole on the roster, the Rangers took a flyer on forward Oliver Bjorkstrand by signing him for a year at $4.5 million AAV. His contract includes a 15-team no trade list.

The 31-year-old Bjorkstrand can drive play due to his fast skating which can create offense in transition. Once a consistent 20-goal scorer for both the Blue Jackets and Kraken, he fell off with the Lightning last season. He had a dozen goals with 20 assists for 32 points. Nine of his 12 goals came on the power play due to his lethal shot. He’ll definitely get time on the second unit.

A one year gamble on a streaky player isn’t much of a risk. They could always flip him at next year’s trade deadline. Hopefully, they’ll get a motivated Bjorkstrand, who’s playing for a contract. He needs to get back to 20 goals and at least 40 points.

Given who’s currently on the roster, it looks like he’ll start in the top six. That means probably with J.T. Miller. Most of the forwards shoot lefty. Bjorkstrand is a rare right shot. Hopefully, they get the good version.

Grading Drury

All in all, the much maligned Drury had a good day. Here was my summary.

If you consider that the Wolf Pack will be much improved thanks to the additions of prospects Liam Greentree and Nathan Aspinall, there’s a lot to like about what Drury’s done over the past few days. Tomas Chrenko was my favorite draft pick. Taken late in the third round, he’s a skilled offensive center who impressed for Slovakia at the WJC. Hockey insiders were happy with Ben Macbeath in the second round. Another left defenseman who’s worth keeping track of.

Considering all the questions I had entering the draft up to where they are now, I am going to give Drury a B+ for the off-season thus far. I didn’t want to give him an A. Remember, he took Smits over Chase Reid. We’ll see how Smits pans out.

It’s nice to actually be pleasantly surprised for a change. We’ll see what else happens this summer.

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July 1 Free Agency Preview

Posted on July 1, 2026 by Derek

It’s officially July 1. Happy Canada Day!

Always one of the most anticipated days of the year for puckers, NHL free agency gets rolling this afternoon. Already, we’ve seen some reported signings.

  1. Blackhawks sign Bowen Byram for $12.5 million AAV over six years.
  2. Devils sign Arseny Gritsyuk for $3.25 million AAV over three years.
  3. Ducks sign A.J. Greer for $4.25 million AAV over four years.
  4. Golden Knights sign Jeremy Lauzon for $6 million AAV over six years.
  5. Wild sign Bobby Brink for $2.75 million AAV over one year.
  6. Sabres sign Beck Malenstyn for $2.916 million AAV over six years.
  7. Senators sign Nick Cousins for $1.587 million AAV over two years.
  8. Mammoth sign Sebastian Cossa for $2 million AAV over two years.
  9. Flyers sign Carl Grundstrom for $1 million AAV over one year.
  10. Blues sign Jonatan Berggren for $2 million AAV over one year.

According to Kevin Weekes, the Devils are expected to sign captain Nico Hischier to a contract extension worth just under $12 million AAV over five years. The Fourth Period reported the contract length. Hischier has a $7.25 million cap hit for 2026-27. If he signs for around $60 million over five years, it’s fair value based on a chaotic market that’s seen teams overpay for players.

CONFIRMED: Devils sign Hischier for $11.7 million AAV over five years.

Not only did the Blackhawks give up a lot to get Byram, but they severely overpaid him. The contract Lauzon got from Vegas is absurd. It’s three years too many for the physical defenseman.The best deals are Brink coming back to Minnesota for one year and Greer cashing in with his new team in Anaheim for four after he was acquired for Radko Gudas. Florida is hoping to get Gudas signed.

The Rangers made it official by signing Pavel Dorofeyev for $11 million AAV over seven years. Acquired from the Knights last Friday during the first round of the NHL Draft, he got a huge $13 million signing bonus for Year 1. Here’s the full breakdown on Dorofeyev’s contract.

For the Rangers’ sake, he better be worth it. They believe the skilled Russian is the goalscorer they’ve lacked. It’s not up to Dorofeyev to replace Artemi Panarin’s production. What he must do is fill the net. Whether it’s with Mika Zibanejad or J.T. Miller remains to be seen. One thing that’ll help Dorofeyev is playing with Adam Fox. Fox is a premier setup man and elite on the power play.

Werenski Rejects Dallas

With the news coming out that Zach Werenski is unlikely to re-up in Columbus, the Blue Jackets have been shopping him. The 2025-26 Norris winner still has two years left on his current deal that pays him $9.583 million AAV through 2027-28. They don’t have to trade him.

The 28-year-old Werenski is an elite player who can dominate from the back end. The Stars were very interested in acquiring him. However, he turned them down. The reported offer included Thomas Harley.

Werenski hasn’t formally asked for a trade. However, it sounds like he’d prefer to go to either Tampa Bay or Toronto ‘if’ it happens.

The Blue Jackets also are a year away from Kirill Marchenko becoming a restricted free agent. Their best forward is a bargain at $3.85 million AAV for next season. He doesn’t intend to stay in Columbus. Keep an eye on Marchenko, who could help several teams, including the Devils.

Robertson and Dallas

Jason Robertson has been in the headlines. The Stars’ best player is a restricted free agent. He’s already turned down deals to Ottawa, Seattle, and St. Louis. It seems that nobody wants the Kraken. Panarin rejected them before accepting a deal to the Kings.

ESPN insider Emily Kaplan believes Robertson will stay in Dallas.

Considering how much Robertson wants ($14 million and up), it’s anyone’s guess where he’ll wind up. Dallas qualified Mavrik Bourque along with Robertson. However, Bourque is available. Contrary to popular belief, Vince Mercogliano reported that the Rangers aren’t in on him. It looks like he was right. The latest from Pierre LeBrun has the Predators on the verge of acquiring Bourque for draft picks.

See Ya, Marky

Yesterday, new Devils general manager Sunny Mehta was able to successfully find a taker for Jacob Markstrom. A disaster in New Jersey since coming over from Calgary, Markstrom was sent to the Panthers with Angus Crookshank in exchange for forwards Evan Rodriguez, Jesper Boqvist, and Ben Steeves.

What a great deal by Mehta to get rid of a goalie who looked done. The Devils had to unload Markstrom, who received a two-year contract extension worth $6 million AAV from former GM Tom Fitzgerald last October. The 36-year-old returns to Florida, who are suddenly banking on a pair of Devils rejects in net. They also acquired Akira Schmid from Vegas for a 2028 third round pick.

Not only was Sunny able to get rid of Markstrom, but he also got solid depth players in return. Rodriguez is a good top nine player who doubles on the power play and penalty kill. Boqvist returns to the Devils and will play a fourth line role. New Jersey didn’t qualify Paul Cotter after a bad season. Boqvist and Rodriguez are upgrades that’ll improve the roster.

After re-signing Gritsyuk, the Devils still have $9.7 million in cap space. Is the plan to get another goalie or bring in a top six scorer? Right now, the goalies are Jake Allen and Nico Daws. They’re not expected to be in on Connor Hellebuyck, who would accept a trade to Buffalo.

Who Lands Larkin?

The Red Wings are still looking to trade Dylan Larkin following his request. The question is whether or not they can get enough back to justify moving him. If not, GM Steve Yzerman could keep him.

With Larkin at an affordable cap hit ($8.7 million AAV) through 2030-31, he has one of the best contracts. With the escalating costs in salaries, Larkin is a bargain. The likely candidates are the Knights, Wild, Hurricanes, and possibly the Stars depending on what happens with Robertson.

If Larkin is moved, some other dominoes could fall, including Vincent Trocheck and Tomas Hertl.

The Trocheck Issue

Since March, GM Chris Drury has made it no secret that he’d like to move Trocheck to a contender. However, he continues not to budge from what he’s asking for. No team is going to pay three key pieces for a 33-year-old checking center. Trocheck celebrates his 33rd birthday in 10 days.

Signed for another three years with a $5.625 million cap hit, nobody would dispute that he is a valuable player who can help a team. A gritty pivot who’s money on draws while being able to provide offense at both even strength and on the power play, Trocheck can certainly improve a team’s chances.

The Wild remain the likeliest candidate with young center Danilla Yurov a perfect target. With them expected to re-sign Nick Foligno and Zach Bogosian, they don’t have enough room for Trocheck unless another move is coming.

Perhaps it’ll be a different team that goes after Trocheck. The Sabres were very interested during the draft. Nothing ever happened.

If they wanted to, the Rangers could decide to hang onto him for now. He’s under contract and is a professional. Entering the season with Zibanejad, Miller, and Trocheck isn’t the worst thing. Noah Laba is expected to anchor the fourth line. If they can’t work out a deal this summer, it could always be revisited during the season.

Big Deals Expected for Makar and Hughes

Two of the game’s best players are a year away from unrestricted free agency. Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes are the game’s best two defensemen. They can impact the game like nobody else can from the blue line. The tremendous combination of skating and offensive skill makes them elite. We’ve seen Makar do it. During the postseason, Hughes was at his absolute best for Minnesota.

They’re 1A and 1B. The Avalanche are expected to sign Makar long-term. He currently makes $9 million AAV through 2026-27. It could wind up in the neighborhood of $18 to 19 million.

The Wild have indicated that they plan to sign Hughes to a contract extension. It’ll likely be either for three or five years. If he really has his heart set on joining brothers Jack and Luke in Newark, three makes more sense. Both he and Jack would both be up in 2030.

If Quinn gets a shorter term, it’ll probably be around $15 million.

Who the Rangers Should Chase

The Rangers can still use another top six scoring forward. This year’s free agent class isn’t great. But there’s still some good candidates they should explore.

  1. Mattias Maccelli: Still a younger player who can create offense for teammates, he wasn’t qualified by Toronto. Maccelli once put up 57 points, including 40 assists for Arizona in 2023-24. He shouldn’t cost more than $4 million due to his last two seasons. He could complement Dorofeyev.
  2. Eeli Tolvanen: A 27-year-old physical wing, Tolvanen can provide secondary help. He’s capable of putting up 15 to 20 goals and 20 to 25 assists. A player who loves to finish checks, the former Predators 2017 first round pick should check in at around $5 million. His CF was down due to how Seattle used him.
  3. Mats Zuccarello: Many fans would love to see a Broadway reunion with Zuccarello. To this day, Zucc remains a fan favorite. Despite being 38, he’s still producing at a high level. Consecutive 54-point seasons with the Wild is proof. It helped that he sometimes played with elite talent. How would an older player fit in with the Rangers? He’ll cost at least $7 million. I doubt he accepts one year.
  4. Anthony Mantha: Coming off surgery that limited him to only 13 games in Calgary, the 31-year-old Mantha landed on his feet in Pittsburgh, where he set career bests in goals (33), assists (31), and points (64) while playing with Evgeni Malkin. One has to think the Pens will keep him. However, he’s going to want a big payday. In a normal year, Mantha is still good for 20-plus goals and 20 assists. There are cheaper options.
  5. Kasperi Kapanen: A secondary player who hasn’t had much success lately, the 29-year-old Kapanen is a good skating forward who brings energy. While not as popular as some of the other free agents, he wouldn’t be a bad addition to the third line. He won’t cost as much.

If you buy into the talk from the Rangers beat reporters that they’re in the market to add a left defenseman, it better not be to sign Mario Ferraro. A physical defensive defenseman who will age poorly due to how he plays, it would be a colossal mistake to sign him. Already not the best skater, can anyone imagine Ferraro in his thirties? Considering what Vegas gave Lauzon, he won’t be cheap.

I’d much rather the Rangers take another crack at trying to acquire Alexander Nikishin. A restricted free agent, the 24-year-old defenseman produced 11 goals and 22 helpers in his rookie season for the Hurricanes. A superb skater who’s a strong possession player, Nikishin is the kind of player the Rangers can use. They reportedly offered a first round pick to try to get him during the draft. Carolina turned down the offer that included multiple picks.

Are the Rangers planning to sign another goalie? Dylan Garand re-signed on a two-way, two-year deal. Perhaps they’re going to add another veteran to compete for the backup position. Maybe that’s Daniil Tarasov. He won 13 games with the Panthers. Like Igor Shesterkin, Tarasov is Russian. It could be a good partnership. Compared to some other goalies, he shoudn’t cost too much.

We’ll see what kind of day it is. The fun just started.

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Rangers Deal Edstrom to Predators on Day Two of the NHL Draft

Posted on June 28, 2026 by Derek

On Saturday, the 2026 NHL Draft concluded with Rounds two through seven. For the Rangers, that meant making eight more selections. After taking highly rated defenseman Albert Smits fifth overall on Friday night, they went heavy on defense yesterday to wrap things up in Buffalo.

Aside from focusing on adding to their prospect pool, the Rangers dealt forward Adam Edstrom to the Predators for Massimo Rizzo and a fifth round pick (148). Following the trade, the Rangers flipped pick 148 to the Kraken to move up to 102 in Round 4 to grab left wing Spencer Bowes.

For Edstrom, it isn’t surprising that he got moved. Despite showing some promise in parts of three seasons as a fourth liner, the 25-year-old Swede battled injuries the past two years. Unfortunately, a second straight injury riddled season cost Edstrom a spot under head coach Mike Sullivan.

Even when he returned, Sullivan played him out of position at center before healthy scratching him down the stretch. Most disappointing was that Edstrom continued to sit out while Sullivan favorite Conor Sheary played in meaningless games. He favored a veteran over a younger player with nothing to play for.

Instead, Jaroslav Chmelar and Adam Sykora became fixtures in the Rangers lineup. They found chemistry with Noah Laba, who had a solid rookie season after making the roster out of training camp.

If there’s one thing he showed in his time as a Blueshirt, it was the speed Edstrom possessed for a big player his size. Despite being listed at six-foot-seven, 232 pounds, the 2019 sixth round pick is a fast skater who can get in and create offense. If he can stay healthy with Nashville, he should be a nice addition to the Predators. Signed through 2026-27 for $975,000, Edstrom will try to reestablish himself with his new team this fall.

In 97 career games as a Ranger, he finished with 10 goals and six assists for 16 points and 31 penalty minutes. His best season came in 2024-25 when he posted a career-high five goals with four assists for nine points and 27 penalty minutes in 51 games.

Edstrom became the second player to change rosters this weekend. On Friday, Brett Berard was sent packing to Montreal in exchange for William Trudeau. Under former head coach Peter Laviolette, both fared better. That’s part of the process in the NHL, where one coach prefers certain players while the other doesn’t. In the case of Sullivan, neither Edstrom or Berard fit what he wanted.

Is Matt Rempe next? The 23-year-old got into 26 games scoring once with 11 penalty minutes in 2025-26. A fight with Ryan Reaves last season resulted in Rempe breaking his left thumb. He underwent two different surgical procedures for it. If he returns, it would be a surprise. He’s under contract for one more year making $975,000.

Even after acquiring finisher Pavel Dorofeyev from the Golden Knights, the Rangers still have too many bottom six forwards. There’s still not enough offense in the top six. They could use another young player capable of putting the puck in the net with some consistency.

Buffalo has Jack Quinn available. Signed for 2026-27 at a $3.375 million cap hit, the 24-year-old has a good right shot that can provide scoring help. He just completed his best season by establishing career highs in goals (20), assists (31), and points (51) in 82 games for the Sabres. Forty of the 51 points came at even strength while the other 11 were on the power play. It might be worth exploring to see what it would cost.

The Rangers have $15.675 million in salary cap space according to Puck Pedia. Over the next few days, we’ll have a better idea what the plans are for Vincent Trocheck and Braden Schneider. Trocheck was mentioned plenty over the past couple of days. Things have been relatively quiet regarding Schneider. The defenseman is the only key free agent that the organization must make an important decision on. Do they pay up or trade him?

Overall, Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury had a rare good weekend. He was able to fill two needs by adding Dorofeyev and taking Smits, who will be a big part of the future on the blue line. He also made a couple of more good picks on Saturday. Something I’ll get to in the next post.

For at least one day, there’s some cause for optimism. We’ll see how things shake out the rest of the summer.

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Rangers Select Defenseman Alberts Smits

Posted on June 27, 2026 by Derek

On a night filled with anticipation, the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft certainly delivered. Highlighted by Leafs’ celebrity fan Justin Bieber making the first overall selection of Gavin McKenna to chuckles in Buffalo, it didn’t disappoint.

In fact, it was a roller-coaster for both ESPN and the fans. After the Sharks followed suit by taking Ivar Stenberg, it was a proud father-son moment for the Canucks with new head coach Manny Malhotra congratulating son Caleb Malhotra on being taken third by Vancouver. Nearly three decades earlier, it was the elder Malhotra who had his name called by the Rangers with the seventh pick in 1998.

Following the first three going in expected order, some dominoes began to fall. In a surprise, the hometown Sabres passed on Chase Reid to select Daxon Rudolph. They still went for a good defenseman who will be part of their blue line for years to come. With Buffalo deciding to go for Rudolph, the Rangers had the chance to scoop up the highly rated Reid. However, they had other ideas instead.

ESPN’s Meghan Chayka noted how much the organization loved Alberts Smits. When NHL commissioner Gary Bettman stepped up to the microphone, he made it official by announcing the Rangers’ fifth overall pick of Smits.

They went for possibly the most NHL-ready player. Listed at six-foot-three, 209 pounds, Smits combines a strong physical two-way game with superb skating. A big player who is a left-handed defenseman with a good shot, it’s possible that the 18-year-old from Latvia could make the roster out of training camp.

Smits was the youngest player that competed in the Milan Olympics. He was impressive by picking up two assists in four games while averaging 18:44 of ice time for Latvia. That followed up a good showing at the World Junior Championships. He posted a goal and four assists while leading all Latvian skaters in ice time with 23:40. He also had four assists representing his country at the World Championships while averaging 21:47 of ice time.

Smits has played for Jukurit in Finland. He was loaned to Munchen in Germany. A mature player who’s lived on his own since 13, he doesn’t sound like most prospects his age.

It’s obvious that the Rangers feel that Smits can fill a void. There’s no question that the left side of the back end is lacking after Vladislav Gavrikov. If he proves that he’s ready, then they should find out about him sooner than later. Some players can make the quick transition to the NHL. The only concern would be if he struggles. The organization must learn from its past mistakes when it comes to development. They must do what’s best for Smits.

Smits has been favorably compared to Moritz Seider. If that actually happens, then this pick is a home run. Others view him similarly to former Ranger K’Andre Miller. The only thing I’ll say regarding that is let’s hope Smits becomes the player he’s supposed to be in the Big Apple.

Of course, some of the reaction from was negative due to taking Smits over Reid. However, I’ve seen tape of both. While it’s true that I believe that Reid has the highest ceiling in this draft, Smits should become a good player. He is good at finding gaps and plays with an edge.

Reid actually fell to the Kraken who grabbed him at number seven. Carson Carels was taken by the Flames at the sixth spot. In assessing the defensemen in this class, they’re all going to be good players. Keaton Verhoeff was taken ninth by the Sharks. Malte Gustafsson went number 13 to the Islanders.

Of the 32 players selected in the first round, 10 were defensemen. Half went in the top 10. That speaks to how deep the position is. A player who’s still available when the draft resumes on Saturday at 11 AM is Xavier Villeneuve. A left-handed offensive defenseman with a lot of skill, he’s only listed at five-foot-eleven, 164 pounds.

Having watched some video on Villeneuve, he has a lot of similarities to Lane Hutson. He’s an extremely fast skater who can beat guys one-on-one and create offense. Villeneuve must improve defensively and get stronger. He could be the steal of the draft.

The Devils have two early picks in the second round. It wouldn’t be surprising to see them scoop Villeneuve up. That could depend on what the Canucks and Blackhawks do to start the day.

The Rangers don’t pick until the final spot of Round 2 at number 64. That’s the other pick they got last year from Carolina for Miller. They wound up using the first round pick (26) from Dallas to acquire Pavel Dorofeyev. That now makes that trade much better than it was. Especially with Miller helping the Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup.

The third round promises to be fun. The Rangers own picks 67, 77, and 81.

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