Rangers Place Vaakanainen on Waivers

Posted on September 22, 2026 by Derek

On Tuesday, the Rangers placed four players on waivers. As expected, Urho Vaakanainen was among the roster cuts. With 2026 first round pick Alberts Smits in direct competition with Matthew Robertson for a starting spot on the third pair, there was simply no room for Vaakanainen on the roster.

A former Bruins 2017 first round pick, the 27-year-old defenseman was acquired from the Ducks for Jacob Trouba on Dec. 6, 2024. After appearing in 46 games while tallying two goals and 13 assists for 15 points with the Rangers in 2024-25, Vaakanainen fell out of favor under head coach Mike Sullivan last season. In 34 games, he had six assists while averaging 13:51 of ice time.

Since the start of training camp, he was practicing with the AHL group. Considering that he has a year remaining with a $1.55 million cap hit, it’s a no brainer for the Rangers. With $325,000 buried, that equals $1.3 million in cap savings. In the unlikely event that another team claims him, Vaakanainen should clear waivers and be assigned to Hartford.

Juuso Parssinen should be joining him. He was also on waivers, along with Justin Dowling and Dennis Cholowski. All four played in yesterday’s game against the Devils. Assuming he clears, Parssinen will play for Hartford.

Smits Makes MSG Debut

When the Rangers host the Islanders later tonight, Smits will make his MSG debut. The Latvian teenager will be teamed up with Braden Schneider on the third pair. This will be his first introduction to the NHL. There’ll be a lot of attention on him. We’ll see how he handles it.

The lineup includes the revamped top six on the blue line, with Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi on the second pair. Adam Fox remains with Vladislav Gavrikov on the number one pair.

The Rangers will get a closer look at their expected top two lines. At least for now, Sullivan wants to start out with Gabe Perreault and Alexis Lafreniere staying together with Mika Zibanejad.

It’ll be interesting to see what develops with newcomer Pavel Dorofeyev, who’s playing his off side on a line with J.T. Miller and Oliver Bjorkstrand. How long will that last? Dorofeyev would be better off on his natural side for one-timers.

It’s wise for the coaching staff to take a glimpse at first-year pros Cole Beaudoin and Liam Greentree. They’ll be playing together on the third line with Eeli Tolvanen.

Dylan Roobroeck gets a second straight game between Jaroslav Chmelar and Taylor Raddysh. Roobroeck could one day become the Rangers’ fourth line center. Let’s see if he can make a good impression.

Sykora Still Being Evaluated

There was nothing new to report on Adam Sykora. He exited last night’s game after suffering a lower-body injury. He’s still being evaluated.

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Sykora Suffers Lower-Body Injury in Rangers’ loss to Devils

Posted on September 22, 2026 by Derek

On Monday night, the Rangers dropped a 3-2 decision to the Devils in preseason action. It was the first of four tuneups over a five day period.

Anton Blidh and Drew Fortescue each had a goal. Liam Greentree and Brody Lamb picked up assists in a game that was mostly players who’ll start with the Wolf Pack this season. Despite the Devils dressing most of their regulars, including Jack Hughes, who scored on another breakaway for the game-winner (big shocker),it was a mix of youngsters and vets kept it close.

“I thought we competed hard. I loved our competitive spirit. I think that was the biggest takeaway for me, and that was what we asked of them before the game: ‘don’t overthink it out there, and believe in yourself, trust your instincts, and compete.’

And I thought we competed hard. If we were going to make mistakes, let’s make them mistakes of enthusiasm. And I thought that was the case. There are certainly some areas where we need to get better, but I loved our competitive spirit,” Mike Sullivan said.

Dylan Garand was busy finishing with 28 saves on 31 shots. He went the whole way in his first appearance. Two of the goals weren’t his fault.

Vincent Iorio handed Timo Meier an easy goal on a brutal giveaway. It was a gift that probably will get Iorio put on waivers in a week. Hughes’ winner was another typical walk-in that came with 2:12 left. That can’t happen anymore when these teams play during the regular season. Hughes needs to be checked or knocked on his ass completely. The new defense better send him a message.

Rangers Lose Sykora to Injury

The big concern that came out of the game was Adam Sykora leaving due to absorbing a big hit from Mikael Diotte that sent him down awkwardly. He left with a lower-body injury.

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It didn’t look good. Sykora was caught a tad late by the much bigger Diotte. He’ll be re-evaluated tomorrow by the Rangers medical staff.

Iorio also sustained a lower-body injury. He’ll also be re-evaluated.

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Rangers Preseason Starts Tonight at Devils

Posted on September 21, 2026 by Derek

On Yom Kippur, the Rangers begin their preseason schedule tonight when they visit the Devils in Newark. It’s the first of four games over the next five days. That includes hosting the Islanders on Tuesday followed by the Devils visiting Madison Square Garden this Thursday. The final game is on Friday at the Islanders.

A week from now, the Rangers must submit their official roster. With a shortened training camp due to the NHL starting up on Sept. 29, that means the organization will have to make quick decisions on younger players competing for spots. Realistically speaking, it’s highly unlikely that promising prospects will make the roster. Especially up front due to the team’s improved depth, thanks in large part to Chris Drury signing Eeli Tolvanen in addition to Pavel Dorofeyev and Oliver Bjorkstrand.

So far, Tolvanen has fit in well on a projected third line while playing with Noah Laba and Will Cuylle. During a few scrimmages, they were effective on the forecheck and noticeable. Given that all three forwards have a strong work ethic, it isn’t surprising that they stood out. If Mike Sullivan decides to use them together to begin the season, they could become a solid checking unit capable of contributing. At least, that’s the hope coming in. We’ll see how they progress.

The fourth line has included a battle between Matt Rempe, Jaroslav Chmelar, and Adam Sykora for a spot. If it’s any indication on how they’ve lined up in camp, Sullivan has been rotating Chmelar and Rempe on the right side. Joe Veleno and Tye Kartye are locks. There’s also Dylan Roobroeck, who’s looking to make a case to stay. Considering the amount of depth at Sullivan’s disposal, he’ll likely choose between Chmelar and Sykora. Both had success after coming up from Hartford late last season. Each can be assigned to Hartford and are waiver exempt.

On the blue line, Sullivan is giving 2026 first round pick Alberts Smits every chance to make the team. Smits has played alongside Braden Schneider on the third pair. The 18-year-old impressed during the scrimmages by showing poise defensively while scoring a goal on a backhand. He isn’t part of the group who’ll play against the Devils A squad later tonight. Smits will likely make his MSG debut tomorrow night.

Matthew Robertson will pair up with Scott Morrow on a B squad made up of mostly players who could be ticketed for Hartford. If Smits does enough to debut on Opening Night next week against the Bruins, Robertson would be the seventh defenseman. A solid defensive player who opened some eyes in his rookie year, he should still get wind up in the lineup. Especially with Smits being new. The organization will do what’s best for his development.

Drew Fortescue and Vincent Iorio will comprise the second pair in Newark. Each appeared in action last season. Iorio is hoping to do enough to avoid being placed on waivers once camp concludes. He would have to pass through waivers to be reassigned. Fortescue is in the second year of an entry level contract he signed. A 2023 third round pick, the former Boston College standout didn’t look out of place. However, he’ll likely spend his first full pro year with the Wolf Pack.

Urho Vaakanainen appears destined to be put on waivers. Once acquired for Jacob Trouba from Anaheim, he has been skating with the AHL squad in camp. Assuming he clears, Vaakanainen will be reassigned to Hartford. If a team claims him, getting the $1.55 million off the cap will help create some room on the roster.

As for the forwards lining up tonight, Roobroeck is centering the third line, which includes first-year pros Nathan Aspinall and Brody Lamb. They could wind up playing together when the Wolf Pack start up in October. Sykora will also make his season debut on a second line with Justin Dowling and Juuso Parssinen. Top prospect Liam Greentree will be featured on the top line.

Dylan Garand will split duties with Callum Tung in net.

As for the Devils, they decided to load up their lineup after going with mostly an AHL group in a 2-1 win over the Islanders on Sunday. Newcomer Amadeus Lombardi had a strong showing. He’s looking to crack a roster that has plenty of competition coming from established veterans. He could overtake Jesper Boqvist if they decide to keep him.

With the Devils basically playing their top two lines, including Anthony Mantha with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt, it could be a tough night for the Wolf Pack. We’ll see how they do against the Devils A squad.

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Rangers’ First Day of Practice Highlighted by New Faces

Posted on September 17, 2026 by Derek

Yesterday, NHL training camps finally opened up. That included the Rangers, who returned to their practice facility in Greenburgh. With the beginning of the regular season two weeks away, the camp roster includes 48 players. But it won’t be long before the coaching staff starts making cuts.

Outside of the players who are expected to be part of the Opening Night roster when the Rangers visit the Boston Bruins on Sept. 29 as part of an ESPN tripleheader, head coach Mike Sullivan will get a closer look at 2026 first round pick Alberts Smits, along with Liam Greentree, Brody Lamb, Nathan Aspinall, Cole Beaudoin, and Jacob Battaglia. Almost all of the first-year pros figure to be assigned to Hartford. Perhaps Smits can make a strong enough case to stay.

During the first practice, Smits was penciled in next to Braden Schneider on the third defensive pair. If the 18-year-old teenager can take advantage of the opportunity he’s been given, that could impact Sullivan’s decision.

As expected, Sullivan opted to keep the top pair of Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov together. They had enough success last season to run it back. According to Natural Stat Trick, Fox and Gavrikov had a 55.18 CF while going plus-seven in goal differential (32-25) at five-on-five.

New additions Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi were together on the second pair. Each are viewed as upgrades that Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury made to overhaul a blue line that struggled. By getting rid of Will Borgen and unloading Vincent Trocheck, that allowed Drury to bring in both Pettersson and Durzi. On paper, the top four looks to be much improved.

That leaves four players competing for two spots on the back end. For at least now, the Rangers want to see what Smits can do while working with mainstay Braden Schneider. If they can form early chemistry in preseason, then it’s possible that Smits could start the season with the Rangers. If he struggles with the speed and intensity, then they should send him down to play with the Wolf Pack in the American Hockey League.

Matthew Robertson worked with Scott Morrow as the fourth pair. Robertson showed enough positives to impress Sullivan in his rookie year. If they think Smits isn’t ready, then Robertson would be penciled in with Schneider to begin the season. Robertson is a solid defensive defenseman who knows how to play in his end. He was surprisingly good at jumping in on offense where he contributed six goals and 12 assists for 18 points over 72 games.

Due to an uneven 2025-26, it’s anyone’s guess what will happen with Morrow. A smooth skating offensive defenseman that came over from the Carolina Hurricanes as part of the ill fated K’Andre Miller deal, Morrow has a lot to prove this camp. Can he play adequate enough in his end for the coaching staff to trust him? Morrow was a big disappointment finishing with six assists in 29 contests. If Smits doesn’t make the roster, Morrow will try to beat out Vincent Iorio, who re-signed for a year, $850,000 on Aug. 21. It’s likely that either Morrow or Iorio could be placed on waivers.

Urho Vaakanainen is an afterthought. With a $1.55 million cap hit, the 27-year-old appears to be destined for either a trade or waivers. Since he’s a left-handed defenseman, Vaakanainen can be viewed as insurance in case Smits needs to spend time adjusting in the AHL. The best guess is that they’ll keep one extra defenseman, leaving Vaakanainen unprotected.

Sullivan Sticks with Top Line

Despite Drury taking a big swing by sending two first round picks over to the Vegas Golden Knights for Pavel Dorofeyev, Sullivan has decided to stick with the same top line for now. Considering the chemistry Mika Zibanejad had with Gabe Perreault and Alexis Lafreniere to conclude 2025-26, it’s understandable why Sullivan wants to give the trio another look. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

However, the idea of sticking Dorofeyev on the second line with J.T. Miller and Oliver Bjorkstrand isn’t why they signed him for an 11 million AAV over seven years. Dorofeyev is a finisher that they need to produce. If he starts slowly with Miller and Bjorkstrand, Sullivan better not hesitate to move Dorofeyev up with Zibanejad and Perreault, who’s the best passing forward they have. Even if that means moving Lafreniere down to the second line.

In order for the roster to be successful, they’ll need Dorofeyev to score 35 goals or better, with both Lafreniere and Perreault providing strong support. Bjorkstrand is a streaky scorer who’s capable of getting 20. If he hits a slump, look for Will Cuylle to find his way into the top six. Cuylle’s scored 20 in each of his last two seasons.

With Eeli Tolvanen penciled in on the third line alongside Noah Laba and Cuylle, it’s scoring by committee for the Rangers. They can’t replace all of the production Artemi Panarin brought. However, it could become a more balanced attack. At least, that’s what the hope is entering the season. Neither can Laba replace Trocheck, who was good for 16 goals and 37 assists for 53 points. Laba had 24 points in his first season. Anywhere between 30 to 40 should be within reach.

In practice prior to today’s scrimmage, Tolvanen was rotated on the third line with Taylor Raddysh. Both are capable of filling that role. Both Tolvanen and Raddysh are on one-year deals with identical $1.5 million cap hits. It’ll be interesting to see what develops during camp.

The fourth line features former Canadien Joe Veleno between Tye Kartye and either Jaroslav Chmelar or Matt Rempe. However, Adam Sykora is a player to watch. The 2022 second round pick is a better skater with more offensive potential than Chmelar, who brings a meat and potatoes game. Each are on two-way contracts. Rempe showed no ill effects from having two thumb procedures done.

For now, Rempe is likely viewed by the organization to make the roster. However, things can change rather quickly. In the first scrimmage, Blue won 4-1 over White. Players he’s competing with scored, including Sykora, Raddysh, Lamb, and Dylan Roobroeck. The latter two are looking to turn some heads.

As far as having three goalies, Sullivan isn’t opposed to it at the start.

Dylan Garand is no longer waiver eligible. That means if he doesn’t make the roster, he must clear to be reassigned. The competition for backup between Garand and veteran Joonas Korpisalo will be interesting. I’m of the belief that if neither struggle, both will start the season on the roster.

The Rangers’ first preseason game is in four days against the New Jersey Devils on Sept. 21.

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Devils Sign Evangelista to Five Year Extension

Posted on September 16, 2026 by Derek

On the last day that teams could sign players to contract extensions for a maximum amount of eight years, the Devils did the next best thing. Two weeks after acquiring Luke Evangelista from the Nashville Predators, they signed him to a five-year extension worth $36.25 million. Starting the following season, Evangelista will have a $7.25 million cap hit.

Unlike a few general managers who went overboard on max deals before the number decreases to seven officially today on September 16 as part of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, Devils GM Sunny Mehta was able to get Evangelista to take a little less over a fair term. It’s a wise move that’ll keep the play-making forward at a lower number that should benefit the Devils. The 24-year-old is signed through 2032.

Getting Evangelista done before training camp begins later today is smart. Now, the Devils can focus on the upcoming season. With less preseason games, things should happen more rapidly. During camp, they’ll play four exhibition games starting with the New York Islanders on Sept. 20. That’ll be followed by facing the New York Rangers both at home and on the road. They’ll conclude with the Islanders on Sept. 26 before the season opener in Newark against the Philadelphia Flyers on October 1.

The Devils already completed a two-game series with the Islanders featuring prospects. That included defenseman Anton Silaev, who’ll look to impress the coaching staff in camp. Along with the forgotten Seamus Casey, they’ll be two players to keep a close eye on.

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Kreider Signs With Canadiens

Posted on September 14, 2026 by Derek

Not in This Lifetime. That was the Guns N’ Roses tour slogan when Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff McKagan reunited in 2016 after not taking the stage together in nearly three decades. As a longtime fan, I never thought I’d witness it.

That slogan now applies to Chris Kreider after he signed with the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday for a year at $2.15 million. The contract includes $3.25 million in performance bonuses.

A dozen years removed from the incidental collision that knocked Carey Price out of the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals, which drew the ire of Montreal fans and the Canadian media up north, the 35-year-old Kreider has joined up with the Canadiens. He’ll be reunited with former teammate Martin St. Louis, who signed a contract extension as the Habs head coach earlier on Monday. It also reunites him with current Montreal general manager Jeff Gorton and former Rangers trainer Jim Ramsay, who he remains close with.

When the news broke yesterday while I was enjoying the men’s US Open Final won by Alex Zverev over Ben Shelton, I couldn’t believe it. I never would have imagined that Kreider would end up in Montreal. To this day, some Habs fans still haven’t gotten over what happened in Game 1 of that memorable Conference Final series. I don’t blame them. Price was their meal ticket that season. He carried them past the Boston Bruins in the second round to reach that point.

It all came crashing down when a speeding Kreider got tripped by Alexei Emelin and lost control by banging into Price early in the third period. After he knocked Price out, the Rangers erupted for three power-play goals to win comfortably 7-2 at Bell Centre.

The Rangers took the series in six games to advance to the 2014 Stanley Cup Finals. Kreider was instrumental leading all forwards in scoring with three goals and five assists for eight points. He was only 23 at the time with so much good hockey ahead of him. Despite playing on some good teams that he helped lead to three more Conference Finals, the Rangers never returned to the Stanley Cup Finals.

With his best years in the rear view mirror, including a 52-goal season on Broadway in 2021-22, the 35-year-old forward is hoping he can help add scoring help and leadership to a mostly younger Canadiens nucleus. They’re coming off a 48-win, 106-point season that saw them edge both the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres in seven games before losing in five to the eventual champion Carolina Hurricanes.

Considering that he isn’t the player he once was, it looks like a good fit. On a talented roster that features Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, and Lane Hutson, he won’t have to do the heavy lifting. Very familiar with St. Louis, who he reached out to before to help him work on some things, Kreider can slide onto the second line with Demidov or even the third line to take advantage of favorable matchups. He doesn’t even need to be used on the number one power play. St. Louis can put Kreider on the second unit with Noah Dobson running it.

It’ll be interesting to see how St. Louis uses Kreider, who even now remains one of the game’s best at tipping in shots from in front. He hasn’t scored as many goals the past two seasons, topping out at 22 each with the Rangers and Ducks. However, his hands are as good as anyone. With the Habs boasting future Norris contender Hutson along with Dobson, they have a pair of defensemen who can get the puck to Kreider. Finding him shouldn’t be a problem.

As a big Kreider fan since his career began that spring in 2012 when he scored five goals in the postseason before ever playing a regular season game, I can’t picture him in a Canadiens jersey. It’s definitely going to be strange. Even more so with Kreider having to give up his trademark number 20 due to Slafkovsky already wearing it. Instead, Kreider took number 22.

Nothing against the Habs. They have some of the nicest threads in hockey. The traditional maroon and white is a nice combo. It will be very different from the old Blueshirts we were accustomed to seeing him skate in. It’s going to be Kreider playing for the Canadiens when they visit Madison Square Garden on November 16. Fortunately, the other two matchups are at Bell Center this season. That includes Valentine’s Day and April Fool’s Day. Perhaps the schedule makers had some special foresight.

For years, Kreider got booed whenever the Rangers visited Montreal. Now, the opposite might happen at MSG. Who ever would have predicted that.

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Kreider, Ducks Mutually Agree to Contract Termination

Posted on September 10, 2026 by Derek

On Wednesday, Sept. 9, the Anaheim Ducks and Chris Kreider mutually agreed to a contract termination. Kreider had one year remaining with a $6.5 million cap hit on the original deal he signed it with the New York Rangers on Feb. 24, 2020.

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Due to the Ducks’ cap issues after being forced to match a Flyers offer sheet worth $18 million AAV over five years for Leo Carlsson, Kreider became a cap casualty for Anaheim general manager Pat Verbeek. Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful in finding the right trade partner for Kreider, who prefers to relocate closer to home on the East coast.

While the Ducks try to find a way to re-sign restricted free agent Cutter Gauthier, Kreider was officially waived earlier today. With training camp approaching, he’s now an unrestricted free agent who can sign with any other team.

Most people believe he’ll wind up with the hometown Boston Bruins. They have $5.39 million left, according to Puckpedia.com. If he signed with the Bruins, Kreider would still likely be a top six forward who could slot in with Elias Lindholm and Morgan Geekie on the second line.

Although his production remained down from the glory days that saw him become a 30-goal scorer in the Big Apple, including netting a career-high 52 in 2021-22, the 35-year-old Boston native still managed to score 22 goals and add 28 assists for 50 points with the Ducks last season. In the postseason, he struggled with only two goals and five helpers for seven points in 12 games.

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Kreider remains a good skater with excellent hands as a net front presence where he’s made his living. A strong player who’s adept at tipping in shots, he had eight power-play goals for the Ducks. Despite playing on the second unit, he was tied with Mikael Granlund for second on the team behind Gauthier, who paced Anaheim with 11 on the man-advantage.

No Chance of A Rangers Reunion

For the eternal optimists who hope to see Kreider return for a Rangers reunion, there’s no chance that happens.

With the key additions of Pavel Dorofeyev, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Eeli Tolvanen helping to solidify the Rangers offense, that doesn’t leave any room for Kreider. In fact, the Rangers are right up against the cap with just $995,476 left.

As much as it would be nice to have Kreider back for the potential final chapter of his career that included being ranked third in goals (326) on the all-time franchise list, and tied for second with Camille Henry for power-play goals (116), it’s not happening.

However, the Garden faithful will always have fond memories to share with loved ones. Kreider’s natural hat trick versus the Carolina Hurricanes on May 16, 2024 in Game 6 of the Metropolitan Division Finals will be etched in Rangers playoff lore. It sent them to the Eastern Conference Finals.

I’ll never forget his clutch tying goal with time winding down with the Rangers facing elimination against the Washington Capitals in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on May 8, 2015. That goal allowed captain Ryan McDonagh to win the game in overtime. The Rangers came back to take the series in seven to advance to their second straight Eastern Conference Finals. Being in the building for that moment was special.

Kreider Closing in On Milestones

In a 14-year career, Kreider has been a consistent finisher, scoring 20 or more in 11 seasons. That includes a career best 52 in 2021-22, 36 in 2022-23, and 39 in 2023-24.

He’s closing in on some milestones. Kreider currently has 348 goals. He needs 52 to reach 400. He’s also played in 958 games. If he signs with a new team and plays in 42 this season, he’ll reach 1,000 games for his career.

Wherever he winds up, Kreider will have plenty of fans following him.

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Evangelista A Good Pickup For Devils

Posted on September 8, 2026 by Derek

On Sept. 2, the Devils made a smart move by trading for forward Luke Evangelista. It was a little surprising that he was available. For new team president and general manager Sunny Mehta, it was a good pickup that should improve the roster for the upcoming season.

Although it did cost a conditional 2028 first round pick (Avalanche) and a 2028 second round pick to acquire Evangelista from the confusing Predators, getting an emerging player with strong analytics seems worth it. The 24-year-old Evangelista is coming off his best season, which saw him set personal bests in goals (12), assists (44), and points (56). The breakdown included 39 even-strength points and 17 power-play points on a team that didn’t qualify for the postseason.

The Toronto native enters his fourth full season. A former Predators 2020 second round pick (42nd overall), he totaled 45 goals with 97 assists for 142 points in 253 games with Nashville. Now, he’ll begin a new chapter in New Jersey. Featured more in the Predators top six in 2025-26, Devils fans should expect head coach Sheldon Keefe to use him in a similar fashion. His success at five-on-five would benefit a team that struggled there last season.

Evangelista had a 53.9 CF percentage, which had him ranked among some of the best forwards, including Connor McDavid, Nikita Kucherov, Jason Robertson, and Brandon Hagel. A fast skater who is effective at winning puck battles and finding open teammates, it looks like he’d be an ideal fit on the second line with Nico Hischier and Timo Meier. As a play-making right wing, he could help unlock Meier, who’s been a disappointment since he was acquired from the Sharks on Feb. 26, 2023. Despite being an effective even strength player, Meier has been a bit of a streaky scorer with the Devils. His goals have gone down the past three years with the 24 he had last season the fewest since 2020-21.

When he learned of the trade last Monday, he told Predators reporter Alex Daugherty of the Tennessean that he was caught off guard.

“No, I honestly was pretty surprised. I was all packed up and I was headed to Nashville yesterday morning, then my agent gave me like an hour, hour and a half heads up that something might be going down. To stay by the phone. It was pretty much a shock. I thought I was going back to Nashville… I didn’t quite see it coming.”

Set to earn $3 million this season before becoming a potential restricted free agent, Evangelista has the chance to sign an extension with the Devils. Considering what’s already happened today, with the Bruins locking up Fraser Minten for seven years at $7.2 million AAV, it would be smart for Mehta to do something similar with Evangelista. Moving forward, the Devils have over $32 million in projected cap space for 2027-28. Thanks to Mehta unloading Jacob Markstrom and moving Simon Nemec, the Devils are in really good shape for next year. That could come in handy if a certain current player on the Wild decides not to sign an extension soon.

While they keep tabs on that potential coveted target, the focus is on the current roster. By making smart deals to improve up front, Mehta has the Devils on track to return the playoffs. Adding quality players in Anthony Mantha, Evan Rodriguez, and now the promising Evangelista, there’s a lot to like about an offense that prominently features Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Hischier. If Evangelista and Mantha perform up to expectations, that’ll relieve some pressure from Dawson Mercer and Connor Brown.

The Devils are also hoping Arseny Gritsyuk returns stronger from off-season surgery that ended his rookie season. His first year was solid with Gritsyuk tallying 13 goals and 18 helpers for 31 points in 66 games while averaging 15:10 of ice time. Most of the production came at even strength (26 points). If he can improve from last season, there’s no reason he can’t score 20 goals and put up close to 50 points. Much depends upon what his role will be under Keefe. At the moment, Gritsyuk is penciled in on the third line with Mercer and either Rodriguez or Connor Brown.

With rookie camp finally here, training camp is around the corner. That’ll be followed up by the start of the season on October 1 versus the Flyers in Newark. It should be a more exciting year in New Jersey.

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Rangers Make Wise Decision Adding Tolvanen

Posted on September 2, 2026 by Derek

Late yesterday afternoon, the Rangers agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract with unrestricted free agent Eeli Tolvanen.

A solid defensive forward who can provide secondary scoring along with physicality, the 27-year-old Tolvanen was a player I hoped the Rangers would sign this summer. I felt he’d be a good fit on the third line due to his unique style. Once a 2017 Predators first round pick (30th overall), Tolvanen spent approximately three seasons in Nashville before the Kraken claimed him off waivers on Dec. 12, 2022.

Despite reaching double digits in goals twice early in his career, he wound up on a different team with the expansion Kraken. It was there where he showed improvement as a player. Over 48 games, he had 16 goals and 11 assists for a career best 27 points with Seattle for the remainder of 2022-23. Tolvanen followed that up by achieving career highs in assists (25) and points (41) in 2023-24.

In 2024-25, he posted a career-high 23 goals with 12 helpers for 35 points in 81 contests. He also had 237 hits to make it two consecutive seasons with over 200 hits. Last season, Tolvanen tallied a dozen goals and 24 assists for 36 points in 78 games. He also averaged a personal best 16:03 of ice time. He finished with 187 hits and 81 blocked shots.

Perhaps due to a down year that included a career worst minus-18 rating, he didn’t sign early. Despite being an established player, Tolvanen had to patiently wait for the Rangers to scoop him up.

For the Rangers, it’s a wise move bringing in a player who should solidify their top nine. Before Tolvanen signed, the third line was projected to include either Tye Kartye or Taylor Raddysh. Now, it looks like Noah Laba and Will Cuylle will have a more capable checking forward to play with.

In adding Tolvanen to a good off-season that’s featured the big acquisition of goalscorer Pavel Dorofeyev and signing Oliver Bjorkstrand to a one-year deal worth $4.5 million, the Rangers look improved both up front and on a revamped blue line that now includes Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi.

There’s cause for optimism as training camp approaches. With a better prospect pool that includes Liam Greentree, Cole Beaudoin, Nathan Aspinall, Brody Lamb, and Jacob Battaglia, the organization is moving in the right direction. By selecting Alberts Smits and signing him, he will begin his pro career either in New York City or Hartford. If it’s the latter due to incumbent defensemen Matthew Robertson and Braden Schneider, that’ll probably be best for his development. That also could go for Greentree, who was the big prospect that came back for Artemi Panarin.

If we’re to project the Rangers potential lineup, it could look like this.

Gabe Perreault-Mika Zibanejad-Pavel Dorofeyev

Alexis Lafreniere-J.T. Miller-Oliver Bjorkstrand

Will Cuylle-Noah Laba-Eeli Tolvanen

Tye Kartye-Joe Veleno-Taylor Raddysh

Vladislav Gavrikov-Adam Fox

Marcus Pettersson-Sean Durzi

Matthew Robertson-Braden Schneider

Igor Shesterkin

Joonas Korpisalo

Extras: F Matt Rempe, D Urho Vaakanainen, G Dylan Garand

Chmelar and Sykora Take Aim

That excludes Jaroslav Chmelar and Adam Sykora. Both forwards made a good first impression on Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan towards the conclusion of 2025-26. Each carved out roles on the fourth line while playing with Laba.

However, Laba is expected to move back up and anchor the third line. With Vincent Trocheck no longer around due to the trade with the Mammoth, which brought back Durzi and Beaudoin, the second-year center is expected to take over full-time in a checking role for the reliable Trocheck. Due to Sullivan playing Trocheck and Miller together for a good portion of last season, Laba should be quite familiar with what’s expected. He also doubled as a penalty killer with Kartye, who the Rangers claimed from the Kraken.

As for Chmelar and Sykora, who are both on two-way deals, they’ll each look to make the roster out of camp.

Improved Depth Means Increased Expectations

Give Chris Drury some credit. The Rangers team president and general manager had a strong off-season by addressing some key areas that needed to be overhauled from last year. With improved depth, that should mean increased expectations.

The Rangers finished last in the Eastern Conference with 77 points. A big reason for that were injuries to Shesterkin and Fox. They each missed a significant amount of time. Without their two biggest stars, the Rangers plummeted in the standings. Once they returned, the team played better down the stretch. That included Zibanejad, who had a bounce back season by pacing the Blueshirts with 34 goals, 78 points, and 16 power-play goals to win the Steven McDonald Award.

Despite missing 27 games, Fox still finished with 53 points in 55 games. He remains one of the league’s best defensemen. Now, he could be underrated due to insiders having him ranked outside the top 10. A healthy season could see Fox have a revival on Broadway.

Similarly, Shesterkin rounded into form by winning 25 games while posting a 2.50 goals-against-average and .912 save percentage in 51 starts. He should get back to winning over 30 and could seriously challenge for the Vezina.

The Blueshirts need more from captain J.T. Miller. An injury riddled season limited him to 53 points in 68 games. He played most of it through whatever was ailing him. A healthy and motivated Miller could unlock the Rangers’ potential. They can ill afford for Miller to be ineffective over the new 84-game slate, which begins on Sept. 29.

Adding a quality scorer in Dorofeyev should aid the Rangers’ lack of punch. Coming off a 37-goal, 64-point campaign in Vegas, the 25-year-old will face heavy scrutiny in the Big Apple. He signed a big contract worth $11 million AAV over seven years. Dorofeyev put up a combined 72 goals the last two seasons with the Golden Knights. During the Knights’ run to the Stanley Cup Finals, he finished with 12 goals. He’s a natural finisher with a great shot and soft hands. He’ll be counted on by the Blueshirts.

If the offense improves thanks to the additions that now include Tolvanen and Durzi, who can provide a boost from the back end, things could fall into place. The defense should be steadier as well with the dependable Pettersson on the second pair with Durzi.

It’ll be fascinating to see what happens with the backup goalie competition. Drury brought in Korpisalo from Boston to compete with Garand, who isn’t waiver eligible. Depending on how things go during preseason, that could determine if the Rangers carry three goalies.

Assuming all goes according to plan, it’s possible that the Rangers could compete for a wild card in 2026-27. As things heat up in September, we’ll have a better idea how close they are.

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Avalanche Make Makar the Richest Player in NHL History

Posted on August 29, 2026 by Derek

On Friday afternoon, the Colorado Avalanche and Cale Makar made it official by agreeing to the richest contract extension in NHL history. Makar proudly announced it on the Avalanche Twitter/X page.

When hockey insider Elliotte Friedman revealed the salary cap hit of $20.4 million, it wasn’t a shock. In doing so for a max deal worth $163.2 million beginning in 2027, the 27-year-old Makar became the league’s first $20 million player.

A two-time Norris winner, Makar is considered the best defenseman in the sport. Having put up gaudy numbers since the Avalanche selected him fourth overall in the 2017 NHL Draft, he’s been over a point-per-game since winning the Calder Trophy in 2019-20. After putting up 50 points in 57 contests, Makar has totaled 124 goals and 333 assists for 457 points with a plus-156 rating in 413 games between 2020-21 through 2025-26.

He’s been in a league of his own by scoring highlight reel goals seen in NHL ’26. In fact, he scored 30 goals in 2024-25 to become the first defenseman since Mike Green did it in 2008-09. He finished the season with 92 points to take home the Norris. In 2025-26, Makar had 20 goals and 59 assists for 79 points in 75 games. It marked the fourth time that he scored at least 20 in his career. Few defensemen can fire the puck from the point like him. He’s made it into an art. If you looked up the word laser in the dictionary, Makar’s shot would qualify.

As predicted, he’ll become a $20 million player following the upcoming season. Considering how elite he is, Makar will be worth the money he earns. Even if there are younger players at the same position on more cap friendly deals (Lane Hutson $8.85 million AAV, Adam Fox $8.5 million AAV), nobody does what he can do in games. As good as those players are, they’re not as intimidating as Makar. Nobody wants to see him with the puck. It’s similar to Al MacInnis.

What It Could Mean for Quinn Hughes

For seemingly ever this summer in what’s felt like an eternity, the hockey world has been waiting to see what happens with Quinn Hughes. Ever since the Minnesota Wild acquired him from the Vancouver Canucks last winter, people have been waiting to see if Wild general manager Bill Guerin could find a way to keep Hughes.

Despite all the nonsense on social media, nobody knows what’s really going on. I’ve been consistent in maintaining that the two sides were waiting on Makar and the Avalanche. Now that it’s done, Hughes finally has the exact figures. He’s been compared to Makar for a while. They’re easily the best two defensemen in the league. Hughes is a bit different in style. It’s even more skating and finding spots to operate. He’s an extremely talented player with sick skills.

After doing it in obscurity for the Canucks, Hughes was finally on the big stage in the second round matchup between the Wild and Avalanche. He certainly did his part offensively in the series. Defensively, he wasn’t as consistent. That had a lot to do with how high powered the Avalanche were. They dominated the final two games to advance in six. Even with Makar returning banged up, he still performed well in the big matchup of elite defensemen.

Hughes’ team isn’t as good. Even with the Wild boasting two of the game’s premier scoring forwards in Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov, they still have some holes. Joel Eriksson Ek is a strong number two center yet he’s been featured as the number one. Hughes formed instant chemistry with Brock Faber for a dynamic top pair. The Wild also feature future top five goalie Jesper Wallstedt. So, there are some nice pieces in place. But are they a team that can compete for a Stanley Cup?

Considering how close he is with Jack Hughes, there remains speculation that Quinn will wind up playing together with his brothers in New Jersey. It was a special moment they shared helping USA win Olympic gold for the first time since 1980. Both shined in the triumph with Jack scoring the golden goal. Ironically, Quinn currently gets to play with American teammates Boldy and Faber.

There are an awful lot of experts who support either the Wild or Devils. What does it all mean? Absolutely nothing. The decision is up to Hughes. With Makar getting paid, things are going to heat up. One way or another, the situation in Minnesota will be resolved before the season. They’re officially on the clock.

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