Devils’ season ending with a whimper after zero deadline day activity

Posted on March 7, 2026 by hasan4978

Even as someone who’s been a skeptic of the Devils for over a year now, it’s still somewhat hard to believe that we’re in March already playing out the string after a complete dud of a trade deadline. Not only were there no buys (duh) but there was also no selling going on, for a team that’s double-digit points out of the playoffs it was telling on multiple fronts. Both in terms of lack of players to trade and in terms of ability to trade the players you might want to trade. Maybe it’s for the best we didn’t have adds given the brilliant Tom Fitzgerald’s recent record in that area

Three of those adds were waived just before the deadline with the Flyers shockingly claiming Luke Glendening, but of course the ineffective Evgeni Dadonov and the inconsequential Maxim Tsyplakov (only here as a de facto cap retention on Ondrej Palat’s contract) were not claimed, and the forgettable Juho Lammikko was already waived and had his contract mutually terminated weeks ago. Not that we don’t have bigger problems than Fitz’s choice of fourth liners – albeit Dadonov was a cheap flier for the middle six that didn’t work out – but it’s just striking how little they’ve gotten from the back six.

It certainly doesn’t help given that our ineffective back six frequently gets more minutes than they should because of injuries and holes in the top six. In some ways, we never recovered this season from Jack Hughes’ mysterious finger injury in Chicago but certainly when he’s played (and now fully healthy after his Olympic hero turn) he’s for the most part been productive, despite the team as a whole being miserable offensively for most of the season. As a whole they haven’t really gotten enough from the top six either – especially guys like Timo Meier, Jesper Bratt and Dawson Mercer.

I’d like to give Timo a pass for this season given he started off well but hasn’t been the same player since his leave of absence on a family matter around the holidays, but let’s face it he’s been a disappointment as a Devil. Whether the Devils’ insistence on playing him his non-natural wing plays into it we’ll probably never know sadly but at a certain point the player has to be accountable too, especially when there’s a clear delineation in games Timo is engaged and games he isn’t. Mercer has largely been disappointing his last three years as well, especially in comparison to his great sophomore season. Sure he got off to a great start in the first two months of the season and looked to have turned a corner, but his production has gone through the floor with four goals and seven assists in his last thirty-six games.

In some ways, Bratt is the most concerning of all with just eight even-strength goals all season, and quite a few of them were even strength three-on-three. Even last season, he slumped scoringwise down the stretch with just four goals after the All-Star break though still was an assist merchant then. He hasn’t even been that this season with just thirty-two assists in 62 games compared to 56 and 67 the previous two seasons. While all the other ills in the organization will prevent them from taking that next step from playoff team to true contender, the top six’s backslide this year took this team in the other direction from playoff team to afterthought.

It actually does get old dissecting all the same old problems here – from the defense that has no transition game to the lack of depth up front and the now-concerning production in the top six as well. I haven’t even brought up the goalies yet, as it seems from what little I’ve been paying attention lately that they haven’t been a real issue since Jacob Markstrom hit rock bottom in that 9-0 embarrassment against the Islanders. I can’t even pretend to have any confidence in Markstrom at this point though, we’ve seen junktime surges before not carry over (to wit Cory Schnieder toward the end of his career having one last gasp before completely imploding in 2020-21) and make no mistake, this is junktime with the pressure now off. Suddenly the offense has remembered how to score goals in the last few games too, albeit against opposition that’s basically bitcrap themselves.

It’s just old making the same comments about the same problems that never get resolved. Two quotes from our brilliant GM on deadline day stand out though…one admitting that he didn’t even have Dougie Hamilton on the block months after leaking he’d nixed one deal and was unable to trade him, which I figured was just a tacit admission that he wasn’t going to be able to get Douglas to waive his NTC in-season and couldn’t deal him to a team not on it. Perhaps that will be settled this offseason, perhaps not. At least Hamilton’s production has improved a bit since his one-game benching, which makes you wonder what would have happened if they tried to hold more people accountable.

Fitz’s other eye-raising quote was on Simon Nemec, when asked about the trade rumors (where he was thought to be on the block for a top six forward), admitted he’s a Devil ‘right now’ and that they’ll be talking with him about his future in the offseason. You can take this organization’s seeming dislike of Nemec one of two ways. Either they think his contract ask is unreasonable – and why wouldn’t it be after you stuck your foot in your mouth calling him the best defenseman on the team by far in the first half of the season over two guys making $9 million per – or they just don’t believe in his defensive ability long-term. Maybe they have him earmarked to trade for Quinn Hughes if/when he doesn’t sign for Minnesota this offseason, which is about the only plausible scenario where the Nemec public dance might play out well for us long-term.

Either way I’m just tired thinking about or talking about the team, thanks to buybacks and selling a few games (including today), I only have a handful of games left to go to the rest of this season including tomorrow, which I wasn’t supposed to go to but had to trade my ticket to Wednesday’s game for one tomorrow when I had last minute plans come up then. It’s hard to believe we haven’t met the Rangers until today and we’re in March with both teams firmly out of the playoff race. So I can almost guarantee we’ll get a couple of early-season games with them next year to compensate, hah. What I can’t guarantee is when I’ll be back next. I don’t even have any interest in a full season recap at this point, this post was basically as much of one as I want to do. Maybe when/if we trade for Quinn or something else big happens like a Fitz canning I’ll come back but until something tangible changes, I have no interest in even giving this team any attention.

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Rangers Trade Othmann to Flames For Battaglia on Quieter Trade Deadline

Posted on March 6, 2026 by Derek

On what turned out to be a quieter day before the NHL trade deadline, in which Chris Drury decided to hold onto coveted center Vincent Trocheck due to nobody meeting his asking price, the Rangers moved on from former 2021 first round pick Brennan Othmann by sending him to the Flames in exchange for 19-year old Jacob Battaglia.

It’s no surprise that the 23-year-old Othmann finally got dealt. Despite proving he could perform in the American Hockey League, he never could gain the trust of Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan in a supporting role. Even when he scored his first career NHL goal and had a stretch of better games, Othmann didn’t produce enough to offset the questions about his defensive awareness. Something that Sullivan reiterated when Othmann was sent back down to Hartford. It was a sign that he needed a change of scenery.

Now, Othmann will get it by going to Calgary. A rebuilding team that traded Nazem Kadri to the Avalanche after dealing away MacKenzie Weegar to the Mammoth last night, the Flames rank 31st in the league with 55 points, which has them tied with the Blues, who have two more regulation wins. The Rangers rank 29th with 56 points, but they have only 15 regulation wins, which is five fewer than the Flames. In other words, they could fall lower depending on what happens over the remaining 21 games.

For Othmann, he finished his Rangers career with one goal and two assists in 42 games. It never materialized under former coach Peter Laviolette or Sullivan, who didn’t seem to like him. Most alarming is that he preferred to play veteran Conor Sheary over the much younger Othmann on the third line. Even now with the team playing out the string, Sheary continues to receive time with Noah Laba and Tye Kartye in the top nine.

By acquiring Battaglia, the Rangers are hoping that he can fare better down the road. A 2024 second round pick, he now plays for the Flint Firebirds in the Ontario Hockey League. After putting up 40 goals and 50 assists for 90 points for the Kingston Frontenacs in 2024-25, he had 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points in 36 games before he was traded to the Firebirds for eight OHL Priority selection draft picks on Jan. 6.

In 22 games for Flint, Battaglia has 12 goals with four assists so far. In an irony, he now plays for Othmann’s former OHL team. Oddly enough, Rangers 2024 fifth round pick Nathan Aspinall leads the Firebirds in scoring with 83 points (29-54-83). They also picked up Jets prospect Kevin He (2024 fourth round). The Firebirds are hoping their recent acquisitions can push them towards a Western Conference Championship. They’re currently tied with the Windsor Spitfires in points (85). That trails only the first place Kitchener Rangers by seven.

For more on Battaglia, here’s what NYRLouie had to say about him on X:

Listed at six-foot-one, 203-pounds, Battaglia is a scoring winger who’s played some center in the OHL. Possessing a good shot, he isn’t the fastest skater. However, his ability to finish makes him an intriguing prospect. Already signed to an entry level contract, he’ll turn pro following the season. He celebrates his 20th birthday on Saint Patrick’s Day.

By adding Battaglia to Liam Greentree, who’s been on a tear since they acquired him from the Kings for Artemi Panarin, the Rangers look to have added two scoring forwards with potential. Greentree is the bigger prospect with 33 goals in 44 games for the Spitfires. At least, that’s some cause for excitement.

We’ll see what happens with Trocheck and Braden Schneider in the off-season. There will also be important discussions with stars Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin ahead. There’s so much we don’t know about the team’s plans. The roster could look very different this summer.

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Rangers Trade Carrick to Sabres for Two Picks

Posted on March 6, 2026 by Derek

On a night that he sat out for the first time this season, popular forward Sam Carrick was traded to the Sabres in exchange for two picks.

The deal was first reported by hockey insider Elliotte Friedman following the Rangers’ 6-2 win over the Maple Leafs. Carrick was dealt to the Sabres for a 2026 third round pick and sixth round pick. The third belongs to the Sabres, and the sixth comes from the Blackhawks.

A hard-working fourth line center who the Rangers signed in 2024 to replace Barclay Goodrow, the 34-year-old Carrick was the embodiment of a gritty and honest player who brought a lot of heart and hustle.

Carrick was a good team guy who always defended his teammates. Even if he isn’t the biggest or strongest, he knows how to fight and even battled Blue Jackets’ heavyweight Mathieu Olivier and Capitals’ power forward Tom Wilson.

When he wasn’t stepping in for guys, Carrick was an effective player on the forecheck, whose tenacity didn’t go unnoticed. A high-character player who won over 53 percent on faceoffs while doing some strong work on the penalty kill, he always brought it every shift.

In 2024-25, he set a career-high with 14 assists and 20 points for the Rangers. In what was a more challenging season due to so many moving parts, Carrick has four goals and six assists for 10 points in 60 games.

Although he’s headed to Buffalo to try to help the Sabres win in what will be their first postseason since 2010-11, Carrick still deserves to win the Steven McDonald Award at the end of the season. Maybe when the Sabres return to MSG on April 8, the Rangers can do the right thing and present him with the award. Nobody gave a better effort.

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Lafreniere Leads Younger Blueshirts to Satisfying Win over Maple Leafs

Posted on March 6, 2026 by Derek

In what was the final installment of the special centennial anniversary, the Rangers gave their fans a rare chance to cheer by defeating the Maple Leafs 6-2 at Madison Square Garden.

Prior to the game, MSG welcomed back former players from the Modern Era (2004 to Present) of the franchise. Those included Sean Avery, Brandon Dubinsky, Brian Boyle, Dominic Moore, Michael Del Zotto, Carl Hagelin, Brandon Prust, Marian Gaborik, Derek Dorsett, Kevin Klein, Colton Orr, Darius Kasparaitis,Steve Valiquette, Marc Staal, and Henrik Lundqvist. Former 2005-06 head coach Tom Renney and general manager Glen Sather were also part of the ceremony that included the stick salute, which started in 2005.

Once the game started, it took the Rangers 13 seconds to fall behind. Matias Maccelli finished off a William Nylander pass in front for his 12th before fans had settled into their seats.

Unlike most of the games played at home, the Rangers responded well. They drew even thanks to Will Cuylle tipping in a Braden Schneider shot for his 14th. It was all part of a strong shift from the second line that Jonny Brodzinski anchored in place of Vincent Trocheck, who sat out for roster management reasons.

With the trade deadline on Friday afternoon, Trocheck might’ve played his final game on Monday. If he did, he went out the right way by helping the Rangers rally from a 4-0 third period deficit in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Blue Jackets. Trocheck will learn his fate later today. If he’s moved to a contender, it’ll likely be closer to home.

Despite only managing four shots, the Rangers remained tied after one period. They fell behind for the second time when Easton Cowan finished off his eighth to put the Leafs back ahead. However, the lead was short-lived.

With Morgan Rielly off for taking down Vincent Iorio, the Rangers were able to capitalize on the man-advantage. On some nice passing started by Brodzinski over to Taylor Raddysh, he found an open Vladislav Gavrikov for his career best third power-play goal to tie the game. In his first year as a Blueshirt, Gavrikov has a career-high 11 goals. With 24 points, he’s nine points shy of his career best set in 2021-22 with the Blue Jackets.

Despite the Leafs spending some extended shifts in the Rangers zone, which included the five-man unit of Noah Laba, Tye Kartye, Chmelar, Iorio, and Matthew Robertson caught on for three minutes, they were unable to re-take the lead near the end of the period.

In the third, the Rangers erupted for four goals to pull away from the Leafs, who were playing for a second consecutive night.

On a good shift from the top line, Mika Zibanejad had his point shot tipped in by Alexis Lafreniere for the go-ahead tally. It was his 14th of the season. A key player who has to do more, Lafreniere took over the period by recording a goal and two assists. His work with Zibanejad and Perreault was outstanding.

On a takeaway in the neutral zone, Chmelar broke away from the Leafs and beat Joseph Woll with a forehand for his first career NHL goal. He used his reach to walk in and deke Woll. It was a special moment for the rookie who had just been called up for his seventh game.

Less than a minute later, Zibanejad finished off his team-leading 25th to extend the Rangers’ lead to 5-2. After missing a Perreault feed earlier in the shift, he buried a Lafreniere dish that Adam Fox helped set up.

With Woll on the bench for an extra attacker, Zibanejad and Lafreniere combined on Cuylle’s empty netter that put the exclamation mark on a satisfying win. It was only the third time the Rangers had won in regulation at MSG.

Even on an emotional night, with it being learned that popular teammate Sam Carrick was on his way to the Sabres in a deal first reported by Elliotte Friedman, the Rangers finally gave their fans something to enjoy. They were given a well-deserved hand after the win.

Carrick will be missed due to the grit and hustle he played with. He always stood up for teammates, taking on all comers. Now, he’ll go try to help Buffalo, who’s headed for their first postseason in 15 years.

If Trocheck goes on Friday, two high-character guys will be gone. That’s the business side of sports. Trocheck has looked like he knows he’s a goner for a while. If he finally is, best of luck to him.

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Rangers Rally Past Penguins to Win in Shootout

Posted on February 28, 2026 by Derek

Over a month in between wins due to the Olympic break, the Rangers finally ended a five-game losing streak by rallying past the Penguins to win 3-2 in a shootout. It was their first victory since defeating the Bruins 4-3 in overtime on Jan. 26.

Following an uninspired first period that saw them take undisciplined penalties and fall behind the Pens 1-0 on an Anthony Mantha goal, the Rangers responded with a much better effort over the next two periods.

Despite going behind by two on a Ryan Shea goal less than two minutes into the second period, they turned the tide thanks to spending extended time in the Pittsburgh end. In particular, the line of Vincent Trocheck, Will Cuylle, and Alexis Lafreniere applied some consistent forecheck pressure to create opportunities. Cuylle drew a hooking minor on Rickard Rakell that gave the Rangers a power play.

They made the most of it thanks to some superb passing that led directly to Mika Zibanejad getting his team-leading 24th. After taking a J.T. Miller feed down low, Trocheck centered across for a Zibanejad one-timer in the slot that beat Stuart Skinner to make it 2-1 at exactly the 10-minute mark. It was his team-leading 12th power-play goal, hiking his franchise record to 120 as a Ranger.

Shortly after the goal, they came close to tying it. Skinner made a string of saves including one on Gabe Perreault, who was around the puck a lot. Despite failing to score for an 11th straight game, he generated chances with his linemates. The line with Zibanejad and Miller dominated the Pens at 5-on-5 by finishing with an 88.46 CF and outshooting their opponents 10-2. That included generating 16 scoring chances with four considered high-danger according to Natural Stat Trick.

On the flip side, Igor Shesterkin handled the Pens by turning aside all 14 shots in an entertaining middle stanza. After allowing two goals on 12 shots, Shesterkin stopped the final 21 to earn his first victory since Jan. 2 versus the Panthers. He finished the game with 31 saves. Despite missing time due to a lower-body injury in a challenging season, he’s two victories shy of reaching 20 for the fifth time in his career. Even with the team out of playoff contention, he has a 2.45 goals-against-average and .913 save percentage.

“I think he’s the best goalie in the game,” Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan said afterward.

In the third, the Rangers kept up the momentum by taking it to the Pens, who outside of Evgeni Malkin didn’t muster much offense. They were outshot 10-4 by the Blueshirts, who played with more speed and grit than they have most of the season.

Some hard work from newcomer Brendan Brisson created the tying goal scored by Taylor Raddysh. Moved up to play with Noah Laba for a shift, Brisson used some hustle to get the puck up to Vladislav Gavrikov, whose shot pass was easily steered in by Raddysh to make it 2-2 less than three minutes into the third. The secondary assist gave Brisson his first point as a Blueshirt. He played well by using his speed and scrappiness to make things happen.

Perreault nearly put them ahead, but he had two shots hit the goalpost. He also nearly had Zibanejad for a goal on a 2-on-1. Zibanejad had nothing but good things to say about the 20-year-old rookie.

“The skill that he has and I think more and more confident he’s getting – you see him making more plays. You try that on the 2-on-1, try to get it back to me. I’m laughing, but I don’t care – like if that’s what he thinks is the best play, trust it. Trust it. Next time, it goes through and I score and we’re happy. That’s a great play.”

In his Rangers debut, Tye Kartye had a pair of shots and a team best six hits in 17 shifts (12:39) while playing mostly with Laba and Conor Sheary on the third line. They had a strong shift with the game tied. Skinner made a pair of stops on Kartye and Laba.

The Pens’ best shift came from Malkin, who flew into the Rangers zone and got off a tricky backhand that Shesterkin shrugged away. Despite the Malkin line buzzing, the Rangers were able to get out unscathed.

Late in regulation, Will Borgen had a good look, but his shot missed the mark. Eventually, the game went to overtime. Not much happened in the first part of the 3-on-3. However, Lafreniere made a strong move to get off a tough shot that Skinner kicked out. He also set up a Braden Schneider attempt that went high. In the final minute, Shesterkin made a pair of saves on Malkin to take it to a shootout.

In Round 1, Trocheck came in from the right side and beat Skinner through the five-hole. After having stopped Mantha before Trocheck’s shootout goal that made him a perfect 3-for-3 this season, Shesterkin turned away Egor Chinakhov in the second round. In the bottom half, Miller tried to come in from the left side, but Skinner made a blocker save to deny him. It came down to Tommy Novak, who was unable to beat Shesterkin in the third round.

That gave the Rangers the victory. In two games since returning, they’ve earned three out of four points. Unlike the overtime loss to the Flyers the other day, this one was more satisfying due to the effort they gave. They got what they deserved today.

Morrow Returns to Lineup

After sitting out on Thursday, Scott Morrow returned to the lineup. He teamed up with Matthew Robertson on the third pair. In 23 shifts (15:31), Morrow had a shot, three attempts, and went a minus-1.

Vincent Iorio was a healthy scratch.

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Waiver Pickup Kartye to Debut for Rangers

Posted on February 28, 2026 by Derek

When the Rangers host the Penguins this afternoon on ABC, they’ll have a new player on the roster. On Friday, they claimed former Kraken forward Tye Kartye on waivers.

A 24-year-old left wing who’s mostly been used in a checking role, Kartye was signed as a free agent by the Kraken in 2022. After a strong showing in the American Hockey League for the Coachella Valley Firebirds, in which he totaled 57 points, he put up six goals and two assists for eight points in the AHL playoffs.

That same season, Kartye made his debut with the Kraken in the postseason. During a run to the second round, he had three goals and two assists for five points in 10 games in 2022-23.

In his rookie season, he finished with 11 goals and nine assists for 20 points with 37 penalty minutes and 229 hits, which led the Kraken. He also had 24 takeaways and only nine giveaways.

In 63 games during 2024-25, his numbers slipped to six goals and seven helpers for 13 points with 43 penalty minutes and 175 hits. This season, Kartye got into 40 games for Seattle, posting three goals with five assists for eight points with 21 penalty minutes and 98 hits.

A consistent theme has been that Kartye mostly is used in the defensive zone. After having 54.1 percent of zone starts last season, he was up to 73.3 percent in his third year at 5-on-5. With a 47.3 corsi percentage despite mostly being featured in a defensive role, that’s not bad. He’s a gritty, hard-working player who keeps opponents honest.

Recently, Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan had used Brennan Othmann on the checking line. It wasn’t the right fit for the 2021 first round pick, who’s continued to get lost in the shuffle. A young player with skill shouldn’t be getting fourth line duty. When asked about Othmann from the media again on him going back down to Hartford, Sullivan gave the usual line about ‘inconsistency.’ When he got a look with Noah Laba on the third line, Othmann looked better. However, his production was limited.

In what’s supposedly a ‘retool’, both Othmann and Brett Berard have now been sent down to the Wolf Pack. Once again, Conor Sheary is getting top nine duty after a long stint on the long-term injured reserve. It feels like the Rangers operate in a different universe. If they truly cared about finding out what the younger players could do, they’d be more committed to them in the remaining 24 games. Instead, it’s the same old song and dance from a puzzling organization that doesn’t get it.

While Kartye is young enough to fill the role on the fourth line with Sam Carrick and Taylor Raddysh, it’s a wonder as to why another player couldn’t get a chance. Jaroslav Chmelar plays with the same edge and physicality. He’s also a good skater for his size, who’s willing to stick up for teammates. Instead, it’ll continue to fall on Carrick, who battled Garnet Hathaway in a tile after he boarded Othmann on Thursday night. Carrick is the frontrunner for the Steven McDonald Award due to how much he embodies what the award stands for.

There also won’t be an opportunity for Scott Morrow to get back in the lineup. So much for giving the former Hurricanes 2021 second round pick a chance to rediscover his game. Vincent Iorio will play his third consecutive game on the third pair with Matthew Robertson. A former 2019 second round pick that had to wait a long time to become a regular due to how poorly managed the Rangers are. At least Sullivan likes him enough to play him.

Until something changes before the trade deadline, it doesn’t look like Morrow will be getting consistent ice time. They only got him back in the K’Andre Miller deal last summer from Carolina, which included 2026 first and second round picks. Morrow has his faults. He isn’t the strongest defensive player. However, he’s a superb skater with offensive instincts who could be quarterbacking the second power play. Having Vladislav Gavrikov continue to do it isn’t how he’s supposed to be used.

If Morrow isn’t going to play, he may as well get into some games for Hartford. Hopefully, this doesn’t become another Zac Jones situation.

It’s very challenging to watch this team. They’re unexciting and don’t inspire much. At some point, that has to change. Don’t expect it to against the Pens, who are continuing to chase down a playoff spot without Sidney Crosby (lower-body injury). They handled the Devils 4-1 the other night.

Well, at least our fans can look forward to seeing what Kartye can do. That should count for something.

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Fox’s Comments Overshadow Rangers’ Loss in Overtime

Posted on February 27, 2026 by Derek

On Thursday night, MSG welcomed back Team USA Olympic heroes J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck, along with head coach Mike Sullivan. Assistant general manager Chris Drury was booed by the crowd, who cheered Sullivan, Miller, and Trocheck for helping USA win the gold medal at the Olympics.

Then, it was business as usual with the Rangers continuing a Garden tradition of finding a way to lose at home to the Flyers 3-2 in overtime. Matvei Michkov stepped out of the penalty box and skated past a gassed Miller to score the winner on Igor Shesterkin. His second goal of the game helped the Flyers complete a comeback from a two-goal deficit to earn the victory.

Buoyed by goals from Sam Carrick and Alexis Lafreniere, who got his 13th to match his jersey number, the Rangers ran into penalty trouble in the second period. Eventually, the loss of discipline swung the momentum with Michkov converting on a Flyers power play to get them back in the game.

In the third period, Vladislav Gavrikov got caught pinching, which led to Trevor Zegras beating Shesterkin on a two-on-one rush that tied the score.

It was part of a rough night for Gavrikov, who also took a high-sticking minor late in regulation that the Rangers had to kill off. Even with defense partner Adam Fox back in the lineup, Gavrikov continued to struggle. A downward spiral that started when he played with Braden Schneider.

Even on a special night, the Rangers couldn’t take advantage of a Michkov goaltender interference penalty that came with less than nine seconds left in the third period. Instead, they managed to turn unheralded backup Sam Ersson into Bernie Parent.

Despite giving up a lousy goal to Carrick on a dump-in that went through him, Ersson made several big saves, including robbing Fox on a four-on-one early on. With his team down a man in overtime, he made two strong denials on Mika Zibanejad and Trocheck.

Following the chaos, Sean Couturier hit Michkov in stride after he returned. He blew past Miller and fooled Shesterkin by beating him through the wickets for the overtime winner.

Miller got caught out on a long shift and had nothing left, allowing Michkov to take advantage. Shesterkin should’ve had the shot. For the most part, he was sharp, making 21 saves in his return. Unfortunately, he was unable to prevent Michkov from winning it.

Following the game, a reporter asked Fox a tough question about how he felt regarding the Rangers retool. Instead of indicating that he wanted to stay, he was noncommittal.

“I’m just trying to focus on this year right now. That’s a conversation when we’re done playing games. We’re just trying to win games, we didn’t do that tonight. That’s where my focus is right now.”

It probably wasn’t the appropriate time to ask Fox his thoughts on the organization’s plans moving forward. He just returned from a lower-body injury that kept him out since Jan. 5. Injuries to both Fox and Shesterkin in the same game dashed any realistic playoff hopes the team had.

Since Drury released the Letter on Jan. 16, the Rangers have gone 2-7-1 over the last 10 games. Over a larger span that dates back to Dec. 4, they’ve won only four games in regulation. In fact, since defeating the Caps on Dec. 23, they’re 4-13-3.

With Artemi Panarin dealt to the Kings before the Olympics, more moves are coming. While both Schneider and Trocheck will continue to have their names come up before the March 6 trade deadline, Fox is supposed to be untouchable due to how crucial he is to the blue line. If he decides that he wants out this summer, that could alter the Rangers’ plans completely.

A bona-fide top defenseman who’s still considered one of the league’s best, the recently turned 28-year-old Fox is an elite player who averages close to 24 minutes while contributing at both five-on-five and on the power play. He’s the only offensive defenseman on the roster. There isn’t anyone close to him who can bring what he does.

In order for Fox to be moved, he’d have to request a trade to management. A player with a full no-movement clause through 2026-27, his contract doesn’t expire until 2029. His $9.5 million cap hit makes him one of the highest paid defensemen in the NHL.

Since he was acquired from the Hurricanes, Fox has been a big part of some good Rangers teams that made deep playoff runs in 2021-22 and 2023-24. Injuries have limited him recently. Fox missed significant time twice this season due to two separate issues.

The question has now become whether he’s injury prone. However, he showed no signs of slowing down at the start of the season. After coming off an unsteady 2024-25 in which he still looked compromised due to a pair of knee-on-knee collisions in 2023-24, Fox got off to a great start by putting up 26 points (3-23-26) in his first 27 games.

Unfortunately, Fox took the brunt of a Brandon Hagel hit that caused an upper-body injury on Nov. 29. He was placed on long-term injured reserve, missing 15 games before returning on Dec.  31. After having a goal and assist, he played three more games before sustaining a lower-body injury, missing another 14 games.

Without him and Shesterkin, the Rangers fell apart. Losing their two biggest stars proved to be too much, which eventually led to Panarin accepting a trade to Los Angeles for top prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional third round pick. If the Kings’ first two games are any indication, it doesn’t look like the third will be upgraded to a second. LA has to make the playoffs for that to happen.

If Fox is uncertain about what he wants to do, that could have something to do with his coach and GM not doing enough to convince Team USA architect Bill Guerin to select him for the Olympics. Following the gold medal victory, Sullivan said:

“The team was built with personality in mind… There are whiskey drinkers and milk drinkers, and we got a lot of whiskey drinkers.“

That quote might’ve stung Fox, who isn’t exactly Mister personality. Whether it did or not remains to be seen. With 24 games left in a dismal season, there’ll continue to be speculation due to Fox’s reaction last night.

There’s also the fact that the Rangers are in a very different place than they were two years ago. They went from a Presidents’ Trophy playoff contender into one of the league’s worst teams. With only 14 regulation wins and 51 points, they have the second worst record, which puts them in the lottery for prized prospects Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg.

Does Fox want to stay with a team that looks a long way from competing for a Stanley Cup? He’s entering the prime of his career. Only he knows the answer to that.

It’s wait and see until the off-season.

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Rangers Return to Action

Posted on February 26, 2026 by Derek

After a long hiatus due to the blizzard Olympic break, the Rangers return to action tonight when they take on the Flyers. Exactly three weeks between a 2-0 shutout loss to the Hurricanes, they continue a five-game stretch at home that’ll carry into March. Believe it or not, there’s light at the end of the tunnel following a winter storm that buried our area with over two feet of snow earlier this week.

As nice as that sounds, that doesn’t change the fact that the Rangers are playing out the string. With 25 games remaining, they rank last in the East with 50 points. Crazy as it sounds, they’re eight behind the Hudson rival Devils who dropped their first game back last night to the playoff-contending Sabres. A statement I never thought I’d write four months ago. So much for making predictions. They were less accurate than the meteorologists.

Almost as disappointing is the Rangers’ opponent. The Flyers are headed nowhere with it looking like a sixth consecutive playoff miss. Following Wednesday night’s 3-1 defeat to the Capitals, they’ve lost six of seven coming into Thursday. Despite boasting some good talent that includes Travis Konecny, Trevor Zegras, Owen Tippett, Matvei Michkov, Denver Barkley, Travis Sanheim, Jamie Drysdale, Cam York, they remain a work in progress under head coach Rick Tocchet. A demanding bench boss who hasn’t always given second-year forward Michkov consistent ice time.

If there’s a mystifying part to the Flyers, it’s their inability to defend well enough. They’ve mostly relied on starting goalie Dan Vladar to bail them out most of the season. While the former Flames backup has played well, as evidenced by his 17 wins, 2.46 goals-against-average, and .905 save percentage, it hasn’t been enough to make the Flyers successful. They bring a 25-21-11 record with 61 points into play, which trail the third place Islanders by eight points with 25 games left.

The problem for them is that they have to leapfrog three teams to reach the postseason for the first time since 2019-20. That includes the Blue Jackets and Caps, who both have proven to be more competitive up to this point. After dropping the first two games to the Rangers, they need to win the remaining two with the season series concluding in two weeks on March 9.

Fox and Shesterkin Activated

As expected, both Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin have been activated for tonight’s game. Each went down on Jan. 6 to injuries that kept them out the remainder of the schedule until the Olympics. Both will suit up on Thursday night.

Due to the returns which also includes team ornament Conor Sheary, both Brett Berard and Hugo Ollas were assigned to the minors. Despite the team supposedly being committed to a ‘retool,’ Berard won’t play over Sheary, who takes his place back on the third line with Noah Laba and Brendan Brisson, who will get a look in the top nine.

That also means Brennan Othman remains on the fourth line with Sam Carrick and Taylor Raddysh. At this point, it feels inevitable that Othmann will either be traded by the Mar. 6 deadline, or not given a qualifying offer this summer. It’s yet another example of the organization failing to properly develop a prospect.

Othmann was the first player selected under team president and general manager Chris Drury in 2021. Once, former 2018 first round pick Vitali Kravtsov was wasted after Drury took over the reigns from predecessor Jeff Gorton. It doesn’t matter who’s in control. A longstanding tradition continues to plague the Rangers. If you’re an eternal optimist with their eyes on the 2026 NHL Lottery that includes prized prospects Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg, proceed with extreme caution.

Iorio Stays in Over Morrow

When play resumes, waiver pickup Vincent Iorio will stay in the lineup over Scott Morrow. He made his Rangers debut against the Hurricanes, logging 14:15 of ice time on the third defensive pair. The coaching staff wants to see what they have in Iorio, who was a former second round pick of the Caps in 2022.

With Fox returning to re-team with Vladislav Gavrikov on the number one pair, head coach Mike Sullivan has Braden Schneider playing the left side on the second pair with Will Borgen. With rumors continuing to surface of teams interested in acquiring Schneider, he’ll get a different look in the top four. He last played on the left side under former coach Peter Laviolette at the start of 2024-25. If he’s dealt, it’ll likely be to either the Wild or Red Wings. If not, don’t rule out the Stars.

Eventually, they need to make room for Morrow, who must get back in the top six instead of sitting out. While he remains green defensively, the best way for him to learn is to keep playing. He was the only player the Rangers received back for K’Andre Miller, who also netted first and second round picks in this year’s draft.

Panarin Off and Running in LA

Late last night, Artemi Panarin made his Kings debut in Los Angeles. The former Ranger wore old number 72, which he used to don as a Blackhawk. Although they lost to the Golden Knights at home 6-4, Panarin recorded his first two points by setting up a pair of goals, including a beautiful secondary assist on an Adrian Kempe goal in the second period.

It definitely was a little strange to see him in Kings colors. But that’s the reality for Blueshirt fans. To get the number from Kings mascot Bailey, Panarin paid up by presenting him with a Rolex.

They look like a match made in heaven. Kudos to the Kings social media account for having some fun.

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Devils Honor Gold Medal Hero Hughes Before Loss to Sabres

Posted on February 26, 2026 by Derek

In their first game back from the Olympic break, the Devils honored USA gold medal hero Jack Hughes prior to losing to the Sabres 2-1 on Wednesday night in Newark.

They recognized all seven players who represented their countries in Milano Cortina. It was the right way to welcome them back from a long two weeks spent at the Winter Games. That included Hughes, Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, Jonas Siegenthaler, Jesper Bratt, Jacob Markstrom, and Simon Nemec.

In a special moment, Devils public address announcer Adam Hamway introduced Hughes to the capacity crowd, who chanted “USA, USA, USA!”, as he made his way to center ice. In a cool moment, Hughes included USA teammate Tage Thompson with him. Something the Sabres star appreciated afterward.

After Thompson went back to the bench, Hughes spoke to the fans about how much their support meant.

“I’m so proud that the men’s & women’s USA hockey teams brought gold medals back to the United States of America.”

“From the bottom of my heart, all my teammates, USA teammates. We just want to thank you guys for all the love and the support.”

There were plenty of cheers from an appreciative crowd who understood what Hughes had accomplished in scoring the golden goal in a thrilling 2-1 overtime win to deliver Team USA’s first Olympic gold medal in men’s ice hockey since 1980. He shined the brightest on the big stage with his four goals leading the team.

Already a great player who’s averaged over a point-per-game since 2021-22, the 24-year-old American’s legacy is set. He’ll go down in history forever like Mike Eruzione 46 years ago.

However, Hughes is far from done. A superb skater who can score and set up teammates, he hasn’t even reached his prime. Having had setbacks that limited his availability, he has put up 135 goals and  201 assists for a total of 336 points in his last 288 games, which dates back to his third season.

When fully healthy, Hughes has proven that he’s an explosive scorer. At just 21, he put up a career-high 43 goals with 56 assists for 99 points to break the single season Devils’ franchise record held by Patrik Elias (40-56-96) in 2000-01.

The 2019 first overall pick has handled himself extremely well in the face of unwarranted criticism for Team USA laughing at a joke President Trump made that referenced inviting the women’s hockey team to the White House. Unfortunately, there are many who don’t understand how close the teams are. Everything that’s been said by the players since has been complementary and respectful.

The class and maturity Hughes has shown is in stark contrast to what exists in Washington, DC. It’s a friendly reminder that we can be good to each other. Regardless of having different views, there should be more common sense and respect shown.

A lot can be learned from how the players speak. It’s unfortunate that there aren’t more civil conversations between both sides, which influence negative behavior in the press and online.

At the end of the day, Hughes is a winner. Even on a night that he couldn’t make up for a turnover that led to the winner scored by Peyton Krebs, the Devils forward will continue to learn from his experiences. How he performed won’t soon be forgotten.

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USA Honored Gaudreau Family In Great Tribute

Posted on February 25, 2026 by Derek

Throughout their two week stay in Milano Cortina for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, Team USA made sure to hang the jersey of Johnny Gaudreau in their locker room during the tournament. A great player who probably would’ve made the Olympic roster, Gaudreau and younger brother Matthew tragically died in an accident on Aug. 29, 2024.

The tragedy came a day before their sister Katie’s planned wedding that weekend. Instead, they lost their lives while cycling due to a drunk driver who tried to pass them. Johnny left behind wife Meredith, daughter Noa, and son Johnny, Jr. Meredith gave birth to son Carter Michael Gaudreau on Apr. 1, 2025. Matthew left behind wife Madeline, who gave birth to son Tripp Matthew Gaudreau in late December 2024. Parents Guy and Jane had to say goodbye to their sons.

Both the Blue Jackets and Flames held candlelight vigils in their arenas on Sept. 4 in memory of both Johnny and Matthew. On Sept. 9, a funeral service was held for the Gaudreau brothers at Saint Magdalen Parish in Media, Pennsylvania. Former Calgary teammates Sean Monahan, and Andrew Mangiapane, and former Boston College teammate Kevin Hayes were the pallbearers.

Thompson Makes History at 2025 IIHF World Championship for USA

During the 4-Nations Face-Off and 2025 IIHF World Championship, Gaudreau was remembered by Team USA, who designated his own locker stall, with his jersey hanging. It was a reminder of who they were playing for.

After losing the 4-Nations championship to Canada 3-2 on a Connor McDavid goal in overtime, USA won their first gold medal at the World Championship since 1933. Tage Thompson scored the overtime winner to defeat Switzerland 1-0 on May 25, 2025.

The Buffalo Sabres star wasn’t on the USA roster at 4-Nations. However, he was selected to represent the United States at the Olympics. Thompson finished the tournament with three goals and an assist for four points. He played mostly with Dylan Larkin and eventually golden goal hero Jack Hughes, who was moved up by USA head coach Mike Sullivan.

Victorious Americans Pay Tribute to Gaudreau Brothers

Following Hughes getting the winning goal early in sudden death to defeat Canada 2-1 to capture Team USA’s first Olympic gold medal in 46 years, the victorious Americans paid tribute to the Gaudreau brothers.

While the celebration was happening on the ice, players made sure to include two of Gaudreau’s kids while carrying around his USA jersey in a fitting tribute that moved Meredith and the family that attended the gold medal game.

“”It meant the world to me,” she told Fox & Friends in an appearance earlier today. “I really am so thankful to these guys for being really great friends, really great teammates. Just to include our kids and honor John the way they do, it’s all I can ask for right now. I think John would be very flattered, very humbled. It’s just really, really heartwarming that they show him that much respect and continue to do these things. It’s very touching.”

“I think he’s very proud of them,” she said. “Bringing his jersey every step of the way, making him a part of this. He really, really wanted to be a part of this. I think he would be very, very thankful and very proud of these guys.”

Both Noa and Johnny, Jr were included in the team photo at center ice. Matthew Tkachuk held Noa and Larkin held Johnny, Jr as they posed for the memorable picture. It was also Johnny, Jr.’s second birthday. Maybe they were meant to win the gold medal that day.

“They would be very proud. They like a nail-biter, so they probably would’ve been chirping everyone. But they would’ve been proud,” Katie Gaudreau said. “I think there were a couple goals that … they might have had a little help in saving. They didn’t go in. There was a couple times I was watching, ‘How did that not go in?’ I think they might have had some help behind the net. They were never quite defensive so I don’t know if they woulda made their way back in the defensive zone to stop that puck.”

“And then I remember watching the jersey when they were giving out the gold medals and thinking, ‘Wow, it’s still there,’ and as the celebration went on, when they went to do the picture, they stopped for a little bit. We were like, ‘What are they doing? What are they doing?’ And I thought I heard them say earlier, ‘There’s Meredith in the crowd,’ and when they went and got Johnny (Junior) on his second birthday and Noa, it truly meant the world to us because, honestly, this is what John wanted for his children. He wanted them to experience these experiences, these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that he worked so hard for.”

If ever there was such as a thing as destiny, this was it. Team USA’s gold medal win will be fondly remembered by over 20 million viewers who tuned into NBC. The number peaked at 26 million for Hughes’ golden goal.

Jack Hughes Responds to Criticism for Accepting Trump’s Invitation

Since winning Olympic gold, they’ve partied in Miami, toured the White House, and were introduced by President Trump at Tuesday night’s State of The Union address. When he brought them out, chants of “USA, USA, USA!” went up from members of both parties. It was a special moment that brought unity to an otherwise contentious room due to how much they’re at each other’s throats. If only there were more times like the one that prompted Trump to announce that winning goaltender Connor Hellebuyck would receive the Presidential Medal of Honor for his heroic performance.

Sometimes, sports can bring people closer together. On Sunday in Milan, that was the case. There’s been a lot said since Team USA accepted Trump’s invitation. Too much has been made of the players laughing at the president’s joke about ‘we’re going to have to invite the women or I think I’d probably be impeached’ during a phone call in the locker room. They were enjoying celebrating a historic victory.

Listening to Jack Hughes speak yesterday, he said it best about how much they supported the women’s team that won gold by edging Canada 2-1 in sudden death. A very humble and respectful player, Hughes spoke about how close they were during the two weeks in the Olympic Village. They even sometimes train together during the off-season.

In that moment, a 24-year-old superstar showed more common sense and decency than much older grown-ups who act like they’re still in grade school. The world needs more people like Jack and Quinn Hughes.

In the end, they’re champions. The way they honored Gaudreau made it so special. That should be the biggest takeaway from Team USA making history. He’s definitely smiling down and proud of them.

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