Bratt Wins It In Overtime for Devils

Posted on November 7, 2025 by Derek

It looked like the perfect record at home was going to end. Instead, the New Jersey Devils rallied back from a one-goal deficit late in regulation to pull out a hard fought 4-3 win in overtime over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night in Newark.

Jesper Bratt scored at 1:33 of overtime to make it six-for-six on home ice for the Devils. After pressuring Alex Newhook at the blue line, Bratt stole the puck and walked in and beat Canadiens rookie Jakub Dobes for the victory, improving New Jersey to 6-0-0 at The Prudential Center.

On a good team headlined by leading scorer Jack Hughes and captain Nico Hischier, the 27-year-old Bratt continues to fly under the radar for the red and black. One of the game’s most unheralded stars, the 2016 sixth round pick is by far the Devils’ most electric scoring wing on a roster that also includes Timo Meier.

It was Meier’s goal with 1:07 left in regulation that forced extras. On a play set up by both Bratt and Hughes, Meier was able to dig out a loose puck in front and steer it past Dobes for his first goal in 10 games (Oct. 16 vs. Fla). It was a critical one for Meier, who had been slumping after a good start.

The Devils need him to produce to remain at the top of a competitive Metropolitan Division. With both the Penguins and Hurricanes each winning, the top three teams are separated by two points. Despite having the same amount of points (20), the Pens have played one more game than the Devils, who upped their record to 10-4-0 by defeating the first place Canadiens (9-3-2) in a well played game.

Boosted by the return of Cody Glass, who slid back in to center the third line, the Devils grabbed an early lead just 93 seconds in. Glass retrieved a loose puck, entered the zone, and surprised Dobes with a wrist shot that went under his glove. He missed the previous seven games with an upper-body injury. Since Devils team president and general manager Tom Fitzgerald acquired him from the Penguins on Mar. 7, he’s been a good support player. After putting up two goals and five assists for seven points in 14 games last season, Glass has three goals in seven games this season.

It was the play of the third line that stood out for most of the game. Glass played in between Ondrej Palat and Arseny Gritsyuk. According to Natural Stat Trick, the line had a strong night by posting a team-leading 69.23 CF while holding a 5-3 edge in shots. They weren’t at fault on Kirby Dach’s tying goal, which came less than a minute later. Dach got a fortunate break when Noah Dobson’s point shot banked off his back and in past Jacob Markstrom to tie the score. He would later bump into Markstrom later for goaltender interference.

Despite having some good looks, the Devils power play was unable to cash in. Even though they finished the game a disappointing 0-for-5, they certainly had their chances. The top unit that features Bratt, Hischier, Hughes, Luke Hughes, and Dawson Mercer are dangerous due to how quickly they move the puck around. There were a few close calls. Even though they did a good job limiting the Canadiens to four shots in the first period, the Devils remained tied at one into intermission.]

The second was back-and-forth. Both teams are very fast getting through the neutral zone, which meant some entertaining hockey in transition. The Canadiens spent a little more time on the forecheck. It’s an area they seemed focused on as the game moved along. The Habs are a young, exciting team featuring emerging stars Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson, and speedy rookie Ivan Demidov. They can really create chances quickly. For the most part, the Devils did a good job defensively by holding them to a combined four shots.

With the game still tied, the Devils got some much needed production from an unexpected source. Entering the game, it had been a rough go for Palat, who came in with only one assist. A disappointing player since joining the Devils on Jun. 14, 2022, the former Lightning forward finally got his first goal of the season. On a good play from Simon Nemec, who pinched down to keep it moving, Nemec made a no-look pass that Palat buried in the back of the net to put the Devils back in front at 8:05. After he scored, Palat put his hands to his head in relief.

By that point, the Devils were playing without Dougie Hamilton. The top point getter among Devils defensemen, Hamilton left the game with a lower-body injury that looked to occur during a board battle with Juraj Slafkovsky in his end. Head coach Sheldon Keefe didn’t provide any upset earlier today. He said that Hamilton was still being evaluated.

The Devils are already without top defensive defenseman Brett Pesce, who was placed on the injured reserve yesterday. It looks like they could be playing this weekend minus Hamilton as well. On Saturday afternoon, they host the Pens in another fascinating early matchup. Obviously, Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon could see a lot of time against Sidney Crosby tomorrow. Jonas Siegenthaler and Nemec will likely draw the assignment against Evgeni Malkin. Figure Hischier to be matched up against the Crosby line.

The Devils also probably won’t have Connor Brown available. He missed last night’s game with an undisclosed injury. The checking forward has been another good player in his first year for New Jersey. In 11 games, he has five goals and an assist. Brown hasn’t played since Oct. 30.

As for the remainder of the second period, Dobes made some key stops on both Bratt and Jack Hughes to keep the Canadiens within striking distance. He fought off a tough Gritsyuk shot on a rush. On the flip side, Jacob Markstrom’s best save on Oliver Kapanen. He was fine in the first two periods, stopping all 12 shots.

At the start of the third, things changed quickly. After taking a Josh Anderson feed at center ice, Jake Evans was able to sneak a routine shot past Markstrom to tie the score at 59 seconds. It was a soft goal. Markstrom let it go right through the wickets much to the chagrin of the sellout crowd of 16,514. It hasn’t been a good start for the 35-year-old netminder, who Fitzgerald recently signed to a two-year, $12 million contract extension. If they want to go far, the Devils will need much better play from Markstrom than what they’ve gotten. Despite winning four of five starts, he hasn’t been sharp.

With the game tied, they had two straight power plays after Canadiens defenseman Jayden Struble took two separate minors. However, the Devils didn’t get much done. The Habs did a better job taking away the middle of the ice to hold the Devils to only a single shot.

Back at even strength, it was Montreal who surged ahead. On a Stefan Noesen turnover in the corner, Newhook fired a shot from a sharp angle that Markstrom mishandled. That allowed Kapanen to bury the bad rebound to give the Canadiens their first lead with 9:27 left in regulation.

After Gritsyuk had a shot graze off the crossbar, Markstrom recovered to make a crucial stop on Slafkovsky. The Canadiens began to take the neutral zone away and make life difficult on the Devils, who were pressed for time. They finally got Markstrom off for an extra skater with over two minutes left.

With over a minute to go, Meier was able to tie it. Earlier in the shift, he was all set up for a one-timer with Dobes out of position before a diving block from Mike Matheson prevented the tying goal sooner. Later on, Hughes threw the puck on net. The low shot through a maze of bodies was just enough to cause a rebound opportunity. Before Dobes could cover it, Meier beat a hobbled Matheson to put home the loose puck at 18:53.

In overtime, it didn’t last long. Of course not with these two teams involved in a three-on-three. All it took was Newhook trying to force a pass inside the Devils blue line to lead to a Bratt clean breakaway goal that won it. After taking away the puck, Bratt broke in and patiently waited before tucking in a backhand to give the Devils the overtime win.

Following a disappointing road trip that saw them go 1-3-0, the Devils are on a three-game home stand. After the Pens visit tomorrow, they’ll get their first look at impressive 2025 number one pick Matthew Schaefer when the Islanders invade Newark on Monday. That’ll be the last home game for a while. The next five will all be on the road. Considering how much better they play at home, it’s a good chance for the Devils to pocket four more points. We’ll see how they handle some more adversity due to the injuries.

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Sullivan’s Rangers Lineup Brings More Questions

Posted on November 6, 2025 by Derek

Following the latest shutout at home, a 3-0 loss to the depleted Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, the New York Rangers remain without a win at Madison Square Garden. They’ve been shut out four times in six home games.

Astonishingly, the Rangers have been outscored 18-6 by opponents at MSG. The only game they scored over two goals in was a 6-5 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 23. The only other goal came against the Minnesota Wild on Oct. 20 in a 3-1 defeat. That was the last time Artemi Panarin scored. Since then, he’s been held without a point in six straight games. That included the successful 3-1-0 road trip.

Panarin’s offensive issues have become a team wide epidemic for the NHL’s lowest scoring team. The Rangers rank dead last in offense averaging 2.21 goals-per-game. With another 0-for-2 performance on the man-advantage against the Hurricanes, who managed to convert on their first chance off the stick of Nikolai Ehlers, the Rangers have plummeted to 32nd in the league on the power play. They’re a woeful 4-for-36 for a league-low 11.1 percent. Ironically, the Hurricanes entered Thursday with the 31st ranked power play. They managed to capitalize with Ehlers getting his first goal on Nov. 4.

After sticking with the same lineup that was successful on the Western swing, coach Mike Sullivan decided to rearrange his lines at today’s practice in preparation to visit the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night. With Panarin still struggling, along with Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere hardly producing, Sullivan has once again tweaked his lines for tomorrow. Despite having some success playing with rookie Noah Laba, both Lafreniere and Will Cuylle will play with J.T. Miller instead. The Rangers captain was extremely frustrated with himself over the team’s latest shutout.

“It starts with me. I need to be better. I need to do something to help drag the team in for an extra couple percent here,” Miller told reporters in the Rangers locker room following Tuesday night’s loss.

Despite having only three goals and five assists so far, Miller ranks second on the team in scoring with eight points. Sadly, that leads all forwards. Panarin has been stuck on two goals and five assists for a while. Despite ranking second among Rangers in total shots (41), which trails only Mika Zibanejad (43), he has a shooting percentage of 4.9.

That isn’t getting it done for a player who reportedly isn’t open to taking a pay cut on his next contract. If he really wants to make a strong case to stay in New York City, Panarin might want to start producing. He also is in need of checking his ego. There’s no way Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury is going to keep him at a similar rate to his current salary ($11.64 million AAV).

What if Panarin is unwilling to waive his no-movement clause next year if the Rangers are out of playoff contention? They’d be stuck with an unhappy player playing out the final year of his contract, willing to test free agency next summer. That’s the worst case scenario for the organization.

Both the Hurricanes and Wild already have expressed interest in acquiring Panarin. Considering how good the Hurricanes are, I can see why. As they proved a couple of seasons ago when they acquired Jake Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins as a rental, they’re always a player. Panarin’s former teammate K’Andre Miller is finally ready to return to the lineup after missing a chance to face the Rangers at MSG. The Wild already locked up Kirill Kaprizov on a record eight-year, $136 million contract extension that’ll make him the league’s highest paid player next season. If they turn things around, I’m sure they’d love to have Panarin playing alongside Kaprizov.

Of course, none of it matters right now. Panarin has a job to do in helping turn around the Rangers. Sullivan broke up the loaded top line that featured Panarin with Miller and Zibanejad. When they visit Detroit, it’ll be Zibanejad and Panarin with Taylor Raddysh, who somehow still leads the Blueshirts in goals with five. He’ll get another look in the top six. He’s certainly played well enough to earn a promotion.

As for the remaining lines, it’s back to the drawing board for Laba. He’ll go from playing with Cuylle and Lafreniere, who he had chemistry with, to centering Sullivan team ornament Conor Sheary and Jonny Brodzinski. As hard as he plays, I’ve had enough of watching Sheary blow scoring chances. The four assists he’s put up are fine. But couldn’t it be a younger player instead? Somehow, Adam Edstrom will likely find himself a healthy scratch for tomorrow night. Even if he had a bad game on Tuesday, why is it always young players who get the shaft with this team? It doesn’t matter who the coach is. They always favor veterans. It’s sickening.

If there’s one consolation, it looks like Jaroslav Chmelar will make his NHL debut. Recently called up from the Hartford Wolf Pack on Monday for Brennan Othmann, the 22-year-old forward is slotted in on the fourth line with Sam Carrick and Juuso Parssinen. A 2021 fifth round pick who represented the Czech Republic at the World Junior Championships twice, Chmelar has two goals and three assists in nine games for the Wolf Pack this season. He has some size and edge to his game. I remember seeing him in the WJC, and liking how he played. It’s an opportunity for the 22-year-old to show what he can do.

The issue is why can’t Sheary sit out. Sullivan is really all about keeping it all in the family. I don’t care if they’re related due to Sheary marrying his niece. Enough is enough. Of course, he’ll continue to receive some time on the second power play unit. This time, it’ll be Lafreniere moved down with Raddysh, Brodzinski, Sheary, and Braden Schneider. That unit isn’t even worth the time. Laba would be a better option over the team ornament.

As usual, another coach is throwing all his eggs in one basket. At least, Cuylle will get the chance to be the net front presence on the number one unit. Nobody has come close to replacing Chris Kreider, who scored another goal in a Ducks win the other night. Kreider has seven in eight games. Old friend, Jacob Trouba is up to three goals and five helpers while tied with a league-leading plus-11 rating without taking a penalty. I’ve watched the Ducks play. They’re really good. Joel Quenneville knows what he’s doing. Nobody ever said he was a bad coach. What happened in Chicago remains a black eye for the NHL.

If you want more mind-numbing changes, you got it. In a Rangers World, I guess it makes perfect sense for Connor Mackey to play on the third defensive pair in the 15th game of the season. Nothing against Mackey, who gives an honest effort while playing with plenty of edge. He’ll probably get into a fight. At this stage, should Mackey be in the top six? Why even have Matthew Robertson on the roster? Urho Vaakanainen will miss his second consecutive game with a lower-body injury. He isn’t that good, either. But his analytics are much improved, like most of the defense under Sullivan. Having Mackey with Schneider doesn’t exactly inspire much confidence. Neither does continuing to roll out Schneider on the second power play. It won’t even matter.

They didn’t renew Zac Jones for another year of Vaakanainen, Robertson, and now Mackey. At least Jones could jump into the rush and run the point on the little-used second unit. He wasn’t good, either. But he had some offensive capabilities to his game. Sometimes, it’s really hard to support this team. They make it so hard.

Vincent Trocheck is getting closer to a return. He and Vaakanainen won’t be making the trip to Detroit. Perhaps Trocheck is a possibility for Saturday night when the New York Islanders come to town. I may as well just call them the Matthew Schaefer Islanders. That kid is a breath of fresh air. To think the Rangers were one loss away in their final meeting against the Islanders from lucking into Schaefer last spring. It would’ve changed everything. If you haven’t seen him play, please do so. Or watch his interview with the NHL On TNT panel, where he gave Henrik Lundqvist the business because he was a former Rangers legend who asked the first question.

To the fans who don’t get it, you never will. Schaefer has the larger than life personality that hockey lacks. He’s similar to Brad Marchand. Imagine that at age 18 while lighting it up as a rookie defenseman for the bitter rival Islanders. If they don’t market him, why even bother. Everyone knows how bad the NHL is at promoting the game’s best players. It’s kids like Schaefer and Macklin Celebrini who are the future of the sport.

In terms of who will get the start at Hockey Town, Sullivan could go with Jonathan Quick. Considering that it’s a quick turnaround with the Islanders coming to MSG on Saturday, I’d save Igor Shesterkin for them. But he might decide to have Shesterkin face the surprising Red Wings. Igor rarely gets both starts in a back-to-back. Quick is again off to a good start. We’ll see what Sullivan decides tomorrow.

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Celebrini and Schaefer Highlight the New Wave

Posted on November 4, 2025 by Derek

If there’s one thing that’s much different in today’s game, it’s how willing most NHL teams are to bring in the new wave of talent. The league has never been younger than it currently is. It’s all about the future.

When you look at the most recent top two picks, there’s so much to love about both players. Somehow, Macklin Celebrini and Matthew Schaefer have outshined Connor Bedard. The good news is that Bedard is starting to figure it out. The Blackhawks 2023 first overall pick is still only 20. He hasn’t scored as many goals, but he’s starting to pile up assists on a more promising team that also features 22-year-old sidekick Frank Nazar and 20-year-old defenseman Artyom Levshunov. They’re headed in the right direction.

Celebrini has continued to light it up in his second year for the Sharks. The 19-year-old center is up to seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points in the first 13 games. After an inauspicious start, the Sharks are 4-2-1 over their last seven. That included beating the Devils 5-2 in a rematch at SAP Center at San Jose. In the win, Celebrini found Will Smith for a big goal late in the second period. Their chemistry is undeniable. Smith is a former Boston College standout who the Sharks grabbed with the fourth pick in 2023. The 20-year-old forward ranks second in team scoring with 11 points (4-7-11).

San Jose followed that up with a 3-2 overtime victory at home over the Avalanche. Celebrini had a goal. Free agent pickup Philipp Kurashev scored twice, including the overtime winner. In a 3-2 shootout loss to the Red Wings last night, 19-year-old defenseman Sam Dickinson scored his first career goal late in regulation to get the Sharks a point. He’s the future of the blue line. Yaroslav Askarov is who they’re counting on in net. The 23-year-old is still trying to find some consistency. He made some good saves in the Sharks’ win over the Devils. Right now, he’s sharing the net with Alex Nedeljkovic.

What makes Celebrini special is his elite skating and playmaking skills. He spent a year preparing for the NHL by playing for Boston University in 2023-24. He put up 32 goals and 32 assists for 64 points to win the Hobey Baker as a freshman. If not for the remarkable rookie season that Lane Hutson had with the Canadiens along with the strong campaign from Flames’ netminder Dustin Wolf, he would’ve won the Calder Trophy. In 70 games, Celebrini paced the Sharks with 63 points (25-38-63). Even though he finished a minus-31 on one of the NHL’s worst teams, he learned plenty.

In Year 2, he isn’t only over a point-per-game. He also is winning 50.6 percent of faceoffs (123-and-120). A well-rounded player, Celebrini certainly plays with a lot of passion. After getting cross-checked by Red Wings defenseman Mo Seider to draw a penalty, he went right back at the bigger Seider during a scrum. Seider wound up with the extra.

Due to where the Sharks are in their rebuild, Celebrini has played a lot in his end so far. His 41.1 CF is way down from the 48.7 CF he posted in 2024-25. San Jose head coach David Warsofsky has continued to use Celebrini very similar to last year. He’s started 51.5 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone while starting 48.5 percent in the defensive zone. His zone starts in his rookie season were 52.0 on offense and 48.0 on defense.

What that means is that Warsofsky trusts Celebrini enough to play him in the defensive zone. His most common line mates are Smith and Tyler Toffoli. They’ve logged over 104 minutes together while posting a 46.35 CF, and outscoring opponents 7-2 according to Natural Stat Trick. A big improvement from when he played with other players. The Sharks next play tomorrow night at the Kraken.

If Celebrini is the brightest young star, then Schaefer is right behind him. The Islanders lucked into the 18-year-old defenseman by winning the NHL Draft Lottery last spring. The consensus top pick has been nothing short of special since arriving on Long Island.

An extremely fast skater who possesses elite skills to become one of the best players at his position, Schaefer has already established himself as a teenager. The six-foot-two, 186-pound Islanders defenseman has five goals and five assists for 10 points in his first dozen games.

In a dramatic 3-2 comeback win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on home ice, Schaefer recorded the first two-goal game of his career. With the Islanders trailing the Blue Jackets by a goal late in regulation with David Rittich pulled for an extra skater, Schaefer managed to tie the game at two with 1:07 left. Earlier in the contest, he also scored on the power play. Just 29 seconds later, Simon Holmstrom beat Elvis Merzlikins at 19:22 to give the Islanders the thrilling win at UBS Arena.

Afterward, an emotional Schaefer gave another exciting interview on the Islanders bench. Before it concluded, he screamed, “Let’s Go!!!” to cheers from the crowd. It’s his unique personality that’s really a big part of his character.

To think that he didn’t turn 18 until Sept. 5. The Hamilton, Ontario native is unlike anything the league has seen in decades. A top pick who’s already making a big impact as a first-year defenseman. Not even two-time Norris winner Cale Makar or Quinn Hughes came right to the NHL without playing a year in college. Hockey Hall of Famer Chris Pronger is one of the few former players who graduated right to the NHL after getting selected second overall by the Hartford Whalers. The only difference is he was a year older than Schaefer – turning 19 on Oct. 10, 1993.

So far, Schaefer leads all rookies in ice time (21:56 TOI) and is tied in both goals (5) and points (10) entering Tuesday night’s home game against the Boston Bruins. Speaking to how polished he is, Schaefer has a 51.8 CF at five-on-five and 52.9 CF at even strength.

Even though he plays for the enemy, it’s impossible not to love this kid. He has more charisma than Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon combined. It would be wise if the NHL actually decided to market Schaefer. He has that kind of appeal.

Fans will definitely enjoy watching Schaefer as he leads the Islanders back to respectability. They bring a 6-5-1 record into tonight’s action. If there’s a game to look forward to, it comes this Saturday in the Big Apple when the Islanders visit the New York Rangers. That’ll mark Schaefer’s debut at Madison Square Garden. He’ll get to go up against Adam Fox. Along with frontrunner Makar, both are early Norris candidates. The game is at 7 PM on Nov. 8.

With the league’s three recent top picks all front and center, hockey is in great shape moving forward.

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Cuylle’s Winner in Overtime Highlights Successful Road Trip

Posted on November 2, 2025 by Derek

Through the first 13 games, there haven’t been many players who have impressed for the New York Rangers. An offensively challenged team, they needed someone to provide spark after suffering a 5-1 drubbing to the lowly Calgary Flames on Oct. 26.

Enter Will Cuylle. Having gotten off to a bad start, the third-year forward helped the Rangers turn it around to have a successful road trip. Moved onto a line with rookie Noah Laba and Alexis Lafreniere, Cuylle provided the impetus. In the blowout defeat at Calgary, Cuylle set up Laba for the first goal of his career with a nice touch pass in the neutral zone that allowed the speedy center to cut in and score.

Following the team’s third straight loss, it felt like they hit rock bottom. Especially after the Flames got three unanswered goals to pull away for their first win in regulation. It would’ve been easy for the Rangers to continue to revert to the form that ruined last season. Instead, they got well against a depleted Vancouver Canucks with a 2-0 shutout last Tuesday, Oct. 28.

It was another Cuylle pass that allowed Mika Zibanejad to break in and score for what proved to be the game-winner late in the first period. Jonathan Quick stopped all 23 shots to pick up the victory. Sam Carrick added the empty netter.

In the win, Cuylle played with Zibanejad and slumping star forward Artemi Panarin. When they fell behind the Edmonton Oilers 3-1 after a lackluster second period that saw them get outscored 2-0, Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan had seen enough of his top two lines. He made the switch that ignited his team to rally back from a two-goal deficit and pull out a 4-3 overtime win over the Oilers.

With Sullivan loading up the top line by moving captain J.T. Miller up with Zibanejad and Panarin, he decided to bump up Laba to the second line with Cuylle and Lafreniere. It was the play of that line that led to the turnaround. After taking a pass from Urho Vaakanainen, Cuylle turned on the jets to force Stuart Skinner into giving up a rebound that Braden Schneider deposited. Less than four minutes later, Conor Sheary set up Taylor Raddysh for the game-tying goal. In extra time, Miller coasted by Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard to win the game on a breakaway.

Pleased with how they played after the line adjustments, Sullivan kept his new lines intact for last night’s game against the Seattle Kraken. The Rangers started off November by pulling out a 3-2 overtime victory over the Kraken. It was Cuylle who played the hero when he took a Miller cross-ice pass and beat Joey Daccord at 2:42 of OT.

Back in the first period, after Vladislav Gavrikov and Chandler Stephenson exchanged goals 2:33 apart, Cuylle took a Lafreniere feed and took a shot through traffic that created a rebound that Laba put in for his second. That aggressive style is a big part of Cuylle’s game. In a game the Rangers largely dominated by limiting the Kraken to only 13 shots, they still required overtime due to Igor Shesterkin giving up a tying goal to Brandon Montour in the third period.

Even with the power play continuing to fire blanks, the Rangers were able to overcome it to finish the Western road swing 3-1-0. For the first time in almost a calendar year, they have won three in a row. In doing so, they upped their record to 6-5-2. That moved them into a wild card spot with 14 points. With both the Metropolitan and Atlantic Divisions full of parity, they should find themselves in the swing of things.

Before the road trip, Cuylle had only one goal. After putting up five points over the four games, he’s up to two goals and four assists for six points. His impact can be felt due to always being involved. That includes his 46 hits, which lead the team. A North/South player who doesn’t turn over the puck much, it’s the 23-year-old’s game that Sullivan wants to see more of from his team.

Ironically, even though he’s continued to struggle finishing, Lafreniere also plays a similar style. Keeping him with Cuylle and Laba, whose combination of size, speed, and grit make him an effective player, would be wise. Perhaps it can get Lafreniere going. If the line continues its progression, Sullivan could have an interesting decision when Vincent Trocheck returns.

For now, we should continue to see the three young forwards stick together. That’s a good thing for the Rangers moving forward.

Borgen Gets A Nice Welcome Back

On a night that saw former Rangers Kaapo Kakko and Ryan Lindgren face their ex-teammates for the first time since being traded last season, current Ranger Will Borgen got a nice welcome back to Seattle.

A hard-nosed defenseman who plays the game with a purpose, the 28-year-old Borgen has been a steady influence on the Rangers’ back end. While he won’t wow fans with tons of offense, he will certainly let opponents know he’s there. Since coming over from the Kraken last year in a trade that sent Kakko to the Pacific Coast, Borgen has become a key factor on the blue line.

Playing against his former team for the first time at Climate Pledge Arena, he was given a warm reception from Kraken fans during a stoppage that featured a video tribute. They made sure to include some big hits and a fight in the highlights. That personifies who Borgen is. While on the Rangers bench, he smiled and waved to the crowd.

Borgen had a solid game in his return. In 27 shifts while logging 20:13 of ice time, he had two hits and two blocks. He teamed with Carson Soucy (19:58 TOI) for an effective duo on the second pair. As usual, Borgen received the third most ice time on the blue line, trailing Gavrikov (21:47) and Adam Fox (25:04).

Fox Picks Up A Pair of Assists

In the win, Fox picked up a pair of assists. That included a secondary helper on Cuylle’s overtime decider. He moved the puck for Miller, who then drew attention before finding Cuylle wide open for the easy finish upstairs with Daccord already down.

In 28 shifts, Fox had two assists with two shots, six attempts, and a game best plus-3 rating. Very quietly, the former Norris winner is off to a good start. His 11 points (3-8-11) lead the Rangers in scoring. It’s been his steady play with new partner Gavrikov that’s getting attention.

If Fox and Gavrikov can keep it up, the Rangers should have one of the best defensive pairs this season. They rank first according to Natural Stat Trick, with a 57.38 CF. Due to the Rangers’ offensive struggles, they’ve only been on for one more goal than against (4 GF 3 GA) despite a dominant shot differential (95-78) at five-on-five.

Brodzinski Keeps Contributing

Playing for the third straight game, Jonny Brodzinski picked up a secondary assist on the Rangers’ first goal. It was the strong work he did down low that resulted in Fox finding Gavrikov for his first as a Ranger to open the scoring. It was his first assist of the season.

In the win over Edmonton, Brodzinski scored on a breakaway for his first of the season. When he plays, he’s capable of contributing. In five games, he has a goal and assist. During 2024-25, the 32-year-old veteran set a career-high in goals (12) while matching his previous career best in points (19). He’s a good fit on the fourth line with Sam Carrick and Adam Edstrom due to his skating and the hustle he provides. That was evident on the Gavrikov tally.

With Brodzinski continuing to play well, it looks like Brennan Othmann will remain out of the lineup when the Rangers return to Madison Square Garden to host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. There won’t be any video tribute for K’Andre Miller, who’s been out with a lower-body injury. He was placed on the injured reserve on Halloween.

The Hurricanes could also be without top defenseman Jaccob Slavin, who’s been on the IR with a lower-body injury since Oct. 23. Shayne Gostisbehere (lower-body) doesn’t have a timetable for his return to the lineup. He suffered the injury on Oct. 28. Despite the injuries, the Hurricanes still have a 7-4-0 record. It should be interesting to see what happens in two days at The Garden.

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Lindgren Hosts Reunion with Former Teammates, Kakko Expected to Face Rangers

Posted on November 1, 2025 by Derek

It was a family reunion on Friday night in Seattle. As they prepared to face the Kraken on Saturday, the Rangers got to see Ryan Lindgren, who hosted some former teammates at dinner last night.

That included Adam Fox, Alexis Lafreniere, Braden Schneider, Will Cuylle, Jonny Brodzinski, and Jonathan Quick visiting Lindgren at his home for an Italian dinner.

A popular blood and guts Ranger who always sacrificed for the team over six seasons, Lindgren will face those same players later tonight at Climate Pledge Arena.

After being an integral part of some good Rangers teams that included two that made trips to the Conference Finals, he was dealt to the Avalanche on Mar. 1 in a four-player trade that included Juuso Parssinen, a 2025 second round pick (Malcolm Spence), and fourth round pick (Mikkel Eriksen) coming back in return.

Lindgren signed with the Kraken as a free agent over the summer. So far, he’s been used by Kraken coach Lane Lambert in a defensive role to help stifle opponents. Thus far, he has 18 blocks and six hits in 10 games with an assist and 23 penalty minutes.

Not the highest scoring team, the Kraken rely on tight defense and a strong forecheck to stay in games. They enter play with a 5-2-3 record to rank third in the Pacific Division. They’ve scored 28 goals and given up 28 goals.

Seattle has had some injuries to key players. Ryker Evans started the season on the injured reserve with an upper-body injury. Jared McCann has been on the IR with a lower-body injury since Oct. 25. Frederick Gaudreau (upper-body) is expected to miss four to six weeks since being placed on the IR on Oct. 16.

However, one player is expected to make his return for tonight’s game. After injuring his hand in preseason, Kaapo Kakko is a game-time decision, according to Lambert. From the looks of it, it sounds like he’ll be back in the lineup for the first time this season.

Originally a Rangers second overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, Kakko had his ups and downs on Broadway. Although he never met expectations as a hyped prospect, he turned himself into a steady two-way forward in the Big Apple.

If there was a highlight during his six-year Rangers career, it was the play of the Kid Line during the 2021-22 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Under former coach Gerard Gallant, Kakko was part of a good third line that also featured Lafreniere and Filip Chytil. All three were former first round picks who had strong chemistry playing together during that run.

The cohesive trio combined for some nice goals in the Rangers’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals. That included a dominant shift that led to a Chytil goal in a  Game 1 win on home ice over the Lightning.

It was memorable. At that time, Kakko was 21, and Lafreniere was 20. Chytil was 23. They really did look like a big part of the Rangers’ future.

Although he only finished with two goals and three assists for five points during the playoffs, Kakko did so many things right. He was strong on the puck and tough on the wall. Able to hang onto the puck, he won a lot of battles to help make that a successful forecheck line that ate up possession time and generated chances.

There was every reason to believe that all three players would grow in stature. While Chytil and Lafreniere evolved, Kakko never took the next step as a player. He was unable to follow up an 18-goal, 22-assist, 40-point 2022-23 season the way the organization envisioned.

Eventually, following being a healthy scratch by former coach Peter Laviolette last year, Kakko voiced his displeasure. He was justified in what he said about being made an example out of for the Rangers’ lethargic play. There were plenty of veterans who could’ve benched. Laviolette never did it last season.

Kakko was traded to the Kraken for Will Borgen, a 2025 third round (Sean Barnhill), and sixth round pick (Samuel Jung) on Dec. 18, 2024. After going 4-10-14 in 30 games with the Rangers, Kakko produced better with the Kraken. In 49 games, he had 10 goals with 20 assists for 30 points. That allowed him to post career bests in assists (30) and points (44).

While the Rangers were pleased enough with Borgen to give him a five-year contract worth a $4.10 million cap hit, the Kraken and Kakko agreed on a three-year deal worth an AAV of $4.525 million this past summer

The 24-year-old right wing will have the chance to prove himself in Seattle. He had good chemistry with Matty Beniers last season. On a low-scoring team that’s seen Beniers struggle without him, we’ll see if Kakko can help spark another former number two pick.

The day before, Kakko spent some time with former teammate Urho Vaakanainen. Both are close dating back to their days spent together playing for Finland in the World Junior Championships. That included winning the gold medal in 2019 against Team USA on Kakko’s game-winning goal.

The intriguing storyline is one to keep an eye on tonight.

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Kreider Scores In Return for Hot Ducks

Posted on November 1, 2025 by Derek

As it turns out, there is life after the Rangers for Chris Kreider. The Rangers’ third all-time franchise-leading goal scorer (326) has done well so far with his new team in Anaheim. Even after missing four games due head, foot, and mouth disease, Kreider didn’t miss a beat by scoring in his return last night. The Ducks prevailed over the Red Wings 5-2 in John Gibson’s return. The former Ducks goalie received a video tribute.

With the Ducks leading 3-2 at the start of the third period, Kreider converted on the power play to double up their lead. It was his fourth power-play goal of the season and fifth overall in only his sixth game played.

The goal was a strange one. After making a save on Cutter Gauthier, Gibson knocked the net off its moorings as Kreider sent a rebound in. Because he did, a video review confirmed that Kreider’s goal counted. He’s now up to 331 career goals, with 120 of them coming on the power play.

With the 34-year-old finally healthy after an injury riddled 2024-25, he’s looking more like the player who scored 30 or more goals in three straight seasons (2021-22 thru 2023-24) with the Rangers. During that span, no Blueshirt had more goals than Kreider, who totaled 127, including 52 power-play goals, nine shorthanded goals, and 21 game-winners.

In an irony of sorts, Kreider’s four power-play goals are as many as his former team has scored so far in a dozen games. By going 0-for-2 on the man-advantage in their 4-3 overtime win over the Oilers, the Rangers sunk to 30th (4-for-30) in the league. That’s just 13.3 percent. Mika Zibanejad leads them with two power-play goals.

More to the point, Kreider is responsible for half the Ducks’ power play production. They’re 8-for-40 (20.0) and are tied for 17th in the league. It’s safe to say that he’s having an impact.

Trouba’s Revival in Anaheim

Kreider isn’t the only former Ranger faring well in Anaheim. Jacob Trouba has been a different player with the Ducks. His revival in Anaheim has been noteworthy. Unfairly blamed for everything that went wrong in Manhattan last year, the Rangers’ former captain was traded to the Ducks on Dec. 6, 2024. In return, the Rangers received Urho Vaakanainen and a conditional 2025 fourth round pick (Elijah Neuenschwander).

Following his most challenging season due to all the unnecessary distractions that were created by Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury, who successfully dumped the remainder of Trouba’s entire contract on the Ducks, the 31-year-old veteran defenseman has responded well.

Since Ducks captain Radko Gudas went down with a lower-body injury, Trouba has picked it up. Back to logging additional ice time, he’s been superb under coach Joel Quenneville. With an assist and a plus-1 rating in 26:25 last night, Trouba continued his strong play for Anaheim. Over a stretch that’s seen them win four of their last five games, he has recorded all six of his points while going plus-9.

Not surprisingly, his six points are tied with teammate Drew Helleson for tops among Ducks defensemen. The plus-9 rating leads the team. Trouba also paces the Ducks in hits with 32 and is tied with Jackson LaCombe for first in blocks (22). More remarkable is that he has yet to take a penalty in 10 games. Something that was an issue the past couple of years with the Rangers.

If there’s a notable difference, Trouba has much better metrics with the Ducks. He brings a 52.0 CF into the weekend. In fact, he and defensive partner Olen Zellweger are among the best defensive pairs according to Natural Stat Trick. They have a 53.55 CF while paired together at five-on-five, and have been on for eight goals for and four goals against. Trouba also had some success with LaCombe, with the Ducks outscoring opponents 3-0 in the 28:45 that they were together. That means that Trouba’s been on for 11 goals for to four goals against. He’s tied with Gauthier for the best five-on-five goal differential on the Ducks.

Is it possible that he’s playing with better talent? The Ducks are a younger roster that features emerging star Leo Carlsson (4 points last night), Gauthier, Mason McTavish, Beckett Sennecke, LaCombe, Helleson, Pavel Mintyukov and Zellweger. All are 25 or younger. Lukas Dostal is also 25.

The other main point of emphasis is that it’s about the hockey in Southern California. There aren’t any distractions for Trouba, who can just focus on playing his game. He’s probably healthier and in a better frame of mind. It’s the final year of his contract. He will earn $8 million. So, there’s a lot to play for. Trouba’s future is uncertain. However, if he continues to play well, there could be some interested teams next year.

Maybe all he needed was to get out of New York City. It must feel like a homecoming of sorts with Kreider there. Both Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano are also in the room. Having that familiarity with former teammates has to make him more comfortable. I’m sure he’s not complaining about the weather.

While the Rangers struggle to score goals and win consistently, it looks like both Kreider and Trouba came out on top. It’s funny the way things turn out.

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Devils Sign Markstrom to Two-Year Extension

Posted on October 31, 2025 by Derek

In a surprising move that came three days after he gave up eight goals in his return from injury to the Colorado Avalanche in an 8-4 loss on Oct. 28, the New Jersey Devils have signed Jacob Markstrom to a two-year contract extension worth $12 million.

He entered his second season in New Jersey in the final year of a contract that pays him $6 million. By extending the 35-year-old netminder through 2027-28, the Devils committed to Markstrom as their starter into his late 30s. Whether or not that’s a smart move remains to be seen.

Originally acquired by Devils team president and general manager Tom Fitzgerald from the Calgary Flames on June 19, 2024, in exchange for Kevin Bahl and a 2025 conditional first round pick (Cole Reschny), Markstrom went 26-16-6 with a 2.50 goals-against-average, .900 save percentage, and four shutouts in 49 games in 2024-25.

Along with veteran backup Jake Allen, Markstrom helped lead the Devils back to the postseason. They were eliminated in the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes in five games. Markstrom finished the series with a 2.78 GAA and .911 save percentage.

A former 2008 second round pick of the Florida Panthers, Markstrom has won 243 games with a 2.72 GAA, .908 save percentage, and 24 shutouts over his career. After getting traded to the Vancouver Canucks for Roberto Luongo in a four-player deal on Mar. 14, 2014, Markstrom established himself as a starter at 28 in 2017-18.

Following a nice run to the second round in the Covid lengthened 2019-20 Stanley Cup Playoffs, he signed with the Flames as a free agent. His best season came during 2021-22 when he established career bests in wins (37), GAA (2.22), save percentage (.922), and shutouts (9). He finished runner-up for the Vezina behind Igor Shesterkin.

Now a seasoned veteran in his second year with the Devils, a lot more is expected. He hasn’t had the best start. After losing to the rival Carolina Hurricanes in a season opening 6-3 loss on Oct. 9, he won his second start by making 14 saves in a 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

On Oct. 13 versus the Columbus Blue Jackets, he left the game after one period due to suffering a lower-body injury that kept him out two weeks.

Despite having a perfect home stand with Jake Allen winning both starts, the Devils made the curios decision to bring Markstrom back for the return match at the Avalanche on Tuesday. A move that made no sense due to Colorado’s firepower. Somewhat predictably, a rusty Markstrom struggled in the blowout loss that snapped an eight-game winning streak.

Two days later, on All Hallows Eve, Devils coach Sheldon Keefe went back to Allen for the San Jose Sharks. However, he gave up five goals on 28 shots in a 5-2 defeat. Allen is signed through 2029-30 on a much cheaper contract with an $1.8 million AAV. Like Markstrom, he’s also 35.

The question for Fitzgerald is obvious. Is it really the way to go for both the present and future? Markstrom will turn 36 in January. He’ll be 38 when his new deal expires. If there’s a caveat, he doesn’t have a no-movement clause.

If either Nico Daws or top prospect Mikhail Yegorov prove worthy of taking over in some capacity, Fitzgerald can always try to move Markstrom. Yegorov remains the favorite to eventually become the next Devils starter in the future. He was selected 49th in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft. He’s in his second year at Boston University with a 3-3-1 record and a 3.09 GAA and .902 save percentage.

The Devils return to action tomorrow when they visit Hollywood to face the Los Angeles Kings. They’re 8-3-0 with 16 points to rank second in the Metropolitan Division. Only the surprising Pittsburgh Penguins have a better record (8-2-2) in the division.

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Sullivan’s Changes Instrumental In Rangers’ Comeback Win Over Oilers

Posted on October 31, 2025 by Derek

For two periods, it looked like more of the same from the New York Rangers. A bad second period put them behind the Edmonton Oilers 3-1.

Following an early breakaway goal scored by Jonny Brodzinski, the Rangers had allowed three straight goals to the Oilers. That included a pair of goals from Darnell Nurse. Both of which Igor Shesterkin should’ve had, with the latter needing a video review during a stoppage to prove that the puck crossed the goal line to make it 3-1 in the second period.

At that point, it felt like another loss was inevitable. Even on a night that Connor McDavid was held in check by Mika Zibanejad and the strong work of Vladislav Gavrikov and Adam Fox.

More agonizing g was that coach Mike Sullivan didn’t deviate from the lines that hadn’t accomplished anything. Conor Sheary looked like he’d remain with J.T. Miller and Alexis Lafreniere, who was more involved offensively. Miller couldn’t steer in a perfect Lafreniere feed on a power play. The kind Chris Kreider used to bury in his sleep.

There wasn’t much going on. Nothing to indicate a big third period was on the way that changed the outcome. Instead of continuing to roll the same lines that weren’t getting it done, Sullivan finally made the changes necessary that were instrumental in a 4-3 comeback win over the Oilers in overtime.

Miller completed the turnaround when he walked in and beat Stuart Skinner at 2:49 in extras. It was his first goal in five games. He desperately needed it.

“The third period was great,” Miller said after the Rangers responded with goals from Braden Schneider and Taylor Raddysh to tie the game. “I didn’t have my best today. Obviously, changed the lines up a little bit, trying to spark something. We just had so many guys contribute. [Noah Laba] was unbelievable today. You see Rads chip in again, Schneids. We need that throughout the course of the season, you know what I mean? You have that depth scoring, and they played a heck of a game and drove play for us today and made it easy for the next line going out there.”

At the start of the third period with the Rangers trailing the Oilers by two goals, Sullivan decided to make necessary adjustments to his top two lines. With Miller continuing to struggle, he was moved onto a line with Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin. By loading up the top line, that allowed Sullivan to form a new second line – featuring Noah Laba, Will Cuylle, and Lafreniere.

It was the Laba line that injected much needed life into the team. Their first shift was spent cycling the puck for extended time in the Edmonton zone. Although there weren’t any shots on Skinner, it was the kind of diligent work that the Rangers had lacked. The momentum swung afterward.

On a good play in the neutral zone from Urho Vaakanainen, Cuylle picked up a loose puck and drove to the net, forcing Skinner into a difficult save that led to Schneider putting in the rebound that cut the deficit to 3-2 at 8:18.

The strong play from Cuylle created the goal. He did the dirty work that resulted in Schneider getting his first of the season. That made it three games in a row with an assist for Cuylle. He set up Zibanejad’s game-winner at Vancouver on Tuesday night.

Before they tied the game, Shesterkin made his biggest save by making a strong denial on a Leon Draisaitl bid in close. That clutch stop was the one the Rangers needed. It came at a crucial time. There were less than 10 minutes left in regulation. Had Draisaitl scored, it would’ve been very tough for an offensively challenged team like the Rangers to come back.

Just over a minute and a half later, Sheary made a good play at the Edmonton blue line to lead Raddysh for the game-tying goal with 7:56 remaining. On what was a bit of a broken play, Sheary took away a loose puck and made a subtle pass for Raddysh, who entered untouched before beating Skinner from the slot with a wrist shot that tied the score.

Due to the Sullivan’s shuffled lines, Juuso Parssinen shifted to center Sheary and Raddysh. It worked out well, with Raddysh getting his team-leading fifth. A surprising number for a player who’s only reached 20 once in his career. That came with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2022-23. So far, Raddysh has proven to be a good addition. He’s provided secondary scoring and strong penalty killing.

The only line that remained the same was the checking unit, with Brodzinski playing with Sam Carrick and Adam Edstrom. Carrick played a key role late in regulation with Zibanejad off for high-sticking Jack Roslovic to put the dangerous Oilers on the power play with 41 seconds left.

Following a Shesterkin save on Draisaitl, Carrick sold out to guarantee the Rangers a point. He made a great defensive play by breaking up a pass and clearing the zone. That sent it to overtime.

Despite the Oilers’ foursome of McDavid, Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins still having 1:19 to work with on a four-on-three, they only managed to get one shot through.

A great effort from the Rangers’ penalty killing trio of Miller, Gavrikov, and Will Borgen prevented Edmonton from winning it. Shesterkin made one stop on McDavid, who had another attempt blocked by a diving Borgen.

After another save from Shesterkin on McDavid to get a faceoff, it was back to three-on-three. Following a stop on Vasily Podkolzin, Lafreniere decided to reset in his own zone. After Lafreniere handed off for Schneider, he made a simple pass for Miller, who did the rest.

With Edmonton sitting back, Miller took advantage of a passive Draisaitl and Bouchard to win the game. Neither Oilers skater even defended him. It became essentially a one on one with Skinner, allowing Miller to come in and beat the Edmonton goalie to complete the 4-3 come from behind overtime win.

“When you have guys like Brodzinski stepping up today and scoring the first goal, you just need guys like that. It was a true team effort today, those guys really helped drag us into the fight,” Miller added.

That was a true team effort. When they had their looks, [Igor Shesterkin] played awesome today. That’s just a big team win, something that we can really build on going forward.”

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Rangers’ Anemic Offense Hard To Watch

Posted on October 30, 2025 by Derek

When they continue a four-game road trip by visiting the Edmonton Oilers later tonight, the New York Rangers will face two of the game’s best players.

Even if he’s out of the gate slowly, Connor McDavid (3-11-14) can erupt at any moment. The Oilers superstar is coming off his first two-goal game of the season in a 6-3 win over the Utah Mammoth. Leon Draisaitl enters tonight on a six-game point streak (4-5-9) that includes half a dozen points in the last three games.  Both would easily lead the Rangers in scoring.

The Rangers have an anemic offense that ranks near the bottom of the league. They’ve only scored 24 goals in their first 11 games for a paltry 2.18 average, with only the Calgary Flames worse. A team that had no trouble putting up five goals in a 5-1 blowout win over the Rangers to start the Western swing on Oct. 26. It was the only Calgary victory in regulation this season.

When it comes to this year’s roster, who remains without key center Vincent Trocheck (LTIR) for the time being, the Rangers are a very difficult team to watch. While they’ve certainly improved defensively under coach Mike Sullivan, with their 2.36 goals allowed per game ranking second, they’re severely lacking finishers.

Not even Artemi Panarin has gotten going yet. He remains stuck on two goals and five assists. Without a two-goal, four-point effort in a win versus the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 18, he only has three helpers in the other 10 games. The lack of production from the normally reliable Panarin is troublesome. Without Trocheck, he hasn’t found a way to make a difference while playing mostly with Mika Zibanejad, whose breakaway goal was enough to earn the Rangers a 2-0 shutout over the shorthanded Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday in J.T. Miller’s return. Jonathan Quick stopped all 23 shots for the 64th shutout of his career.

The point totals for the leading Rangers’ forwards are pitiful. A quick glance at it shows how lackluster they’ve been.

1. Panarin 2 goals, 5 assists, 7 points.

2. Zibanejad 4 goals, 2 assists, 6 points.

3. Miller 2 goals, 4 assists, 6 points.

4. Alexis Lafreniere 1 goal, 3 assists, 4 points.

5. Will Cuylle 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points.

Sullivan has tried different combinations. With Cuylle struggling, he had him with rookie Noah Laba and Brennan Othmann on the third line versus Calgary. Cuylle was able to send in Laba for his first career goal. Laba was the one constant in an otherwise dreadful loss. He’s continued to impress since making the team. A young player with size and speed, Laba has three points and a plus-2 rating in all 11 games.

Without any consistency from the Rangers’ best players, they have had to rely heavily on their goalies. Until he allowed a combined 11 goals in the previous two starts in back-to-back defeats to the San Jose Sharks and Flames, Igor Shesterkin had only given up seven goals in his first six appearances. Similar to last season, there were some defensive breakdowns against the Sharks and Flames. Despite that, Shesterkin still brings a 2.25 goals-against-average and .916 save percentage into Edmonton on Thursday night. Astonishingly, he’s only won two games so far.

Perhaps Sullivan sensed that his meal ticket could use a breather. He went with Quick against a Canucks team that was missing several regulars, including injury plagued captain Quinn Hughes. It turned out to be a wise decision. The Canucks didn’t muster enough to beat Quick, who’s won two of three starts, giving up four goals on 68 shots.

If there’s an area that needs to improve, it’s the power play. Similar to last year, they’re not helping. Having gone just 4-for-28, they’re tied for 28th in the NHL with a 14.3 conversion rate. Without Trocheck, Lafreniere has continued to play on the number one unit that features leading scorer Adam Fox (3-6-9), Panarin, Zibanejad, and Miller. There’s no real net front presence anymore. Gone are the days when old reliable Chris Kreider could tip in a point shot for a power-play goal. Zibanejad’s scored twice from the left circle. Fox has the other tally. Cuylle converted one on the second unit.

Even though they have performed better at five-on-five, the lack of offense is an eyesore. The failure of Lafreniere to make a difference in his sixth year is mind-numbing. He hasn’t scored since the second game on Oct. 9. His minus-9 rating is the worst on the team. Lafreniere still struggles on defensive assignments. Even when he’s been giving an honest effort, he’s had shots deflect off him for goals much to the chagrin of Shesterkin. For a former consensus top pick who scouts loved, it’s remarkable how inept he is defensively. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of determination, either. Something we didn’t see in his 2023-24 breakout season.

Role players such as Sam Carrick and Taylor Raddysh have outperformed him. Even Sullivan favorite Conor Sheary is more consistent shift to shift. He isn’t going to help much offensively, yet continues to play in the top six. Sullivan is hoping that Cuylle can unlock Panarin and Zibanejad. Lafreniere remains with Miller and Sheary. Basically, he needs to start burying chances for that line to be successful.

In a mystifying development that’s typical of the organization’s impatience, Othmann got one game. Called up due to the upper-body injury Matt Rempe suffered in his foolish fight with Ryan Reaves that Sullivan indicated to reporters was more long-term, Othmann was a minus-1 with a shot and two hits in 12:31 of ice time in Calgary last Sunday.

The former 2021 first round pick played with Laba and Cuylle. Despite that line generating some looks, Othmann was responsible for two goals against. One came following a great scoring chance. On an odd man rush, Othmann opted to pass for an open Laba, who was at the side of the net. While it was a good idea, the pass handcuffed Laba, who was unable to handle it to score. It led directly to a Yegor Sharangovich goal in transition, with Othmann late arriving.

When he was a healthy scratch for Vancouver, with Sullivan inserting veteran Jonny Brodzinski into the lineup, the coach indicated the obvious reason why.

Why not get Othmann back in for tonight? Granted, it’s the Oilers. But how’s he ever going to learn anything if one mistake means he’s automatically in the press box? It’s ridiculous how they treat younger players. There’s a double standard. When a veteran makes a mistake, they rarely get punished.

All it does is further diminish Othmann’s value. He’s still only 22. Given how slow and boring the roster is, they can use some energy.

It’s bad enough that Fox has to carry the whole blue line due to general manager Chris Drury failing to improve the defense. Vladislav Gavrikov has been good, but he doesn’t provide offense. They’re still using Braden Schneider on the second power play. He’s a failure at this point. A third pair defenseman who gets pinned in his end due to poor decision-making. It doesn’t matter who he plays with.

Urho Vaakanainen is back in the lineup over Matthew Robertson for a second consecutive game. Even though Robertson had better defensive metrics, he came out due to a poor performance against Calgary. Was anyone good in that game? Vaakanainen adds very little. It’s almost like they’re trying to justify the predictable bad return for Jacob Trouba, who’s rediscovered himself with the Anaheim Ducks. Big shocker.

There’s nothing exciting about Rangers hockey. They have to play low event hockey to win games. That’s how bad their offense is. It falls on Drury, whose poorly constructed roster will continue to struggle to score until Trocheck returns. He’s skating. So, he’s getting closer.

Most of the excitement is playing for the Hartford Wolf Pack. That would be 20-year-old top prospect Gabe Perreault, whose goal and two assists highlighted a 4-1 win over the Charlotte Checkers on Wednesday night.

So far, so good. In seven games, Perreault has seven points (3-4-7) to lead the Wolf Pack in scoring. Brett Berard has three assists. Scott Morrow picked up his first point of the season. Jackson Dorrington has three helpers, and Carey Terrance has two goals. Dylan Roobroeck is 1-2-3.

Considering how unwatchable the Rangers are, MSG should consider airing a Wolf Pack game. That’s if they have nothing else on. Most fans want to see how the prospects are doing. They know the current roster isn’t playoff caliber.

With Panarin turning 34 today and with one foot out the door, it’s very likely that he’ll be moved before next year’s trade deadline.

As more potential 2026 free agents continue to sign extensions, with Martin Necas becoming the latest player to go off the market, you can’t build a team through free agency anymore. If that was what Drury was banking on, it’s over. He is already locked in on 30-year-olds, with Miller, Trocheck, and Zibanejad not going anywhere.

The Rangers must get younger and faster. Panarin has had a great run in Manhattan. But even at his best, he was never good enough to carry the franchise to a Stanley Cup. They can get a good return for him next March.

With reports surfacing that teams have interest, Panarin will be the number one rental target. His value should be high. Drury can’t mess it up. The future of the team depends on it.

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With Rempe Injured, Rangers recall Othmann

Posted on October 24, 2025 by Derek

In the first period of last night’s game between the Rangers and Sharks, Matt Rempe took on Ryan Reaves in a hockey fight. Following Reaves taking a run at Juuso Parssinen, Rempe challenged the former Rangers enforcer at center ice.

During the tilt, Rempe absorbed some good rights that caused him to lose his balance. Unfazed, he got up and landed a few shots to Reaves. Near the conclusion, Rempe threw some rabbit punches to Reaves’ head. When the fight was broken up, he was seen shaking his right wrist.

Following the scrap, Rempe didn’t return. Afterward, Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan indicated that Rempe was being evaluated for an upper-body injury.

As it turns out, even with him showing improvement in the first nine games, the 23-year-old forward still needs to learn what he’s most effective at. Hint: It isn’t fighting. Not with Rempe having a glass jaw. He gets caught with clean shots too often. It’s advisable for him to stick to playing hockey.

With him likely to be sidelined when the Rangers begin a four-game road trip at the Calgary Flames on Sunday night, they recalled Brennan Othmann from the Hartford Wolf Pack earlier today.

For Othmann, it’s another opportunity to prove himself. After a disappointing preseason, he was sent down to Hartford earlier than expected. The emergence of Noah Laba during training camp earned the center a roster spot. Sullivan also waited longer before assigning Gabe Perreault and Brett Berard, who both had better showings than Othmann.

For the 2021 Rangers’ first round pick, this could be his final chance to show that he belongs in the NHL. In 25 career games, Othmann has yet to score a goal. He recorded two assists in 22 games last season in a smaller role under former coach Peter Laviolette.

If there’s one thing that stood out, it’s Othmann’s willingness to get the jersey dirty. He registered 43 hits with the Rangers last season. Aside from the energy he can provide, Othmann has a good attitude. Hopefully, he can continue to bring those qualities while making the case to stay with the big club.

We’ll see how Sullivan uses him. If I were to guess, he’ll start Othmann in the bottom six. The question is what the lines will look like. Considering how well Taylor Raddysh finished Thursday night’s game with J.T. Miller and Conor Sheary, there’s a good chance they’ll stay together this weekend.

By shifting Alexis Lafreniere back with Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad, Sullivan slid down Will Cuylle to the third line. Cuylle has had his struggles thus far in his third year, with only one goal. If he stayed on the third line, will it be with Laba or Sam Carrick? The development of Parssinen showing that he can contribute should keep him in the top nine.

That could leave Othmann on the fourth line with Adam Edstrom and either Laba or Carrick. If that’s the case, Othmann will have to make the most of his shifts.

The Western Canadian swing that includes visits to Vancouver and Edmonton before concluding at Seattle is always challenging. Considering that they’ve had much more success on the road, we’ll see if the Rangers can continue an early trend that’s seen them go 3-0-1 away from Madison Square Garden.

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