Battle Of Hudson covers the Rangers and Devils, who's intense rivalry heated up in the 90's. With fresh faces added, they battle for supremacy in NYC and NJ..
Last night, the New York Rangers played their third game of the preseason. They lost to the New York Islanders 5-4 in regulation at Madison Square Garden.
Playing for the second straight time at home, the Rangers blew a 4-2 lead in the third period.
Unlike the overtime loss to the Boston Bruins, in which the defense broke down, it was more about the play of Dylan Garand. Taking over for Jonathan Quick after two periods, he allowed three goals on 10 shots, including a pair of soft goals to give the Islanders the come from behind win.
That included a goal to Caneron Berg that went off his shoulder and in to make it 4-3. The bad goal gave the Islanders momentum, which they carried throughout the third, outshooting the Rangers 10-5.
With the Blueshirts still protecting a one-goal lead, Gleb Veremyev got into position on Scott Morrow to redirect a Berg pass past Garand to tie the score with less than five minutes remaining. Veremyev was the Isles’ best forward scoring twice.
Kyle Palmieri gave the Islanders the lead 57 seconds later. After taking an Adam Pelech pass, Palmieri entered the Rangers zone pressured by Gabe Perreault. He skated into the dot and sent a backhand off Garand and in for the game-winner with 3:46 left in regulation.
On the play, Morrow was back defending. He kept Palmieri to the outside. Garand simply didn’t make the stop. The 2025 AHL All-Star will continue to be the number one goalie with the Hartford Wolf Pack this season.
For the Rangers, there were some positives in the defeat. Most notably, it was the play of the youngsters. The trio of Noah Laba, Brett Berard, and Brennan Othmann all played well.
During a brief stretch after falling behind the Islanders 2-0, the Rangers scored three straight goals to end the first period. After Vincent Trocheck deflected home an Adam Fox shot set up by Alexis Lafreniere, Othmann connected on the power play to tie the score. Taking a Morrow feed up top, he beat David Rittich with a good wrist shot for his first of the preseason. Conor Sheary helped set it up.
For a second consecutive game, Othmann was more involved offensively. He finished with a goal and three shots in just over 10 minutes while getting a look on the second line with Trocheck and Lafreniere. Othmann also made sure to be a pest around the net. He likes to play with an edge. If he eventually is successful in the NHL, it’ll be due to that tenacious style.
Following Othmann’s tying goal, Laba continued to impress by making a nifty pass in front for Berard, who buried his first of the preseason. They played on the third line with Sheary, who didn’t hurt his chances of making the roster by picking up two helpers. Playing on a pro tryout (PTA), the 33-year-old veteran has shown off the speed and hustle that once made him a key part of two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins. A depth player who can also play penalty kill, Sheary has played under head coach Mike Sullivan in Pittsburgh. He has a real shot at making the team.
Numbers Game Hurts Kids’ Chances
If there’s an issue that could hurt the kids’ chances of making the Rangers, it’s the numbers game. According to PuckPedia, they currently have 13 forwards signed.
That includes former Devil Justin Dowling. He played in one game and is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Dowling is signed for two years at just $775,000 on the cap. The second year indicates that it’s a two-way deal. The 34-year-old veteran was brought in for some reason when the Rangers already added Taylor Raddysh to a bottom six that includes Juuso Parssinen, Sam Carrick, Adam Edstrom, Matt Rempe, and Jonny Brodzinski. It doesn’t add up.
If Sheary is signed, that would add yet another forward. This isn’t a knock on Sheary, who’s proven that he’s capable of contributing in a supporting role. However, what was the point of signing Raddysh then? It’s too bunched up for any of the younger players to have a realistic chance of playing on the big club to start the season.
Sullivan’s Lines at Practice Favor Vets
Furthermore, Sullivan prefers vets over kids. If you go based on his lines at team practice earlier today, it doesn’t look like there’s any room for Laba or Berard. Both have outplayed incumbents so far.
Big group this morning for #NYR. Here's how they look:
Laba looks better than Parssinen, who’s locked in for two years at an AAV of $1.2 million. On his third roster, the 24-year-old must prove that he is capable of becoming a dependable third line center. In 11 games after coming over from the Colorado Avalanche last season, Parssinen had two goals and three assists for five points. He’s two years older than Laba, who has only played 11 games at the pro level with Hartford. A likely destination for him to start 2025-26.
As for Berard, all the 23-year-old forward does is use his speed and grit to outwork bigger opponents. He isn’t shy about finishing a check and will absorb big hits to make plays. There’s some skill and smarts that make Berard easy to root for. He sure leaves it all out there. If he cracked the roster, he’d also play on the penalty kill. An area he excels at.
If Sullivan is going to start the season with more experienced players, that means that even Othmann is likely ticketed for Hartford. A 2021 first round pick who’s played in 25 career games without scoring a goal, the 22-year-old needs a chance to prove himself. Obviously, he’s blocked by Artemi Panarin, who sounds like he will play out the remaining year of his contract without signing a team friendly short-term extension.
Elliotte reported on this morning’s pod that #NYR approached Artemi Panarin’s camp about a short-term, team-friendly extension but didn’t get a bite.
That jives with what we wrote yesterday about the Rangers wanting to maintain cap flexibility and being in no rush to make a big… https://t.co/2L8CeNzFIU
As expected, with Panarin returning to practice, the top six look set. Trocheck and Panarin are slotted in with Lafreniere, who must have a better season. Captain J.T. Miller is between Will Cuylle and Mika Zibanejad, who could be poised for a bounce back year playing on the right side.
With Sullivan loving what he’s seen out of Rempe so far, the checking line likely remains the same, with Carrick centering Rempe and Edstrom. That only leaves two or three extra spots, which means it’s likely Brodzinski, Raddysh, and Sheary ‘if’ he’s signed.
State of Defense Looks Unchanged
Morrow has shown off his offensive potential when he’s played on the blue line. However, his defensive play still could use some work. It’s a real possibility that he’ll be reassigned next week.
Matthew Robertson hasn’t done much to convince anyone that he should be the extra defenseman. He’s on a two-way deal.
With Sullivan taking a look at Carson Soucy with Adam Fox last night, it remains likely that the defense will remain unchanged. Vladislav Gavrikov will team with Fox. Will Borgen remains on the second pair. The question is with whom. It might be Soucy by default.
Braden Schneider is still being held out of games. He played with Urho Vaakanainen on the third pair.
If that’s how they line up to start the season on Oct. 8, nobody will convince me the defense is better than it was when K’Andre Miller was here. Gavrikov will help strengthen the top pair. After that, there remain lingering questions.
Patience A Virtue
With the usual number of fans showing frustration over the potential roster, we must remain patient.
Nothing is guaranteed. If Parssinen struggles in October and Laba starts well in Hartford (assuming he is sent down), he’ll probably be the first player recalled. The same goes for Berard, who’s done everything possible to make the decision hard on the coaching staff.
What about Perreault? He certainly didn’t look out of place playing with Miller and Zibanejad yesterday. The explosiveness is there along with the skill. But he’s only 20. There’s plenty of time for him to get top minutes in the AHL. He can always get called up.
I’ve already covered Othmann. It’s become tiresome. Hopefully, this is the year he gets his chance and runs with it. I’m unsure of when that will be.
At the very least, the Rangers have no exhibition games this weekend. They will next play the Islanders on the road this Monday. We’ll see if they make anymore roster cuts.
On Tuesday night, the New York Rangers returned to Madison Square Garden for the first time to take on the Boston Bruins in the preseason. After leading 4-1, they blew a three-goal lead to fall to the Bruins 5-4 in overtime at 33rd and Seventh Avenue.
Prior to the game, the Rangers paid tribute to Eddie Giacomin on the video board. The Hockey Hall of Famer passed away on Sept. 14. Number 1 certainly deserved the recognition with former Rangers captain Dave Maloney narrating the voice over before his first official telecast with Kenny Albert on MSG Networks. The former radio signal callers are now the new TV announcers calling games, replacing Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti.
As part of their tribute to Giacomin, the Rangers will wear a No. 1 decal with Eddie on the back of their helmets during the Centennial season. It’s a nice touch to honor what the Rangers legend represented to the older generation.
Similar to the first exhibition game against the New Jersey Devils, none of the Rangers’ big stars played amongst the forwards. Outside of Will Cuylle, who’s projected to start with new captain J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad on the top line, it was another night to catch a glimpse of the future. Here’s how they lined up for tonight’s game:
Igor Shesterkin played the first half. He was sharp making 10 saves on 11 shots. The only one that beat him was a perfect Casey Mittelstadt setup for Matej Blumel in front to give the Bruins a short-lived 1-0 lead in the first period.
Trey Fix-Wolansky (try saying that name fast 3 times) answered back 44 seconds later to tie the score. Noah Laba won a board battle to keep the play alive for Brett Berard, who made a nice pass that sent Fix-Wolansky in for a sweet finish. Both Laba and Berard played well. Laba had a pair of assists, giving him three points in two games thus far. He certainly hasn’t hurt himself. Berard is always noticeable due to his willingness to get dirty. He makes up for his lack of size with speed and hustle to make things happen.
If there was a positive from the first, it was getting to see the debut of Vladislav Gavrikov with Adam Fox on the number one pair. The Rangers paid Gavrikov handsomely this summer for a big reason. He sure looked the part playing alongside Fox to give the Blueshirts a huge upgrade on the left side. The duo spent the majority of the opening period keeping pucks in the Bruins zone. They really controlled the possession when put alongside Cuylle, Juuso Parssinen, and impressive rookie Gabe Perreault. Gavrikov scored a shorthanded goal during a strong second period. Wearing No. 44, he finished with a goal and plus-3 rating in 23:51 of ice time.
In a dominant second, the Rangers outscored the Bruins 3-0 and outshot their Original Six rivals 18-7. Boston didn’t dress any notable regulars aside from Mittelstadt and third-year pro Matthew Poitras. Nikita Zadorov was the one starter on the blue line. Backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo got the entire game.
In another eye opener, Perreault scored his second goal in two games. He took a Cuylle feed, skated in and beat Korpisalo with a good wrist shot to put the Rangers in front. Perreault was flying most of the night. His speed and skating are elite. The skill is obviously there. It’ll be interesting to see if he can play his way onto the roster. That’ll largely depend on how he fares playing against NHL regulars in another game. He’s only 20. So, the Rangers have options. They also boast depth thanks to the interchangeable Jonny Brodzinski, Taylor Raddysh, and veteran Conor Sheary, who can always clear waivers at this late stage of his career.
Fourth line center Sam Carrick scored unassisted to increase the lead to 3-1 halfway through the contest. He took advantage of a Bruins turnover. Picking up a loose puck, he faked out Korpisalo and went to a forehand deke, burying it for a nice goal.
With Parssinen in the box for roughing, Laba made a very smart play to set up Gavrikov for a shorthanded goal. Showing a lot of patience coming down on a three-on-two, Laba waited for the perfect moment to find a cutting Gavrikov to make it 4-1. In two games, Laba has three assists. Even better, the 22-year-old has shown the ability to play both sides of the puck and win faceoffs (5-for-10 tonight). While he probably will start with Hartford, Laba could be an early recall if Parssinen gets off slowly. Parssinen remains the favorite to begin the season as the number three center. He’s winning draws (9-and-7), but hasn’t put up any points yet.
With Talyn Boyko taking over in net for Shesterkin, the Rangers had a Groundhog Day moment in the third period. Coincidentally, it started with a lousy Fox turnover that resulted in Michael Eyssimont scoring shorthanded to cut it to 4-2. Fox didn’t have a good period, turning over pucks and struggling defensively.
Over four minutes later, Jackson Dorrington lost the puck in the corner to Jordan Harris. He moved it across for Eyssimont, who rifled home his second of the period to cut it to one.
The most disappointing aspect of the third was how the Rangers backed up. They had a healthy edge in shots at one point. But the pesky Bruins kept coming in waves. Preseason or not, it was a reminder of last season. The only difference is most of these guys won’t be playing on Opening Night. They still should’ve done a better job.
With Korpisalo on the bench for a six-on-five late, Eyssimont set up the all too predictable tying goal, with his pass getting past Scott Morrow right to Marat Khusnutdinov for an easy put away with 1:05 left.
That was followed up by Carrick having to take a cross-checking minor on Eyssimont after he blew past Fox with 15 seconds remaining. Fox is supposedly healthy and motivated to play better following last year. He can’t get beat like that during the season. Gavrikov will help. Hopefully, Fox gets the rust out of the way.
After an uninspired Bruins four-on-three power play in overtime, Khusnutdinov sent Zadorov in on a breakaway. At the last split second, he was forced wide by Matthew Robertson. But Zadorov had enough time to recover and beat Boyko top shelf for the overtime winner.
Perreault and Laba Bright Spots
In the defeat, both Perreault and Laba stood out as bright spots. Each made things happen. Perreault with his beautiful goal on a quick wrist shot from Cuylle. He had four shots on goal in 17:43.
Laba with his heady all-around game, which is eerily reminiscent of Mike York. He isn’t the fastest skater. But he’s very smart. You can see why he spent three years at Colorado College. He knows where to go on the ice and makes things happen. Even though Parssinen is effective on the forecheck, so is Laba. He really has impressed so far. We’ll see what happens.
As for Brennan Othmann, it was another relatively quiet game. While he was more active blocking a shot and getting in on the forecheck with three shots, he hasn’t distinguished himself. I can’t imagine playing with Devils reject Justin Dowling helped. That’s like being a castaway.
What is Dowling even doing here? He adds nothing. They have plenty of proven veterans who can be plugged in. Plus Adam Edstrom and Matt Rempe are likely starting with Carrick on the checking line. There’s Brodzinski, who scored double digit goals last season. He’s as versatile a forward as they have. Raddysh can play in the bottom six. Dowling seems like overkill. Devils fans rejoiced when he signed with the Rangers.
In his second outing, Morrow was more quiet in over 21 minutes. Robertson finished minus-3 for the night. Why did they even bring him back? Dorrington looks like he has potential. A very smooth skater, who keeps pucks in at the blue line, his offensive game looks up to par. Like most young defensemen, he needs work in his end.
A Future Third Line?
At the moment, it looks like they’ll start with Parssinen in the middle centering Berard and either Perreault or one of Raddysh or Brodzinski. While that doesn’t excite anyone, it’s understandable why they could go that route. As long as they read the room early enough to make changes when they’re needed. Similar to the New York Giants actually realizing how washed up Russell Wilson is. It’s Jaxson Dart time.
My ideal third line would eventually be Laba between Berard and Perreault. All three forwards are young, and combine speed, skill, and grit. That’s the kind of line many Blueshirt fans can get behind.
How soon can it happen? Only Mike Sullivan knows the answer.
Isle Be Seeing You
Next up are the New York Islanders on Thursday night at MSG. Hopefully, top pick Matthew Schaefer plays. Until then, see you later.
For most of the off-season, the New York Rangers remained silent on if they had anything planned for the Centennial Season. However, they finally broke that silence last week by announcing special theme nights for select home games at Madison Square Garden.
MSG CEO James Dolan revealed a celebration for the Rangers Centennial season in a press release on the team site last week. They will in fact honor the past century including the franchise’s birth in 1926. Fittingly, legendary MSG TV voice Sam Rosen will host each theme night during the season. The recently retired Rosen is the perfect choice to emcee each big event honoring Rangers past. Let’s take a closer glimpse into each special night.
The first planned theme night is scheduled on Oct. 20 when the Rangers host the Minnesota Wild. The Birth of the Franchise will recognize the team’s early success that included winning three Stanley Cups, which featured Rangers legends Frank Boucher, Lorne Chabot, Neil Colville, Bill Cook, Bun Cook, Art Coulter, Cecil Dillon, Bryan Hextall, Ching Johnson, Dave Kerr, Lester Patrick, and Lynn Patrick.
On Nov. 8, when the Rangers host the New York Islanders, key milestones and signature moments will be recognized. That will include memorable playoff overtime goals and record-setting games. Figure Stephane Matteau and Pete Stemkowski to be in the building for that special occasion. I wonder if they’ll also recognize current New York Ranger Mika Zibanejad for his franchise-tying five-goal game he recorded in an overtime win over the Washington Capitals on Mar. 5, 2020. Perhaps Jaromir Jagr will return if he can. He remains the franchise leader in goals (54) and points (123) for a single season (2005-06). Henrik Lundqvist is a certainty. The big question is will they acknowledge former Ranger Chris Kreider, who broke Jagr’s single season franchise record for power-play goals (26) in 2021-22.
On Nov. 16 when the Rangers host the Detroit Red Wings, they’ll honor the Original Six Era that spanned from 1942 through 1967. At the top of the list of great players who’ll be commemorated is Hockey Hall of Famer Andy Bathgate. He was my father’s favorite player growing up. The original number 9 won the Hart Trophy in 1958-59 by putting up a career best 40 goals with 48 assists for 88 points- beating out legends Gordie Howe and Jean Beliveau. He won league MVP despite the Rangers failing to qualify for the postseason. That team also featured Harry Howell, Bill Gadsby, Camille Henry, and Dean Prentice.
On Dec. 13, when the Montreal Canadiens visit MSG, the Rangers will revisit the move to the New Garden in 1967. Prior to relocating to Seventh Avenue between 32nd and 33rd Street over by Penn Station, the franchise originally played at the Old Garden on the West Side of Eighth Avenue between 49th and 50th Street. It was open from 1925 until 1968. Of course, league expansion soon followed along with television, changing the way the NHL was viewed. The Rangers will look back at a 24-year period between 1967 to 1991. So much changed over that period. TV went from black and white to color. Games that used to be on WWOR soon moved to cable on MSG Network. It’ll be interesting to see how they cover it.
On Jan. 8, 2026 when the Buffalo Sabres are in town, the Rangers will feature the fan favorites. Recently passed away Hall of Famer Ed Giacomin surely will be part of that special night along with franchise all-time leading scorer Rod Gilbert. Might they recognize great defenseman Brad Park, who still doesn’t have his jersey retired? We know Adam Graves, Mike Richter, Mark Messier, and Brian Leetch should be a big part of that night. Hopefully, John Davidson will be there. What about Ron Duguay? He didn’t leave MSG on the best of terms. But he certainly was a fan favorite before he was traded to the Red Wings. Lundqvist and Ryan Callahan should both be included. Dan Girardi also deserves to be mentioned.
On Jan. 26, 2026, when the Boston Bruins visit MSG, the Rangers will honor Legendary Blueshirts. I think we pretty much know what that will be about. I’ve already mentioned most of the players. It will also include team achievements, which means winning the Presidents’ Trophy probably should get mentioned. Even without winning the Cup in 1991-92, 2014-15, or 2023-24.
On Feb. 5, 2026, when the Carolina Hurricanes visit The Garden, the Rangers will honor the best goaltenders in franchise history. Of all the positions, goalie has always stood out for the Original Six franchise. Since its very inception, with Chabot backstopping them to their first championship in only their second year (1927-28) of existence, the Rangers have had great netminders. They include Kerr, Chuck Rayner, Gump Worsley, Giacomin, John Vanbiesbrouck, Richter, Lundqvist, and currently Igor Shesterkin. The Rangers have a proud history in net. It should also be noted that Andy Aitkenhead was excellent in his brief NHL career with the Blueshirts, helping them win a second Cup in 1932-33.
Finally, on Mar. 5, 2026, the Rangers will honor the most recent history between 2004 to the present with the Modern Era. Funny how they skipped the Dark Ages. I guess we won’t be seeing any cameos from Petr Nedved, Radek Dvorak, Jan Hlavac, or Theo Fleury. Ditto for Eric Lindros. Though when you consider what went so wrong during that lousy era (error), we learned that it wasn’t Fleury’s fault for what he experienced. As for Lindros, chalk it up to bad luck. Back then, not a lot was known about concussions. Had there been, maybe it could’ve been better. They sure went through a lot of money and stars without sniffing the postseason.
All in all, it’s exciting for fans that the Rangers are going to recognize their franchise history over a century. They probably aren’t doing so well at the box office due to the absurd cost of tickets. However, plenty of passionate Rangers fans remain.
At this point, all we’re hoping for is a better season minus any unnecessary distractions. If J.T. Miller’s “No BS” camp slogan is to be taken seriously, that means having a team that sticks together and wins more consistently. They don’t want a repeat of last season. Miller was named captain for a reason. It’s up to him and the remaining leadership group that includes Adam Fox, Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Zibanejad to turn the page. That means a return to the playoffs. No bullshit.
Rangers Present Centennial Jersey
On Thursday, Sept. 18, the Rangers officially presented their new Centennial jersey. With former captain Messier wearing the lighter colored blue Rangers jersey that honors the past, they presented their Centennial jersey. It will be worn on select dates this season.
While it doesn’t look anything like the more traditional dark blue colored Rangers jerseys that we’ve grown accustomed to seeing, it’s recognizing the past. It’s got more of a classic look to it. As much as I loved the Blueshirts they wore in the early 1990s, there’s an appreciation for how the original players used to look playing for the franchise.
Of the four teams commemorating their centennial season, I like the Red Wings jerseys the best. Here’s how it looks for comparison.
It’s pretty cool. Will it change the Red Wings’ luck? They still haven’t made the playoffs since 2015-16. That’s a playoff drought of nine years. Even more absurd, the Wings have never advanced past the first round since joining the Eastern Conference in 2013-14. We’ll dive more into that and other unique storylines in our season preview.
Rangers Take Preseason Opener over Devils
If you cared, there was preseason hockey on yesterday. For whatever reason, the Rangers and Devils played at The Prudential Center on an NFL Sunday afternoon. Not that it matters if you root for either the Jets or Giants. They each remain abominable. Is this what Bill Murray’s character Phil experienced in Groundhog Day? My god. Why even bother with the NFL? Unless you’re a Bills fan, like my close friends Brian and Rob are, there’s no point.
At the very least, the hockey gave our fans something to look forward to. Not that I caught much of it. The Rangers defeated the Devils 5-3 in the preseason opener in Newark. Goals were scored by Gabe Perreault, Dylan Rooebroeck, Conor Sheary (PTO), Scott Morrow, and Jonny Brodzinski.
Both Perreault and Morrow had positive showings. Perreault is hoping to impress new head coach Mike Sullivan enough to have a realistic shot at cracking the roster. Unless he blows Sully away, I don’t see it happening. But he definitely was more impressive than Brennan Othmann, who took a foolish elbowing major penalty in a less than stellar appearance.
What is it with first round picks for the Rangers? Is he approaching bust status already, with no goals in 25 career games? Othmann needs to have a stronger showing. He still hasn’t dominated the American Hockey League. Brett Berard was more impressive after he came up last season. Hopefully, he’ll carve a role for himself in the bottom six due to his energy, hustle, and speed.
Morrow is the one intriguing player who’s competing for a spot on the blue line. A former Hurricanes second round pick, he has the skating and skill to contribute offensively. The Canes were happy to part with him to sign and trade for K’Andre Miller this summer. Considering how uncertain the Rangers look on the back end, aside from Vladislav Gavrikov partnering up with Fox, they could use another skilled defenseman to round out the defense. Hopefully, Morrow can provide that for the Blueshirts this season.
Admittedly, I don’t know a lot about Roobroeck. But he scored 20 goals and had 34 points in his first pro season for the Wolf Pack last season. A 2023 sixth round pick, he’s another big forward similar to Matt Rempe. The difference is that he’s more capable of scoring. Rempe helped set up Roobroeck’s goal, which came on a rebound. Sullivan was pleased with how Rempe played. Roobroeck’s listed at six-foot seven, 222 pounds. Only 21, he’s entering his second pro year.
Sometimes, bigger guys like that, they don't look like they're going that fast because they have long levers, but they're covering ground out there. He's one of those guys. For a guy that's as big as he is, he gets around the ice pretty good… Just the strength to go through…
Former Devil Justin Dowling went 8-and-7 on faceoffs yesterday in 18-plus minutes. He appeared in a career-high 52 games last season for the Devils posting two goals and five assists for seven points. My question is what is he. The Rangers already have better depth forwards in Brodzinski and Sam Carrick. What will his role be?
Noah Laba picked up a helper in 15-plus minutes. He’s the other player who’s competing with Juuso Parssinen for the third line center. Parssinen is expected to get a long look from Sullivan there. Laba isn’t as experienced. He debuted with the Wolf Pack late last year by tallying three goals and two helpers in 11 games. A 2022 fourth round pick who spent three years at Colorado College, the 22-year-old will likely start the season in Hartford. He is a player to watch during camp.
For the Devils, former 2019 fifth round pick Arseny Gritsyuk scored a power-play goal and had an assist in his debut for the Red and Black. The 24-year-old forward spent a lot of time over in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) before coming over. He’s supposed to be a scoring forward who can finish. It’ll be interesting to see where he slots in with the Devils. I’d at least start him on the third line and second power play unit.
The Rangers return to preseason action tomorrow night when they take on the Bruins at 7 PM. The Devils will host the Islanders. They’re expected to field more of a starting roster with some tweaks.
Sheldon Keefe says that tomorrow’s preseason game will be quite close to this #NJDevils roster, with some tweaks.
Expectation is that Jacob Markstrom will start. Plan on how long he’ll play in the game is still TBD. https://t.co/bJ03CISCLu
Maybe when the Rangers play against the Bruins, fans will get to see more of the starters. Probably half. That makes the most sense. Miller wearing the ‘C’ would be nice. We’ll see tomorrow.
Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury made the official announcement on Tuesday morning before the centennial season begins.
“We’re pleased to announce J.T. Miller as the new captain of the New York Rangers. Since his arrival last season, J.T. immediately became a leader for our group and exemplifies how we want to conduct ourselves both on and off the ice. Congratulations to J.T. and his entire family on an incredible meaningful achievement and we’re confident he will continue to represent our organization with class, commitment, and integrity.”
Acquired from the Vancouver Canucks along with Jackson Dorrington and Erik Brannstrom for Filip Chytil, Vincent Mancini, and a 2025 conditional first round pick on Jan. 31, Miller performed well in his return to Broadway. Seven years after being packaged with Ryan McDonagh to the Lightning for Vladislav Namestnikov, Brett Howden, Libor Hajek, a 2018 first round pick (Nils Lundqvist), and conditional 2019 second round pick (Karl Henriksson) on Feb. 26, 2018, Miller agreed to waive his no-movement clause to become a New York Ranger again.
In 32 games for the Rangers, he produced 13 goals and 22 assists for 35 points. Miller centered a cohesive line with Will Cuylle and Mika Zibanejad, whose play improved dramatically once he shifted over to play the right side. Zibanejad finished the final 32 games with 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points.
With the Rangers moving on from Chris Kreider (traded to Ducks), Cuylle’s expected to remain on the number one line and become the net front presence on the power play. It’s a tall order for the third-year pro who set personal bests with 20 goals, 25 assists, and 45 points in his second season.
The leadership group will remain very similar to last year. With the exception of Kreider and former captain Jacob Trouba, Miller will assume the captaincy with four alternates. They are Adam Fox, Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Zibanejad.
There had been some speculation that Trocheck would become the next captain. However, he was approached by management and signed off on his close friend Miller, taking over instead. Trocheck played a role in bringing Miller back to the Big Apple.
With it now official as the Rangers plan to celebrate their Centennial Anniversary with special games honoring the past 100 years, they have a clear vision for 2025-26. It’ll be interesting to see how important Miller is to helping the team rebound from last season’s disappointment that resulted in no playoffs.
The 32-year-old center is a player who wears his emotions on his sleeves. He will voice his opinion when things aren’t going well. If there’s any concern, that kind of strong personality isn’t for everyone. In Vancouver, he didn’t see eye to eye with Elias Pettersson. Eventually, the Canucks chose to make Miller available and keep Pettersson. With the Rangers showing serious interest, that’s how he wound up back in New York City.
There will be plenty of pressure and expectations for Miller to perform up to capability. In Vancouver, he averaged over a point-per-game by totaling 152 goals with 285 assists for 437 points in 404 games. Now, he’ll be asked to produce consistently under the spotlight while being front and center as the Rangers’ new captain.
With new head coach Mike Sullivan brought in from the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Rangers want to turn the page from the underachieving roster from 2024-25. The goal is to make the playoffs. Considering how mediocre the teams they’ll be competing against are, it’s realistic to return to the postseason. They’ll likely be competing against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, and Detroit Red Wings for the wild card.
While it’s still too early to make season predictions, the Rangers clearly are behind the Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, and Washington Capitals. If say the Caps slip up after last year’s break through that saw them finish with the best record in the Eastern Conference, then maybe the Rangers can sneak up and compete for third place in the Metropolitan Division.
For now, we’ll just focus on the opening of training camp. The Rangers invited 61 players.
It’ll be interesting to see which young players establish themselves. Scott Morrow had a good rookie camp against the Philadelphia Flyers. So did Brennan Othmann. Noah Laba is a center who some are high on to compete with Juuso Parssinen for the third line center. Is Laba ready, or does he need more seasoning with the Hartford Wolf Pack?
Amongst the veterans who were invited include former Lightning defenseman Andrej Sustr. He hasn’t played in the NHL since 2021-22. He’s a longshot to make the roster.
Keep an eye on Dorrington, who was included in the Miller deal last winter. He’s a 21-year-old defenseman who played at Northeastern University.
We’ll delve more into key camp battles over the next few days.
The Rangers play their first preseason game against the Devils on Sunday, Sept. 21.
On Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, Eddie Giacomin passed away at the age of 86.
Eddie Giacomin was an integral member of the New York Rangers for a decade and personified what being a Ranger is all about, both to his teammates and the Blueshirts faithful. You cannot discuss the history of this organization and not immediately think of Eddie. The great Rod… pic.twitter.com/pf5jupMv03
One of the greatest New York Rangers in franchise history, Giacomin had 267 wins out of 290 with the Rangers for his career. A staple in the net during the late 1960s and early 1970s, he became a fan favorite at Madison Square Garden. Affably known as “Edd-ie” by the Garden crowd, Giacomin won 30 or more games five times during as a Blueshirt. That included a stretch from 1966-67 through 1969-70.
In 1966-67, he finished second for the Hart Trophy behind Stan Mikita of the Chicago Blackhawks. In what was only his second season, Giacomin appeared in a league high 68 games, winning 30 games with a 2.61 goals-against-average (GAA), .917 save percentage, and a league best nine shutouts. That helped the Rangers make their first postseason appearance since 1961-62.
Although they were swept by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, it was a positive step in the right direction. With Giacomin as the starting goalie along with the emergence of the GAG Line, featuring Rod Gilbert, Jean Ratelle, and Vic Hadfield, the Rangers eventually became a Stanley Cup contender under coach and general manager Emile “Cat” Francis.
After losing in the NHL Quarterfinals four straight years, the Rangers had a great 1970-71 season by finishing with the second most points (109) in the league. A superb team that also featured leading scorer Walt Tkaczuk, star defenseman Brad Park along with a strong supporting cast, which included Bob Nevin, Pete Stemkowski, Dave Balon, Rod Seiling, and Jim Neilson, the Rangers went 49-18-11 under Francis.
With Giacomin and Gilles Villemure sharing the net, they won the Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals allowed to win the Vezina Trophy. In 45 games, Giacomin won 27 games while posting a 2.16 GAA, .922 save percentage, and a league-leading eight shutouts. In 34 appearances, Villemure won 22 games with a 2.30 GAA, .919 save percentage, and four shutouts.
In a six-game series win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, Giacomin won four of five starts. He posted a 2.33 GAA and .910 save percentage. The Rangers advanced to the NHL Semifinals where they took on the Chicago Blackhawks.
The winners of the West Division were formidable. Featuring future Hall of Famers Bobby Hull, Mikita, and Tony Esposito, the Blackhawks bested the Rangers in a hard fought seven-game series. Best remembered for Stemkowski scoring in the third overtime of Game 6 at MSG, the Rangers lost to the Blackhawks 4-2 in the deciding Game 7 at Chicago Stadium. Despite building a 2-1 lead on goals from Stemkowski and Gilbert, the Rangers couldn’t hold on. With the game tied, Hull got the series clincher in the third period. Chico Maki added an empty netter to eliminate the Blueshirts.
In 1971-72, the Rangers again had a great season. They went 48-17-13 with 109 points to finish second behind the Boston Bruins in the East Division. With Gilbert, Ratelle, and Hadfield producing at a high clip along with both Park and Tkaczuk having great seasons, the Rangers looked like they might win the Stanley Cup. They also had a strong supporting cast that featured Bill Fairbairn, Bobby Rousseau, Bruce MacGregor, Stemkowski, Ted Irvine, Seiling, Neilson, Dale Rolfe, and Glen Sather.
Despite losing Ratelle to a broken ankle, the Rangers eliminated the Montreal Canadiens in six games. Giacomin was in goal for all six, posting a .914 save percentage. In a Semifinal rematch, they got revenge by sweeping the Blackhawks in four straight led by the scoring of Gilbert, Rousseau, and Hadfield. Villemure went 3-0 in the series with a .916 save percentage. Giacomin won his only start making 25 saves.
For the first time since losing to the Detroit Red Wings in 1950, the Rangers advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals. They took on the powerful Bruins, who only were led by the game’s best player, Bobby Orr along with Hall of Famers Phil Esposito and Johnny Bucyk. Gerry Cheevers was the number one goalie. Boston also had great depth due to key pieces Ken Hodge, Wayne Cashman, Derek Sanderson, Fred Stanfield, John McKenzie, Mike Walton, Ed Westfall, Dallas Smith, and Carol Vadnais.
During the regular season series, the Rangers lost five of six meetings, getting outscored 25-7. However, the Stanley Cup Final was much closer. Playing without Ratelle for the first four games of the series, the Rangers fell behind three games to one. After coming back to take Game 5 on a pair of Rousseau third period tallies in a 3-2 win, they forced a Game 6 back at MSG.
With Francis riding the hot hand Gillemure in net, the Rangers were unable to beat Cheevers, who finished the game with 33 saves in a 3-0 shutout to give the Bruins the Cup. Orr scored and Cashman added a pair in the third period to break Rangers’ hearts. An ineffective Ratelle wasn’t himself after returning from the serious injury. Had he been healthy, that Rangers team might’ve won the Cup. Diehard fans like my Dad who was in attendance for that fateful Game 6 will never know the answer. That’s as close as that core of Rangers ever came.
Despite another good season in 1972-73, with Giacomin winning 26 games with four shutouts, the Rangers were eliminated in the Semifinals by the Blackhawks. Ironically, they had avenged the 1972 loss by ousting the Bruins in five games. New star Steve Vickers scored five goals in the first round to highlight the Quarterfinal win. But the Blackhawks prevailed in five even without WHA bound Bobby Hull. His brother Dennis torched the Blueshirts for five goals and five assists for 10 points. Esposito outplayed Giacomin by posting a .938 save percentage.
After winning 30 games in 1973-74, Giacomin’s time on Broadway was winding down. Following a tough seven-game Semifinal defeat to the eventual champion Philadelphia Flyers, the Rangers suffered a gut wrenching defeat to the upstart New York Islanders in the Preliminary Round in 1975.
Four games into 1975-76, a 36-year-old Giacomin was placed on waivers. Fittingly, the Red Wings claimed him just in time for them to visit an emotional Garden just two days later. On Nov. 2, 1975, Rangers fans serenaded Giacomin with chants of “Edd-ie, Edd-ie, Edd-ie!” before and during the game. It reduced him to tears. With Giacomin making 42 saves, the Red Wings won the game 6-4. He defeated new Rangers starter John Davidson, who would go on to bigger and better things with the Blueshirts.
The game can be seen in the video I provided below on YouTube. It isn’t the best quality. But you can sure feel the emotion and energy from the crowd who overwhelmingly supported Giacomin and booed the Rangers. That’s how beloved he was. For more insight on Eddie’s return, please refer to the second video below.
For his Rangers career, Giacomin appeared in 539 games winning 267 with 172 losses and 89 ties. His 49 shutouts were a franchise record that held up until Henrik Lundqvist surpassed it with 64. Giacomin’s 267 wins still ranks third on the Rangers’ all-time franchise list, with only Mike Richter (301), and Lundqvist (459) having more.
Following a 13-year career that concluded in 1977-78, the five-time NHL All-Star was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987. In 1989, the Rangers retired Giacomin’s number 1 jersey to the rafters. At the time, he joined former teammate Gilbert (7) as the only two Rangers to receive that honor. Since then, former teammates Ratelle, Hadfield and Harry Howell have had their numbers retired – joining Richter, Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Adam Graves, Andy Bathgate, and Lundqvist.
In what’s the special Centennial Season with the Rangers announcing on Monday that they’ll hold special events honoring the history of the franchise at select games, they lost one of their best players and people. Eddie will be missed.
When it comes to the NHL Draft, the Rangers haven’t been that successful. Most of their success has come in the later rounds. The best examples are selecting Henrik Lundqvist in the seventh round of 2000 and grabbing Igor Shesterkin in the fourth round of 2014.
Taken with the number 205 pick, Lundqvist went onto a Hall of Fame career. His 459 wins and 64 shutouts are a Rangers franchise record. No Rangers goalie played in more games (887) than King Henrik. In fact, he ranks seventh on the all-time franchise list. Lundqvist also ranks first in saves (23,509), save percentage (.918), and shots against (25,610). His 2.43 goals-against-average places him fifth best in team history.
Coming in right behind him is Shesterkin. In 2014, he was taken with the 118th pick. Since entering the NHL, Shesterkin has been one of the league’s best goalies. Similar to Lundqvist, who won a Vezina in 2011-12, Shesterkin won a Vezina in 2021-22. Fittingly, Lundqvist’s replacement took home the award exactly a decade later. In another irony, he helped backstop the Rangers to the Conference Finals. Unfortunately, like his predecessor, he and the team came up just shy of reaching the Stanley Cup Finals. Both defeats came in six games.
In five years as the starting netminder, Shesterkin has won 162 games with a 2.52 GAA, .917 save percentage, and 21 shutouts. The 29-year-old already ranks fifth on the Rangers franchise list in wins, sixth in GAA, second in save percentage, and tied for eighth in shutouts with Lorne Chabot. Signed for eight more years on a record contract for a goalie ($11.5 million AAV), he’ll continue to climb the ranks for the Blueshirts.
If both Lundqvist and Shesterkin are the franchise’s best picks in recent memory, there have been a lot of swings and misses in the first round over the years.
First Round History: The 1990s
Over their history, the Rangers haven’t always hit it out of the park in the first round. In fact, there have been more disappointments than successes.
Dating back to 1991 when they selected Alexei Kovalev with the number 15 pick, it’s been hit or miss for the Blueshirts. Kovalev remains one of the best first round picks they’ve had over the last four decades. He was instrumental in helping the Rangers win a Stanley Cup in 1994. As a second-year player, he followed up a 23-goal, 56-point season with nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points in the postseason.
Although he never fulfilled his potential in the Big Apple, with Kovalev eventually traded to the Penguins for Petr Nedved, his 430 goals and 599 assists for 1,029 points remains the best by a Rangers first round pick since Hall of Famer Brian Leetch (1,028 points). His best season came with the Pens when he put up 44 goals, 51 assists, and 96 points in 2000-01.
Following the Rangers’ first Cup in 54 years, they swung and missed on many players in the first round. There was Peter Ferraro in 1992. A hyped prospect who had success both for Team USA at the World Junior Championships and at the University of Maine, he lasted eight games in parts of three seasons on Broadway. After only registering an assist as a Ranger, Ferraro finished his brief NHL career with nine goals and 24 points in 92 games.
In 1993, Niklas Sundstrom was selected with the eighth pick by the Blueshirts. He was a responsible two-way forward who had a good career that lasted a decade. Ironically, Sundstrom’s best season came when he posted career highs in goals (24), assists (28), points (52), and plus-minus (23) in 1996-97. He benefited from playing with Wayne Gretzky. During the Rangers’ run to the Conference Finals, he had five assists in nine games.
Sundstrom spent three more seasons in New York City before getting packaged with 1994 first round pick Dan Cloutier along with first and third round picks to move up in the 1999 NHL Draft and select Pavel Brendl at number four. A gamble made by former general manager Neil Smith that didn’t work out. Brendl was a bust who never played a single game for the Rangers. He was eventually sent with Jan Hlavac and Kim Johnsson to the Flyers for Eric Lindros on Aug. 20, 2001. Brendl wasn’t the only mistake Smith made in 1999.
The Lightning traded Sundstrom to the Sharks before he played a game. He spent nearly four years in San Jose continuing to be a dependable secondary scorer. By 2002-03, a declining Sundstrom was dealt to the Canadiens. He spent his final three seasons in Montreal before returning home to Sweden to conclude his career with MODO in the Swedish Elite League. In 750 NHL games, Sundstrom totaled 117 goals with 232 assists for 349 points.
After winning the Cup in 1994, the Rangers took Cloutier with the final pick of Round One. Despite having Mike Richter fresh off a great season, Smith decided to plan for the future in net. Highly regarded, Cloutier debuted in 1997-98 appearing in 12 games. He went 4-5-1 with a 2.50 goals-against-average and .907 save percentage as a rookie. Best remembered for challenging the Islanders bench during a brawl at Nassau Coliseum, he had a good second year for the Rangers. In 22 games, he went 6-8-3 with a 2.68 GAA and .914 save percentage as the backup goalie.
Some even wondered if Cloutier would replace Richter as the team’s starter. Instead, he was traded to the Lightning as part of a failed package for Brendl. Cloutier only lasted two years with Tampa Bay, who dealt him to the Canucks in February 2001. His best success came in Vancouver where he won 30 or more games in three consecutive seasons. Unfortunately, he allowed a bad goal to Nick Lidstrom with the Canucks leading the Red Wings two games to none in the first round of 2002. The Red Wings came back to take the series in six, going on to win the Stanley Cup.
A year later, the Canucks came within a win of reaching the Conference Finals. They blew a 3-1 series lead to the Wild in the second round. Cloutier didn’t perform well over the last three games, allowing 15 goals. Despite rebounding in 2003-04, he was gone two years later when he was traded to the Kings. After struggling in parts of two seasons in LA due to injuries, he retired at 31 in 2010. He finished his career with 139 wins, 15 shutouts, and a 2.77 GAA in 351 games.
After not having a first round pick in 1995 due to acquiring Pat Verbeek from the Whalers, the Rangers completely missed on Jeff Brown in 1996. He never even played an NHL game. He was taken with 22nd pick. The Coyotes grabbed Daniel Briere two picks later.
The following year, Smith had what looked like a good pick by selecting Stefan Cherneski. A promising scorer for the Brandon Wheat Kings in the Western Hockey League, he suffered a fractured right patella in a game for the Hartford Wolf Pack on Nov. 13, 1998. Somehow, Cherneski returned to play for the Wolf Pack after missing nearly two years. Unfortunately, he was never the same. In 28 games, he had one goal and seven assists in 2000-01.
The knee injury forced him to retire. He was only 22. It was a big blow to the Rangers, who were in desperate need of a young player who could finish. Cherneski remains one of the big what ifs. We’ll never know what he might’ve been. That was a brutal era of Rangers hockey. Anything that could go wrong did.
In 1998, the Rangers took Manny Malhotra with the seventh overall pick. Despite not being a big scorer in juniors, Smith liked his checking capability and character. Malhotra went higher than notable first round picks Alex Tanguay, Simon Gagne, and Scott Gomez. If there was a miscalculation by the organization, it was in how they handled Malhotra. At 18, he made the club out of training camp. Malhotra played on the fourth line scoring eight goals and adding eight assists for 16 points in 1998-99. His rookie season created excitement for a team that otherwise was irrelevant under coach John Muckler.
The bright spots were the kids. That same year, Marc Savard had a good year producing nine goals and 36 assists for 45 points. Savard looked to have a lot of potential. If only the organization knew what they were doing.
Not surprisingly, Malhotra struggled in his second year. In fact, he didn’t register a point in 27 games. Eventually, he was sent back to the Guelph Storm in the Ontario Hockey League. After they were eliminated in the first round, Malhotra joined the Wolf Pack for the playoffs in 1999-00. The 19-year-old center was part of a Calder Cup winning team. In 23 games, he scored a goal and added two assists.
Malhotra never established himself as a scorer on Broadway. He was a checking forward who killed penalties. On Mar. 12, 2002, Malhotra was traded to the Stars with Barret Heisten for Martin Rucinsky and Roman Lyashenko. Although he never really established himself in Dallas, Malhotra eventually became a reliable checking pivot for the Blue Jackets. He put up over 30 points twice in Columbus. He continued to be a solid faceoff guy who contributed for the Sharks and Canucks.
Even a serious eye injury didn’t prevent Malhotra from coming back with Vancouver during the Stanley Cup Finals in 2011. He went onto a successful career by playing in 991 games for seven different teams. That included the Hurricanes and Canadiens over his final two seasons. He finished with 116 goals and 179 assists for 295 points.
Since retirement, Malhotra has served as an assistant coach for both the Canucks and Maple Leafs. In 2024-25, he returned to coach the Abbotsford Canucks in the American Hockey League guiding them to a Calder Cup. Who knows. Maybe one day, he’ll become an NHL head coach.
The 1999 Draft Debacle
As I’ve already mentioned, the 1999 Draft was a debacle. Following a disappointing season that concluded with Gretzky playing his final game against the Penguins on Apr. 18, 1999, it was all about the draft for the Blueshirts. What would Smith do?
On June 26, there was a lot of movement in the first round. The biggest moves came from the Canucks who swung separate deals with the Blackhawks and Thrashers to select both the Sedin Twins with the second and third picks. Atlanta wound up selecting Patrik Stefan with the first overall pick. After the Canucks paired up Daniel and Henrik Sedin thanks to some magic from GM Brian Burke, the Rangers moved up to select Brendl at number four.
A big scorer for the Calgary Hitmen in the WHL, the Rangers believed Brendl could become that playing in Manhattan. However, they didn’t do their homework. Despite having a lethal shot that beat WHL goalies for a combined 172 goals in three seasons, Brendl had lazy work habits. Even with a strong showing at the 2001 WJC where he scored four times with six helpers for 10 points for the Czech Republic, the Rangers weren’t prepared for Brendl’s issues. Had they done better research, maybe they would have avoided making such a big move to draft him.
Brendl only appeared in two games for the Wolf Pack during their run to a championship. He never played for the Rangers. When new GM Glen Sather had the chance to make a blockbuster deal for Lindros, he included Brendl in the trade with the Flyers. After scoring his first career goal in eight games during 2001-02, he struggled to establish himself the following season. In 42 games with the Flyers, he had five goals and seven assists for 12 points. Brendl was traded to the Hurricanes for Sami Kapanen.
A year later, he went 5-3-8 in 18 contests with the Canes after putting up 33 points in 33 games for the Lowell Lock Monsters in the AHL. On Dec. 28, 2005, Brendl was traded again. This time, it was to the Coyotes for Krys Kolanos. He only appeared in two games for the Coyotes in 2005-06, failing to put up a point. Sadly, Brendl finished with only 11 goals and 11 assists for 22 points in 78 games for his NHL career.
Brendl had more success scoring while playing overseas in both the Swedish Elite League and the Kontinental Hockey League. He spent a decade playing in Europe before retiring following 2015-16. As first round picks go, he remains one of the biggest busts in NHL Draft history.
In that same 1999 Draft, Trader Neil decided to move up by swapping picks with the Flames to acquire number 9. In order to do so, he parted with the promising Savard and number 11 for Hlavac and a third round pick. He moved up two spots to select Jamie Lundmark.
A good player for the Moose Jaw Warriors in the WHL, Lundmark put up 40 goals and 91 points as a 17-year-old. Astonishingly, he once was compared to Steve Yzerman. The Rangers bought into the hype. To be honest, Lundmark played well for the Wolf Pack. In his first pro year, he had 27 goals and 32 assists for 59 points at Hartford. When I was living in Bristol, Connecticut, I even saw him score in overtime to win a game on a breakaway. He had talent. It just didn’t translate.
Unlike Brendl, Lundmark made the Rangers as a 21-year-old. The center appeared in 55 games finishing with eight goals and 11 helpers for 19 points in 2002-03. If there was a mistake, it came the following year. After having a good preseason while shifting the right side to play with former Devil Bobby Holik, Lundmark was buried on the depth chart due to Messier. He never got a fair shake. His mishandling led to a disappointing second season that saw him total just two goals and eight assists for 10 points in 56 games. Making matters worse, they never sent him down. Maybe a stint in Hartford could’ve helped.
In 2004-05, with the NHL season canceled, Lundmark returned to the AHL. In 64 games, he had 14 goals and 27 assists for 41 points. He also took a lot of penalties, finishing with 146 penalty minutes. It wasn’t a good season for him. Even though he put up six points in the first round, his days were numbered.
Three games into 2005-06, Lundmark played his last game for the Rangers. After scoring in their first game on a turnaround shot, he played two more games without a point and took three minor penalties. That was it for his Rangers career. In 114 games, he had 11 goals with 19 assists for 30 points with 55 PIM.
On Oct. 18, 2005, Lundmark was traded to the Coyotes for Jeff Taffe. Taffe only appeared in two games without a point for the Rangers. Even if Lundmark was a bust, they got nothing back. Lundmark did alright in his first year with Phoenix. In 38 games, he put up five goals and 13 assists for 18 points. However, the Coyotes dealt him to the Flames for a fourth round pick on Mar. 9, 2006.
An Alberta kid, he went 4-6-10 in 12 games for Calgary. Despite that early success, he couldn’t duplicate it the following season. In 39 games, he only had four assists before the Flames dealt him to the Kings for former number one center Craig Conroy. Lundmark continue to struggle with consistency, only putting up nine points in 29 games in LA. He spent most of the next two years in the AHL.
In 2008-09, the Flames gave him another chance. After putting up close to a point-per-game for Quad City in the American League, Lundmark registered eight goals and eight assists for 16 points in 27 games for the Flames. He also appeared in 2 postseason games. His final stint with Calgary came in 2009-10 when he totaled nine points in 21 games before the Maple Leafs claimed him on waivers. He lasted 15 games in Toronto scoring one final goal with two helpers.
For his career, Lundmark totaled 40 goals and 59 assists for 99 points in 295 games. He also had 204 PIM. The lack of discipline didn’t help him establish himself. Along with the fact that he wasn’t the strongest player, those are the biggest reasons he never became a regular. He didn’t score enough to stick.
Eventually, Lundmark went on to have some success in Austria.
Savard Has Distinguished Career
While Lundmark moved around, Savard went on to have a distinguished career. A good skater with superb vision, he immediately had success with the Flames.
At 22, he scored 22 goals and added 31 assists for 53 points in his first season for Calgary. The 53 points ranked fourth in team scoring, trailing only Valeri Bure, Jarome Iginla, and Phil Housley. The following season, Savard continued to improve by posting 23 goals with 42 assists for 65 points in 2000-01. He ranked second in scoring behind team-leader Iginla.
Following some struggles, Savard was traded to the Thrashers on Nov. 15, 2002. While there in Atlanta, he established himself as one of the best playmaking centers in the league. After putting up close to a point-per-game over his first two years, he exploded in 2005-06. At 28, he scored a career-high 28 goals with 69 assists to establish a new career best in points with 97.
The Bruins signed Savard in the off-season. He continued to produce at an elite level. In 2006-07, Savard had 22 goals and a career-high 74 assists for 96 points to pace the team in scoring. He put up over a point-per-game over the next two seasons. With the Bruins on the rise thanks to signing Zdeno Chara and boasting future stars Patrice Bergeron, Phil Kessel, David Krejci, Milan Lucic, and Brad Marchand, they became one of the league’s best teams.
Unfortunately, injuries limited Savard to 66 combined games over his final two seasons. He had just signed a big seven-year contract extension for $28.15 million to stay in Boston. He suffered a concussion on a dirty hit from former Penguins forward Matt Cooke in a game on Mar. 7, 2010. Astonishingly, he returned for the second round of the postseason even getting an overtime goal against the Flyers. Eventually, the Bruins blew a 3-0 lead to lose the series in seven games.
Following the season, Savard was diagnosed with Post-Concussion Syndrome following the season. When he returned for 2010-11, he wasn’t the same player. A second concussion during the season led to the Bruins shutting him down. At 33, his career was over due to recurring symptoms of PCS. Despite the Bruins winning the Stanley Cup by going into Vancouver and defeating the Canucks 4-0 in Game 7, Savard was unable to travel to celebrate the victory. He took part in the Stanley Cup parade and had his day with the Cup.
Although he didn’t officially retire until 2018, Savard finished a successful career by winning a Cup. The Bruins petitioned the NHL to have his name included on the Cup. In 807 games, Savard had 207 goals with 499 assists for a total of 706 points. In 25 postseason games, he finished with eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points.
There’s no telling how many more goals and assists he could’ve wound up with. One thing is for sure. That trade Smith made will go down as one of the worst in Rangers’ franchise history. Combined with the failed gamble of Brendl, it sealed his fate. Sather would replace Smith in the summer of 2000.
Up Next: The 2000s
When we continue to look at the Rangers’ recent draft history, next up is the 2000s. At the very least, it won’t be as bad. There will be another what if in the next post along with some big misses.
Since he joined the New York Rangers five years ago, when former general manager Jeff Gorton signed Artemi Panarin to the richest contract in franchise history, he’s been well worth the money they paid him.
A dynamic player who combines speed, skill and some finesse, the 33-year-old Panarin has averaged well over a point-per-game as a Ranger. In fact, his 364 assists and 550 points are far and away the most over that span (2019-20 thru 2024-25) by a Blueshirt. Panarin’s 186 goals trail only Chris Kreider (193), who signed off on a trade to the Ducks on Jun. 12. The Bread Man leads Mika Zibanejad by seven goals entering next season. His 364 assists are 58 more than Adam Fox. He has Zibanejad beat by over 100 points in team scoring over the last six seasons.
The Rangers’ highest paid player will enter the final year of his contract this fall. His $11.64 million cap hit remains higher than fellow Russian teammate Igor Shesterkin, who’ll enter the first season of an eight-year contract extension with an AAV of $11.5 million that he signed on Dec. 6 to become the highest paid goalie in NHL history.
Coming off a dismal season that saw them go from winning the Presidents’ Trophy with a franchise record 114 points to failing to qualify for the postseason with 85 points, it would be wise for the Rangers to wait before making a decision on Panarin.
With Mike Sullivan taking over behind the bench, it’s anybody’s guess what the Rangers will look like for the upcoming season.
Despite Gavrikov Addition, Lingering Questions Remain on Blue Line
While team president and general manager Chris Drury had a good day in free agency by signing Vladislav Gavrikov and re-signing Will Cuylle, he subtracted K’Andre Miller from the blue line. Gavrikov should be an upgrade defensively over Miller, but it won’t be easy to replace the minutes the former 2018 first round pick played. Miller was used primarily as a matchup defenseman at five-on-five while also providing strong penalty killing.
For all of Miller’s inconsistencies, he still provided good value as a reliable top four defenseman. By not getting a proven roster player back for Miller, who wasted no time signing an eight-year contract worth $60 million ($7.5 million cap hit) with the Hurricanes, Drury didn’t replace him. With Gavrikov penciled in with Adam Fox on the first pair, lingering questions remain about the blue line.
When he went out and acquired Carson Soucy from the Canucks last March, Drury was banking on Soucy to help stabilize a shaky unit. Instead, the 30-year-old veteran struggled with former coach Peter Laviolette’s man-to-man defensive system. He was a step behind and frequently caught out of position. It was a hard adjustment for a player who’s made a living as a defensive defenseman. Hopefully, Soucy can rebound playing under Sullivan. The question is, is a projected second pair of Soucy and Will Borgen suitable enough to draw the toughest assignments. That remains to be seen.
Assuming Urho Vaakanainen and Braden Schneider remain teamed up on the third pair, both will need to improve their defensive play. Too often, they were pinned in by opponents who exploited the matchup. Despite struggling to get out of the zone consistently, they were on for three more goals (22-19) for than against. If the coaching staff chooses to keep them together, they should have chemistry due to knowing each other’s tendencies.
The wild card is Scott Morrow. Acquired from Carolina as part of the Miller transaction, the 22-year-old prospect is viewed as an offensive defenseman. A former 2021 second round pick, he scored his first career goal while adding five helpers in 14 games for the Hurricanes last season. If the 21 giveaways are any indication, Morrow still needs work defensively.
After playing collegiately at UMass-Amherst, he debuted for the Hurricanes by appearing in two games in 2023-24. He spent most of his first pro season starring for the Chicago Wolves in the American Hockey League (AHL). In 52 games, his 13 goals, 26 assists, and 39 points paced all Wolves’ defensemen in scoring.
At the moment, Morrow and Matthew Robertson should be battling for a roster spot in training camp. Unlike Robertson, who re-signed for two years, Morrow is still on his entry-level contract. A lot could hinge on 2025-26 with him set to become a restricted free agent the following summer.
Given the number of questions surrounding the back end, it’s easy to wonder if Drury did enough to improve the weakest area on the roster. Subtracting Miller without knowing whether or not Morrow can become part of the solution is a big gamble. Essentially, Morrow replaced Zac Jones, who signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Sabres. Based on his offensive production, he looks like an upgrade. However, nobody really knows if he’ll take the next step forward.
Thin Up Front
In assessing forwards, the Rangers are banking on Zibanejad to have a bounce back season. When he shifted over to play the right side on a line with J.T. Miller and Cuylle, Zibanejad was more productive due to less responsibility. If he remains on that line, Zibanejad must get back to producing more consistently. Both Miller and Cuylle can provide more time and space.
Speaking of Miller, he was over a point-per-game after coming over from the Canucks in a trade that sent Filip Chytil and Victor Mancini to Vancouver. To complete the transaction, the Rangers sent a conditional first round pick to the Penguins, who acquired the draft pick in a separate trade with the Canucks for Marcus Pettersson. In doing so, that means Drury held onto his 2026 first round pick. If the Rangers miss the postseason, that could come in handy, with Gavin McKenna available.
In order for the Rangers to be successful, they’ll need Miller to drive the offense. He was brought in to be a difference maker at the center position. A productive player who plays with a lot of edge, the 31-year-old is in his second tour of duty as a Blueshirt. It’ll be interesting to see what he can do over a full season on Broadway.
Cuylle is coming off a strong sophomore year that saw him achieve personal bests with 20 goals, 25 assists, and 45 points. He also scored two shorthanded goals and tied for third in the league with 301 hits. An emerging power forward, the 22-year-old left wing will be looked upon to help offset the loss of Kreider. Even in a down year that saw him riddled with injuries, he still scored 22 goals with four coming shorthanded. That isn’t easily replaced.
After a great 2023-2024 season, the trio of Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Alexis Lafreniere were unable to duplicate their success in 2024-25. They still finished with a plus-8 differential, outscoring opponents 36-28 at five-on-five per Natural Stat Trick. Panarin paced the Blueshirts in scoring with 37 goals and 89 points. Trocheck finished with 26 goals and 59 points.
Lafreniere was the biggest disappointment, dropping from 28-29-57 to 17-28-45. He wasn’t the same player following signing a seven-year contract extension worth $52.15 million ($7.45 million AAV) on Oct. 25. The former 2020 top pick is at a crossroads in his career. A couple of days into the new season, he’ll turn 24. The pressure is on Lafreniere to perform up to his new contract. There are no more excuses. He must take his game up a notch. It’s do or die for Lafreniere.
If the top six can provide more consistent scoring at even strength, then the issue becomes about their depth. If Zibanejad is really moving permanently off center, then Juuso Parssinen is the projected third line center. A young player who both the Predators and Avalanche gave up on, Parssinen has 20 goals and 33 assists for 53 points in 133 career games. His best output came in 2022-23 when he tallied six goals and 19 assists for 25 points as a 21-year-old rookie for Nashville. Now 24, he’s being asked to play a bigger role on Broadway. In 11 games following the trade that sent Ryan Lindgren to Colorado, he had two goals and three assists.
With Drury signing Taylor Raddysh, the veteran could find himself on the third line with Parssinen and former 2021 first round pick Brennan Othmann. Othmann still is without a goal in 25 career games. He put up two assists in 22 games last season. At this critical juncture, nobody knows what he is. He’s a good skater who likes to finish checks and attack the net. He’s capable of finding open teammates on the forecheck. Obviously, the Rangers need him to stick. He’s going to have a role in the top nine to start the season. Hopefully, Sullivan can find out what he’s got.
Then, there’s the fourth line. Both Sam Carrick and Jonny Brodzinski are capable of centering it. Each play the game hard, with Carrick a bit grittier while Brodzinski is more skilled. If Parssinen doesn’t work out on the third line, Brodzinski can move up to center it due to his versatility.
Adam Edstrom is coming back off surgery. He might not be ready at the start of the season. Matt Rempe looks like a lock on the fourth line. He made some strides following the eight-game suspension for the illegal hit on Miro Heiskanen. Brett Berard looks likely to play on the checking line with either Carrick or Brodzinski, and Rempe. The fourth line shouldn’t be a problem. These guys have played together and understand their roles.
If there is a big question, it’s who’s going to chip in offensively on the third line. Raddysh is the only established player. He had one good season when he scored 20 goals while playing for the Blackhawks. He did alright in a supporting role for the Capitals last season, going 7-20-77. In seven games in the postseason, he had one assist. He’ll give an honest effort. Just don’t expect too much offense.
At the moment, the Rangers look very thin up front. Unless Zibanejad shifts back to center, and top prospect Gabriel Perreault cracks the roster in the top nine, the offense is going to struggle to score consistently. The same problem they had last season.
Why They Should Wait on Panarin
Even if Shesterkin provides the big saves, the Rangers might be forced to win a lot of low scoring games. The defense looks like a work in progress, which doesn’t exactly inspire too much confidence.
When Panarin celebrates his 34th birthday on Oct. 30, they should have a better idea in what kind of roster they have. If they wait on Panarin, they can then determine if he’s going to be worth keeping. Much depends on whether they are a playoff caliber team. Would you be comfortable committing at least four more years and between $40 to 50 million dollars on a 35-year-old forward if they aren’t a playoff contender? That money can be better used on someone younger who’s in their prime.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that any stars of the potential 2026 free agent class will become available. Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel can sign contract extensions. So can Kirill Kaprizov and Kyle Connor.
Of all the players listed, Kaprizov is the one who could leave. The Wild haven’t proven that they’re capable of surrounding him with enough talent to compete for a Stanley Cup. Kaprizov is a younger and stronger version of Panarin. Arguably a top five offensive player, he has all the tools for a team to build around. He also plays the left side like Panarin. In other words, if he were available, Kaprizov would be the player for the Rangers to target.
Does Bread Man Want to Stay?
Undoubtedly, Panarin’s been very successful as a New York Ranger. He’s been their top offensive player who drives play at both five-on-five and on the power play.
The Rangers have made two Conference Finals appearances since he joined them. His most memorable goal came in sudden death when he scored the power play series clincher that eliminated the Pens in the first round in 2022. He finished with 16 points during that run.
In 2024, Panarin notched four game-winners after putting up a career-high 49 goals. He had five goals with 10 assists for 15 points. However, his offense dried up against the stingy Panthers in the third round. His only goal came with Shesterkin on the bench in Game 6. The Cats blanketed Panarin, Zibanejad, and Kreider, limiting them to two goals in the series.
If he wants to stay put in the Big Apple, would the Bread Man be open to taking a home discount so they can have more money available to improve the roster next year? By that, I mean taking one less year and between 9 to 10 million. If that interests him, then by all means they should try to get it done.
However, if they are able to keep Panarin, the organization must have a plan to construct the roster around someone else. It’s hard to envision Panarin ever hitting 49 goals and 120 points again. But can he get back to 100 points? That largely depends on how his linemates perform along with the power play. The latter went in the tank last year, plummeting near the bottom of the league. Perhaps Sullivan and his coaching staff which includes former Rangers bench boss David Quinn, can make some improvements to the man-advantage.
With not much happening during the summer heatwave, the organization has plenty of time to decide on Panarin. It shouldn’t be about the present anymore. They must think outside the box. The team’s future depends on it.
On Wednesday, the NHL released the official schedule for the upcoming 2025-26 season. All 32 teams were included with each highlighting their home opener.
As expected, the Maple Leafs will host the Canadiens to begin the season. It’s been a league tradition to have the best hockey rivalry kick things off. In another heated rivalry, the Battle of Alberta will commence when the Oilers host the Flames on Wednesday, Oct. 8.
The first day of the upcoming season will be on Tuesday, Oct. 7. A tripleheader on ESPN will feature the two-time defending champion Panthers taking on the Blackhawks. That’ll be followed by the Rangers hosting the Penguins. The final game has the Kings playing host to the Avalanche.
Rangers to Play 12 Back-To-Backs
After taking on the Sidney Crosby Pens in a battle that features new head coach Mike Sullivan facing his former team who he guided to two Stanley Cups, the Rangers will visit the Sabres on Oct. 9 before visiting the Pens on Oct. 11.
The first month of the season heats up with key matchups against the Capitals, Maple Leafs and Canadiens. The Blueshirts will also see the Oilers twice over a 16-day span, with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl paying a visit to Madison Square Garden on Oct. 14. The Rangers will conclude October at Edmonton on Oct. 30, as part of a four-game Western swing. The road trip concludes at Seattle on Nov. 1 where they’ll see familiar faces, Kaapo Kakko and Ryan Lindgren.
While some teams got nailed with tougher schedules in what’s an Olympic season, the Rangers have a manageable 12 back-to-backs. They are as follow:
Nov. 7-8 at Red Wings and vs. Islanders
Nov. 15-16 at Blue Jackets and vs. Red Wings
Nov. 28-29 at Bruins and vs. Lightning
Dec. 6-7 vs. Avalanche and Golden Knights
Dec. 15-16 vs. Ducks and Canucks
Dec. 20-21 vs. Flyers and at Predators
Jan. 19-20 at Ducks and at Kings
Jan. 28-29 at Islanders and vs. Islanders
Mar. 9-10 at Flyers and vs. Flames
Mar. 18-19 vs. Devils and at Blue Jackets
Mar. 22-23 vs. Jets and Senators
Apr. 4-5 vs. Red Wings and Capitals
The Disappointing Part of Schedule
If there’s one area that the NHL is missing the mark on, it’s the lack of emphasis on rivalries.
Our blog is titled the Battle of Hudson due to the intense disdain between the Rangers and Devils. That’s especially true for the fans of the Hudson rivalry, which has been around since the 1990s. It was around that time when it peaked. Both teams won Cups and battled during both the regular season and postseason.
While each side’s past stars who built the rivalry into one of the best are long retired, with some even working upstairs, there’s new faces that have made the games interesting to watch. Even if it’s no longer Brodeur, Richter, Stevens, Leetch, Niedermayer, Messier, you have fresh faces in Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt and Nico Hischier leading the way for New Jersey against established stars, Artemi Panarin, Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin.
Somehow, the Rangers and Devils won’t see each other until March. Following the Olympic break, they’ll meet three times over a four-week span. The Devils have the first game at The Prudential Center on Mar. 7. The Rangers will then host the Devils on Mar. 18. The final matchup takes place on Mar. 31 at The Garden. Astonishingly, those are the only three times they’ll face off during the regular season.
It’s disappointing that there aren’t more rivalry games guaranteed over the 82-game schedule. It seems like the league would rather have more meaningless games when teams see the other conference twice a year. In what world should the Rangers and Devils battle the Oilers one fewer time than facing each other?
There’s no logic to it. It makes about as much sense as the proposed increase to an 84-game schedule, which will further lengthen the season beginning in 2026-27.
What would you expect from a league that wants to expand to 34 teams, with failed markets Atlanta and Phoenix likely destinations? All they see is the revenue. Not that it’ll further dilute the talent pool.
A Possible Solution
I’ve been a big proponent of changing the schedule to highlight more rivalry games inside the division. In an 82-game season, shouldn’t division rivals play each other more than 3-4 times? It’s absurd.
Even if the Rangers battle the other seven teams inside the Metropolitan Division four times, that only totals 28 games out of 82. That isn’t enough during the season. That Apr. 11 game against the Stars really carries a lot of significance. Imagine if they actually cared about having meaningful hockey at the end of the season. That would be like promoting the game’s best players. Who’s running things? The Rangers PR staff.
If the league wants to get it right, then they should correct a wrong. It’s simple. Divisional rivals should meet six times a year. There are eight teams in each division. That would put more emphasis on division races. Where those valuable extra points matter most. If they played each other half a dozen times, that would total 42 games.
In the same conference, you should still play each team in the other division three times. That would total 24 games – leaving 16 for the other conference. Instead of facing teams outside your conference twice, it should only be once a season, with teams alternating home games.
Most notably, if they went to that schedule, it would total exactly 82 games while emphasizing more familiar opponents inside each division and conference. That would make the playoff race better for both the players and the fans.
Centennial Season Should Recognize Rangers’ Past
For the Rangers, it marks their centennial season. A century ago, they entered the league in 1926-27. Under Lester Patrick, they won the franchise’s first Cup in 1927-28 by defeating the Montreal Maroons in five games. Frank Boucher led all scorers with four goals. Bill Cook had a goal and assist. Brother Bun Cook helped form the famed Bread Line.
Ironically, the current Rangers’ best scorer is nicknamed the Bread Man. Panarin gets a lot more press than two of the franchise’s all-time greats ever have. Both Boucher and Bill Cook deserve to be recognized. Instead, they have been all but forgotten by the Rangers, who too often act like their franchise history originated in 1994.
Look how long it took them to honor Andy Bathgate, Harry Howell, Jean Ratelle, and Vic Hadfield. They never even honored former legendary coach and general manager Emile “Cat” Francis. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982 as a builder. Sadly, Francis passed away on Feb. 19, 2022. He was 95.
If they were more keyed in on the actual history, the Rangers should recognize their past during the centennial season. If only they really cared.
As far as expected outcomes, I suppose this free agency weekend was the best-case scenario for the Devils, all things considered. I wasn’t expecting any big moves given the Devils don’t seem to be in any hurry to clear up cap space, albeit a lot of that is out of their control due to the fact that the team had to wait until July 1 for Dougie Hamilton’s bonus to be paid and for his NMC to turn into a 10-team trade list before even realistically fielding offers for him, if they even are given the injury to Jonathan Kovacevic will have him out through the start of the season as least. They don’t seem to be in any hurry to offload Ondrej Palat – or teams aren’t in any hurry to acquire him – so the fact the Devils even did as much as they did on Tuesday is kind of surprising to be honest.
Let’s start with the biggest addition in terms of cap hit – right winger Connor Brown, who signed a four year, $12 million deal and should slot in somewhere in the middle six though it’ll be interesting to see how coach Sheldon Keefe works his lines, given that they already have middle six RW’s in Stefan Noesen and Dawson Mercer – assuming the latter isn’t traded at some point this offseason anyway. Keefe did have Brown when he was in Toronto for the first part of his career so presumably this is a coach-endorsed move and he’ll know what he wants out of him (and the rest of the roster). In the early part of his career, Brown was a top six player but after a major injury in 2022 and struggling mightily in his first season back in 2023-24, Brown improved and had a 13-goal, 30-point season in Edmonton with five goals and nine points in the Oilers’ playoff run this year.
"It checked a lot of boxes for me and my wife and the little guy, and our dogs."
Connor Brown speaks with the Hockey Central Signing Season panel after signing with the New Jersey Devils 👇 pic.twitter.com/HdoeTqqZMc
Perhaps the most surprising signing – at least to me – was picking up Evgenii Dadonov from the Stars, not really in terms of the signing itself but more the terms of the deal itself – an incentive-laden one year, $1 million contract. To me it’s kind of stunning a guy who had twenty goals and forty points in the regular season signed for that low on the first day of FA, even if he is 36 years old and had a dreadful playoffs (one goal and four points in sixteen games). Clearly the latter factors kept his price tag down, and if we paid big money for this guy I’d be doing a lot more hand-wringing over the deal. Maybe not having as much cap space as in prior years did make Fitz a smarter GM, heh. Presumably Dadonov will also serve as a bit of a mentor to young Russian Arseny Gritsyuk, who’s expected to finally be in the NHL this year after years in the KHL. He’s listed as a RW on Hockey Reference but shoots lefty so perhaps that’s where he’ll slot in, to an area where we need a bit more depth.
Last quick note of the night:
Combined, last season #NJDevils Connor Brown & Evgenii Dadonov scored 27 of their 33 goals at even strength.
That’s what the Devils need. When healthy, their PP is already lethal.
In a way, the Devils’ other big move was a surprise and yet it wasn’t, retaining Jake Allen with a…interesting contract structure, signing the 35-year old to a 5 year, $9 million deal. I was barely listening to the NHLN/Sportsnet show on deadline day (again not expecting much in terms of movement for the Devils, or even league-wide with the depressed FA pool) and I did a double-take when I heard Allen’s contract get described as a five-year deal, unsure if I heard that right.
To be clear, Allen did leave money on the table with this team-friendly deal, or to be more precise he traded up front money for stability and security, which not everyone does in FA. As the top goaltending option with contenders that need upgrades in net – cough Edmonton – I figured he’d get silly money on a short-term deal and given the fact we’ve been selecting goalie after goalie in the draft for years, it was about time to go to one as our backup to Jacob Markstrom. Clearly Fitz and Allen had other plans though, working out this deal even before FA’s official start at noon on Tuesday.
There were teams prepared to give Allen 3-4 years, perhaps as close to $5 million per, I'm told.
While I do wonder what we start doing with all these goalies we’ve been drafting the last few years presumably to take a 1B role before being entrusted with a 1A role, and have my questions about Allen going forward – his play (like most of the team) did dip late in the season, plus he’s had a bit of a streaky career though he’s been mostly good as a Devil – you can’t help but root for the guy now when you see how much he wanted to stay. You also do think there’s something to the culture aspect Fitz talks about when you see player after player taking less to stay here. Even Allen’s admission after the signing that he’d never been through FA before was stunning, and he’s been in the league a lot of years for three different teams. How many guys go through a career as long as he’s had and never elect to go to FA?
Oh and I almost forgot the Devils’ other move of note, first qualifying then signing deadline acquisition Cody Glass to a two year, $5 million ($2.5 million per) deal. You could even argue Glass left money on the table not going to arbitration since he re-signed for his arb number and could well have gotten awarded higher on a one-year deal. He is what he is, a bottom six center who gets injured but can provide points when he is in the lineup.
Quality work by the Devils to keep Cody Glass at $2.5M. Came into his own last year as a defensively capable top nine option. Will be interesting to see whether he can build on that. pic.twitter.com/XFIg9aci8o
At this point while Fitz hasn’t altered the roster quite as much as any of us – or maybe even he – wanted just yet, these are at least good moves on paper, a decent start to the offseason. As of now our only losses from last year’s team (if you want to call them that) are Erik Haula, who was dumped to the old folks’ home in Nashville before the draft and Curtis Lazar, whose personality will be missed but his game clearly suffered after trying to play through his own lower-body issue last year. Perhaps what’s more encouraging than the moves themselves is the tacit admission both with some of these signings and their draft picks that Fitz is correcting course a little bit and prioritizing skill after going overboard adding size and grit last offseason and draft. It was nice not to care about the draft this year with our first pick being in the latter part of the second round as opposed to in the lottery, but it did seem from all accounts Fitz took more upside plays than he did last year. Guess only time will tell which approach of his – if either – works better.
It was an eventful Canada Day in the hockey world. While the Golden Knights made the biggest splash by trading and signing former Maple Leaf Mitch Marner, the area locals were quieter by comparison.
Even as the Rangers landed their number one target in former LA King Vladislav Gavrikov to shore up the blue line, where he’ll pair up with Adam Fox, they made bigger headlines later that day.
It had long been speculated that they weren’t bringing back restricted free agent K’Andre Miller. Unwilling to commit long-term on a polarizing player who showed flashes during his first five years in the Big Apple, they took a risk by agreeing to trade Miller to the division rival Hurricanes in exchange for a package that included a conditional first round pick, plus a second round pick in 2026, along with Scott Morrow.
The deal was contingent on Miller signing an extension with the Hurricanes. They hammered out an eight-year contract with a $7.5 million cap hit. They’re banking on the 25-year-old defenseman to make the necessary adjustments to become the player most scouts believe has a higher ceiling.
Unfortunately, he was inconsistent over the past two seasons after achieving personal bests in goals (9), assists (34), and points (43) under former Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant in 2022-23. For whatever reason, he never improved under Peter Laviolette the last two years.
Miller was even very critical of his performance. He admitted at one point during 2024-25 that he let the noise get to him. There certainly were a lot of distractions that derailed last season. It doesn’t matter anymore.
Miller will now move to the next chapter of his career with Carolina. If any coach can fix him, it’s the detail oriented Rod Brind’Amour whose structured system has turned around other players, including Brady Skjei. He left Raleigh for Nashville last year and struggled mightily on the dysfunctional Predators.
The Hurricanes seem to be able to plug players into their system without any problem. With Miller, it’s more between the ears. You know the talent is there. But he doesn’t always make the best decisions. It’ll be interesting to follow him in Carolina. Maybe he’ll finally figure it out. For the Rangers’ sake, let’s hope not.
As far as the return goes, it’s similar to draft pick compensation when a team signs a player to an offer sheet. The Hurricanes didn’t have a third round pick. So, they had to get creative by sending Morrow over to the Rangers to complete the deal.
Morrow is a 22-year-old offensive defenseman who the Hurricanes selected in the second round in 2021. In parts of two seasons, he has a goal and five assists for six points in 16 career games. Currently, he projects as the seventh defenseman behind Urho Vaakanainen and Carson Soucy. He put up 13 goals and 26 assists for 39 points over 52 games for the Chicago Wolves in the AHL (American Hockey League).
In what was the most important news of the day, the Rangers signed key restricted free agent forward Will Cuylle to a two-year deal with a $3.9 million cap hit. They avoided any complications by getting it done before a team could sign him to an offer sheet. Something that loomed as a strong possibility if you believe Larry Brooks.
In his second year, Cuylle posted career highs in goals (20), assists (25), points (45), and plus/minus (15) while playing in all 82 games. He scored twice on the power play and posted his first two shorthanded goals. Thirty-nine of the 45 points he put up came at even strength. Cuylle led the Blueshirts with 301 hits, which tied him for third in the league.
With the organization moving on from Chris Kreider, who was dealt to the Ducks on Jun. 12, Cuylle becomes Kreider’s replacement. A gritty player with a nose for the net, he should start on a line with J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad. They found some chemistry while playing together towards the conclusion of the season.
Cuylle could also slot in on the top power play unit, depending upon what new bench boss Mike Sullivan wants to see. He wasn’t a big fan of Miller, which led to him being traded yesterday.
One thing to like about the 23-year-old Cuylle is the strong work ethic he possesses. He’s a tenacious player who brings a lot to each shift, including his strong combination of skating and physicality.
Cuylle could supplant Kreider on the top penalty killing unit alongside Zibanejad. That would be a good fit. He played mostly with Vincent Trocheck last season. Trocheck paced the club with six shorthanded goals.
All in all, Chris Drury did okay on Tuesday. He filled a need by signing Gavrikov for seven years with an AAV of $7 million.
The 29-year-old left defenseman played extremely well for the Kings. After coming over from the Blue Jackets on Mar. 1, 2023, he became a shutdown player for LA.
After posting six goals, 17 assists, and 23 points in 2023-24, Gavrikov put together his best season by registering five goals with 25 assists for 30 points and a career-high plus-26 rating in 2024-25. He averaged over 23 minutes per game while blocking 140 shots.
He’s a good skating defenseman who should be an upgrade for Fox over former defense partner Ryan Lindgren. Lindgren wound up signing with the Kraken for four years with an $4.5 million AAV yesterday. Gavrikov was considered the top free agent defenseman on the market. Once Ivan Provorov re-signed with the Blue Jackets for more money (7×$8.5 million), it was obvious that Gavrikov would land in NYC. Emily Kaplan had reported it first.
Drury then got Cuylle done for a reasonable bridge deal. The Rangers couldn’t afford to wait. If a team had offered him over $5 million, they might’ve been forced to take the compensation due to their cap situation.
After finally executing the sign and trade that sent Miller to Carolina for a good return, Drury added veteran forward depth by inking Taylor Raddysh to a two-year deal for a $1.5 million AAV.
Raddysh isn’t exactly someone to get excited about. He was okay for the Capitals, putting up seven goals and 20 assists for 27 points. He’s a bottom six forward, whose best season came with the Blackhawks when he had 20 goals and 37 points in 2022-23.
If you’re asking me point blank, I’d rather see Brennan Othmann and Brett Berard play over him on a projected third line with Juuso Parssinen.
They also signed former Devil Justin Dowling. He’s probably ticketed for Hartford.
In related news, Zac Jones signed with the Sabres for a one-year, two-way deal. He wasn’t qualified by the Rangers. I hope it works out for him in Buffalo.
Arthur Kaliyev wasn’t qualified either. He remains unsigned.
hasan4978
Derek
Battle Of Hudson 
You must be logged in to post a comment.