That’s because Chris Kreider, one of the most popular players of this current Rangers era, returns to MSG for the first time since being traded to the Ducks this past offseason. There’s sure to be an outpouring of love for Kreider, who’s third in Rangers history with 326 goals, first with 48 goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and tied for first with 116 power-play goals.

As for a bit of revenge or extra motivation on Kreider’s part, don’t expect him to admit to anything, based on his comments to The Athletic last week.

“I don’t think that’s something that you can use consistently,” the 34-year-old forward explained. “I think that ends up being more of an energy sap. I’m intrinsically motivated. I don’t need anyone else to push me. That daily process, that daily mission — I know what I want to work on, what I want to accomplish. I think all the other stuff is just noise.”

Perhaps that’s so. But Kreider played 883 regular-season games over 13 seasons with the Rangers, and there’s a good chance his No. 20 gets raised to the MSG rafters one day after his career is over. He helped the Rangers reach the 2014 Stanley Cup Final, win the Presidents’ Trophy twice, and play in the Eastern Conference Final five times.

That video tribute Monday will bring cheers and a standing ovation from the Rangers Faithful. And more than a few tears from fans, and perhaps Kreider, too.

If all that’s not enough, it’s also Jacob Trouba’s first return to The Garden since the Rangers traded the 28th captain in franchise history to the Ducks on Dec. 6, 2024. He’s not nearly as beloved as Kreider, but the Trouba Train running through MSG again should elicit powerful memories, as well.

So, you’ve got the makings of a must-see event.

Plus, this should be a real good hockey game. The Rangers (16-13-4) come off a thrilling gut-check victory over the Montreal Canadiens, winning 5-4 in overtime Saturday after rallying from down 3-0 and 4-2. The Rangers earned points in eight of their past 10 games (6-2-2), including each of their past four home contests (2-0-2).

The Ducks (19-12-1) are second in the Pacific Division, and among the biggest surprises in the NHL this season. However, they lost two straight, including 4-1 at the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, and are 8-9-0 since Nov. 11.

In their past 12 games against the Ducks, the Rangers have a 9-1-2 record. The Rangers are on a 10-game home-winning streak against the Ducks at MSG.

3 storylines when Rangers host Ducks

1. Setting friendship aside

An intriguing subplot to this one is how Kreider and his best friend on the Rangers, Mika Zibanejad, fare going head-to-head against one another. The longtime linemates are very close, with Zibanejad serving as Kreider’s best man in his wedding in 2023. Each is a proud athlete and competitor, as well, so this should be a doozy if each pushes the other on the ice Monday.

After struggles on and off the ice for each last season, Kreider and Zibanejad are back in top form in 2025-26. Kreider is third on the Ducks with 13 goals, and his six power-play tallies not only lead them, but are tied with Zibanejad for 10th most in the NHL.

Zibanejad leads the Rangers with 11 goals, and is third with 25 points. The 32-year-old set up J.T. Miller’s overtime winner against the Canadiens and has points in eight of his past nine games (three goals, six points). He also owns the Ducks, with points in 10 of his past 11 games against them (nine goals, eight assists).

2. It’s not just Kreider

The Ducks are second in the NHL, averaging 3.44 goals per game. Kreider’s a big part of the explosive Ducks core, one that features some of the best young talent in the NHL.

Forward Leo Carlsson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, has 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 32 games, tied for 10th in the NHL scoring race. Teammates Cutter Gauthier (16 goals, 18 assists) and Troy Terry (10 goals, 24 assists) each have 34 points, giving the Ducks three players with more points than the Rangers leading scorer, Artemi Panarin (33 points; 11 goals, 12 assists).

Scoring goals isn’t an issue for the Ducks, but keeping the puck out of their own net is. Anaheim is 25th in the League with a team 3.34 goals-against average.

3. Power Ranger

Rangers coach Mike Sullivan simply gushed about Miller following the big win Saturday. Miller scored the tying and winning goals, including his second OT goal this season. And Sullivan loved how each was scored.

“The two goals he scored are prototypical J.T. Miller hockey. One’s at the blue paint, he plays his power game. And the overtime winner is, that one-timer is a missile. That’s a goal scorer’s goal, and that’s what he’s capable of,” Sullivan said postgame.

Miller arrived back on Broadway last season in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks, nearly eight weeks after the Rangers dealt Trouba to the Ducks. So, they weren’t Blueshirt teammates. But they’re forever linked since Miller became the 29th captain in Rangers history at the start of this season, replacing Trouba.

Miller now has nine goals and 20 points in 32 games this season. Trouba’s excelled with the Ducks as a top-pair defenseman, and has 14 points (five goals, nine assists), averaging 22:02 TOI in 32 games.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Artemi Panarin — Mika Zibanejad — Alexis Lafreniere

J.T. Miller — Vincent Trocheck — Conor Sheary

Will Cuylle — Noah Laba — Brett Berard

Jaroslav Chmelar — Sam Carrick — Taylor Raddysh

Vladislav Gavrikov — Braden Schneider

Carson Soucy — Will Borgen

Urho Vaakanainen — Matthew Robertson

Igor Shesterkin

Jonathan Quick

Rangers vs. Ducks: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers vs. Anaheim Ducks

When: Monday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. ET

Where: Madison Square Garden

How to watch: MSG

For sure, the Rangers don’t win without J.T. Miller’s two goals, including the OT winner when Mika Zibanejad dished out the primary assist. Vincent Trocheck also assisted on the game-winner and led all skaters with six hits. And, of course, Artemi Panarin scoring a penalty-shot goal late in the first period to pull New York within 3-2 was massive. As was the overall performance of defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, who logged nearly 28 minutes of ice time as force on each side of the puck.

Artemi Panarin converts ✅ pic.twitter.com/8jrdQ8csqR

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) December 14, 2025

The top line of Panarin, Zibanejad, and Alexis Lafreniere held a huge 15-2 advantage in scoring chances 5v5 (10-0 in high-danger opportunities), and had a whopping 81.24 percent expected goal share, per Natural Stat Trick.

And Miller was the obvious choice as the No. 1 Star of the Game, after he scored to tie the game 4-4 and the drilled a power-play one-timer to win it in overtime.

WON IT WITH A ONE-TIMER 💥 pic.twitter.com/Txlu3Pt7qR

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 14, 2025

“I thought he had a really strong game tonight, obviously,” coach Mike Sullivan said postgame about the Rangers captain. “The two goals he scored are prototypical J.T. Miller hockey. One’s at the blue paint, he plays his power game. And the overtime winner is, that one-timer is a missile. That’s a goal scorer’s goal, and that’s what he’s capable of.”

So, their best players led the way on this rollicking night at Madison Square Garden.

Rangers unsung heroes include two rookies and star goalie Igor Shesterkin

But let’s not overlook rookie center Noah Laba. The 22-year-old went hard to the net to score a greasy goal on a rebound to get the Rangers on the board at 18:49 of the first period after the Canadiens surged with more than a dose of good fortune to a 3-0 lead.

Labs off the rebound 💪 pic.twitter.com/ZcuCO92f6C

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 14, 2025

Nineteen seconds later, Panarin scored on a penalty shot and 3-0 became 3-2. But it’s Laba who started the comeback. And he did so on the second power-play unit, after the five-forward PP1 group failed to score.

Laba later assisted on Will Cuylle’s goal 7:22 of the second period to get the Rangers within 4-3. It was the second two-point game of his rookie season. He also won six of eight face-offs and was credited with five hits.

Though outscored 2-1, that third line of Laba, Cuylle, and Brett Berard had an xGF of 76.55 percent 5v5.

“Cuylle’s a young guy (23 years old), but he’s got some experience — today was his 200th game — so he’s got experience, he hits, plays North. And then Brett brings a ton of energy, super fast, able to make a ton of plays out there,” Laba explained after the win. “Playing with them is real easy.”

Rookie defenseman Matthew Robertson notched the first multi-point game in the NHL, earning primary assists on Cuylle’s goal and Miller’s game-tying tally. Robertson logged 20:32 TOI, a career high, had 10 shot attempts, and recorded three shots on goal.

Veteran forward Conor Sheary chipped in a pair of assists for his first multi-point game of the season.

And how about Igor Shesterkin? Of course, the Rangers goalie is, perhaps, their biggest star. But he allowed goals on the first two shots he faced Saturday, three in a first-period span of 3:37. However, it can’t be overlooked how Shesterkin remained mentally strong, allowed one goal the rest of the way, and gave the Rangers a chance to win.

“I didn’t feel like any of the goals scored were bad goals. They were a little bit fluky how some of them went in,” Sullivan said. “I never got the feeling behind the bench that Jeez, this wasn’t Shesty’s night, or that he didn’t have it. … I thought he was locked in.

“I know he takes a lot of pride in keeping the puck out of the net, and when they go in like that sometimes that can get the best of you. But he did a terrific job of just staying focused, being ready to make that next save for us.”

Even one of their stars found a way to be an unsung Rangers hero Saturday night at MSG.

J.T. Miller, named captain during training camp, scored his second goal of the game at 2:56 of overtime to cap New York’s comeback from a three-goal deficit for a 5-4 victory against the Montreal Canadiens at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

With Montreal’s Jake Evans off for slashing Artemi Panarin, Miller Jacob Fowler for the win – something that looked impossible after the Canadiens led 3-0 entering the final two minutes of the first period.

“I was supposed to be in front of the net,” Miller confessed after scoring his 16th career overtime goal. But when Panarin went to the net instead, Miller flared back to the right circle to provide another option – and it paid off with the winning goal.

It was a huge rebound for the Rangers after a poor effort in a 3-0 road loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday — and a fitting tribute to the former Rangers on hand.

“It was good,” Alexis Lafreniere said of the performance after the loss in Chicago. “We tried to be a little more careful and play in their end. We played a pretty solid game.”

Recognizing the Rangers greats who made @TheGarden The World's Most Famous Arena 💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/gxCDKwC2G6

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 14, 2025

The Rangers played one of their best shutdown stretches of the season in the first 12 minutes of the first period, holding the Canadiens without a shot on goal. Montreal finally got its first shot on goal at 12:41 – and found the back of the net for a 1-0 lead. Zach Bolduc set up in front of the net and tipped Nick Suzuki’s feed past a defenseless Igor Shesterkin.

The Canadiens’ second shot also went in, with Arber Xhekaj scoring through a screen past Shesterkin at 14:10. Evans further silenced the Garden crowd at 16:18, beating Shesterkin from inside the left circle after the Rangers were outworked in their own zone.

But a goal from an unlikely source – the struggling power play – got the Rangers back in the game. Noah Laba went to the net, picked up a loose puck after Will Cuylle cut in front, and popped his own rebound past Fowler at 18:49 to make it 3-1.

Panarin cut it to 3-2 just 19 seconds later when he scored on a penalty shot after being hooked by defenseman Noah Dobson. The Rangers leading scorer fired back to his left while going right against Fowler, cutting Montreal’s lead to 3-2.

Artemi Panarin converts ✅ pic.twitter.com/8jrdQ8csqR

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) December 14, 2025

“I was panicked, to be honest. Everyone in the rink (was) excited, too,” Panarin said of the first penalty-shot goal of his career and the first by the Rangers against Montreal since Camille Henry on March 8, 1958. “The ice was not the best in the last minute. I’m glad I scored.”

It was the first penalty-shot goal by the Rangers since Dan Boyle scored on Dec. 9, 2015, and ended a streak of 11 straight misses.

The Canadiens quieted the crowd again 3:17 into the second period, making it 4-2 when Josh Anderson beat Shesterkin on a one-timer from the slot after a terrific pass by Lane Hutson, the reigning Calder Trophy winner. But the Rangers got even with two goals in 35 seconds before the eight-minute mark.

SUPER COOL(S) pic.twitter.com/c8iAdsPyUM

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 14, 2025

Cuylle made it 4-3 at 7:22 when his feed through the crease hit Fowler’s pad and went into the net. Miller tied it 4-4 at 7:57, picking up the rebound of Matthew Robertson’s shot and deking Fowler before sliding the puck between the rookie goalie’s legs.

The Garden erupted 5:51 into the third period when Sam Carrick appeared to score the go-ahead goal off a scramble. But a quick video review showed that the veteran center kicked the puck into the net, and the goal was waved off. There was plenty of physicality during the remainder of regulation, but no goals.

The Rangers are off Sunday to regroup before beginning a week that will see them play five times in seven days, beginning with the return of former Rangers forward Chris Kreider and captain Jacob Trouba to MSG when the Anaheim Ducks visit on Monday.

Key takeaways after the Rangers’ 5-4 OT win against Canadiens

Miller time

THE CAPTAIN UNLOADS ONE FOR THE WIN 💣 pic.twitter.com/5iOPEoOBPm

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) December 14, 2025

This is the version of J.T Miller the Rangers thought they were getting when they acquired him from the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 31.

Miller scored the tying goal by bulling his way to the net, picking up a rebound and getting Fowler to open his pads before sliding the puck into the net. The game-winner was pure power – a blast off the feed from Zibanejad that Fowler had no chance on.

“We have to find ways to win every single way,” he said.

The captain was also pleased at the way the Rangers showed the resilience to come back after falling behind by three goals on the heels of the poor effort in Chicago.

“I think we did a good job of staying mentally tough and in the moment,” he said. “Present, worried about the next shift and (we) really turned the tide on them. They defended a lot of the night, I felt like. When we play like that, it’s the same speech every game — I think we’re a lot to handle.”

A comeback to remember

The Rangers won a game in which they trailed by three goals for the first time in nearly two years; they defeated the New York Islanders 6-5 in overtime after trailing 4-1 in the second period of their NHL Stadium Series game on Feb. 18, 2024, at Met Life Stadium.

Coach Mike Sullivan said even when his team was down three goals, he didn’t think they were playing badly.

“We were on our toes,” he stated postgame. “We had a couple of breakdowns that ended up in the back of our net, but I didn’t think we were playing badly. We held them without a shot for almost 13 minutes.”

He said there was no thought of pulling Shesterkin and just wanted to make sure that his players didn’t get down on themselves.

“There was a lot of hockey left — that’s what we talked about on the bench,” Sullivan explained. “That’s what we talked about in between periods, ‘Let’s not get overwhelmed here. Let’s just keep playing, keep playing the game. Let’s work for the next goal.’ And that’s what they did.”

Power play comes alive

Sullivan stuck with the five-forward system he’s used on the first power-play unit since defenseman Adam Fox landed on LTIR two weeks ago. But it was the second unit that produced the Rangers’ first extra-man goal since Nov. 28. Laba went to the net and banged in his own rebound to get the Rangers on the board.

Labs off the rebound 💪 pic.twitter.com/ZcuCO92f6C

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 14, 2025

The overtime power-play goal was scored at 4-on-3, but the four players on the ice — Miller, Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck and Panarin — are all part of PP1.

Seeing his power play go 2-for-2 after firing blanks in five straight games must make Sullivan feel better as the Rangers head into their toughest week of the season. The power play could be especially important against the Ducks, who’ve allowed 27 PPGs, tied for the second-most in the NHL.

Kreider’s return with Ducks takes center stage

There will be a familiar face wearing No. 20 when the Rangers host the Ducks on Monday — but he’ll be wearing orange and white rather than a Blueshirt.

GM Chris Drury traded Kreider to the Ducks in June after arguably the worst season of his career — he finished with 22 goals and 30 points after three straight seasons with at least 36 goals.

The third-leading goal-scorer in Rangers history (326 goals) is off to a fast start with his new team, Kreider has 13 goals and 21 points in 28 games for Anaheim, which is second in the Pacific Division and trying to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017-18.

Kreider downplayed his return to the Garden, referring to it on Thursday as a “business trip.”

But it’s hard to imagine he won’t at least a little emotional after the requisite a video tribute from the Rangers and a big welcome from the Garden fans.

The 23-year-old’s season-long streak of five consecutive games played is expected to come to an end Saturday night, when the Rangers host the Montreal Canadiens.

Morrow was absent from New York’s defense rotation at practice Friday, replaced by Urho Vaakanainen on the bottom pair. Vaakanainen headed off the ice with the regulars after the morning skate Saturday, and Morrow stayed behind with the other projected scratch, forward Jonny Brodzinski.

Coach Mike Sullivan declined to confirm the change, but all signs point to Morrow coming out of the lineup.

“The lineup will be game-time decisions, as you know,” Sullivan said, adding, “‘Vaaks’ might get a look.”

Urho Vaakanainen is off with the #NYR regulars and Scott Morrow is still on the ice, so it looks like the Finn will slot back in for the first time since Nov. 26.

— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) December 13, 2025

Vaakanainen has been a healthy scratch for seven straight games; his last appearance was Nov. 26 in a 4-2 road win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

Morrow manned New York’s third pair alongside Matthew Robertson for the past five games — an arduous stretch when the Rangers were 2-1-2 with overtime losses at home against the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights.

But after an uninspiring 3-0 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday, Sullivan opted for a change on the bottom pair, inserting Vaakanainen back into the lineup and shifting Robertson to his off (right) side.

Rangers coach emphasizes ‘details’ in Scott Morrow assessment

Morrow was an AHL All-Star last season after putting up 13 goals and 39 points in 52 games with the Chicago Wolves. He also scored one goal and finished with six points in 14 NHL regular-season games with the Hurricanes, who took him in the second round (No. 40 overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft.

In addition, Morrow played five games during the 2025 Eastern Conference Final, drawing into the lineup after Jalen Chatfield sustained an injury.

New York acquired Morrow from Carolina on July 1; he was the headliner in the package the Blueshirts received for defenseman K’Andre Miller.

“As far as my assessment of what he’s brought, I think there’s been some good, and then there’s been moments where we’d like to see growth,” Sullivan explained Saturday. “I don’t think that’s atypical of any young player, especially a young defenseman.”

The offense-minded blueliner struggled to replicate his production from last season. Morrow has three points (one goal, two assists) in 12 AHL games with the Hartford Wolf Pack — and in nine games with the Rangers, he has one point, a primary assist on an empty-net goal by Alexis Lafreniere against the Boston Bruins on Nov. 28.

Still, Sullivan remains complimentary of his puck skills.

“We like his ability to move the puck. We think he sees it pretty well,” the coach said. “He’s pretty good along that offensive blue line. He has an ability to get shots through. He’s good at finding sticks.”

Sullivan singled out a play on Wednesday against the Blackhawks when Morrow found captain J.T. Miller in the slot for a deflection that hit the post.

“Really good look, good vision, good awareness along the blue line by Scotty,” Sullivan said “He changes his angle to open up that opportunity to create that play — that’s what we like about his game.”

Those qualities should make Morrow a natural fit on New York’s power play, although Sullivan has been reluctant to thrust the 23-year-old into such an important role with Adam Fox sidelined. Morrow got a chance to quarterback the top unit on Wednesday but failed to spark New York’s scuffling power play.

Now he finds himself out of the lineup entirely.

“The other element of it is making decisions with conviction and having good reads, getting inside the dots when he’s coming off the offensive blue line, and defending the rush aggressively,” Sullivan explained. “His play at the net front in our own end, killing plays in the D-zone, in the corners. Just closing, taking away time and space, going stick to puck, when to have one hand on your stick or two hands on your stick — stick details are such an important element of being a good defender in today’s game.”

That laundry list of areas needing improvement is a big part of the reason Morrow has yet to earn Sullivan’s complete trust.

And the underlying metrics don’t reflect kindly on him.

Here are the numbers for Morrow through 9 appearances with #NYR:

▪️ 1 assist (0 goals)
▪️ 14:07 ATOI
▪️ 20% GF (1-4 goals ratio)
▪️ 48.67% shot share
▪️ 42.68% xGF, per @NatStatTrick (worst among Rangers D)
▪️-2.4 net rating, per @hockeystatcards (2nd worst) https://t.co/dPWt9cm7HB

— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) December 13, 2025

Morrow has a 20 percent goal share through nine games (one goal for, four goals allowed). His 42.68 expected-goals-for percentage, per Natural Stat Trick, is last among Blueshirts’ defenders and fourth-worst of any Rangers skater this season.

On Hockey Stat Cards, Morrow’s -0.6 defensive net rating is the worst on the team. His -2.4 net rating is second-worst, trailing only Braden Schneider (-2.8).

“Those are all the things that we’re working with him about,” Sullivan added. “We love his enthusiasm for the game. He’s a great kid, he loves hockey, he’s invested and we love that aspect of him.”

Rangers’ defensive corps suffering without Adam Fox

The absence of Fox further complicates matters. The Rangers’ top defenseman was placed on long-term injured reserve after sustaining an upper-body injury on Nov. 29 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

At the time of his injury, New York was limiting opponents to the fewest high-danger chances per 60 minutes (9.09) and the fourth-fewest expected goals allowed per 60 (2.35) at 5-on-5, according to Natural Stat Trick. Both metrics are down dramatically in five games without Fox.

That could also factor into the timing of Morrow’s scratching.

Vaakanainen’s 46.65 percent expected goal share doesn’t make the 26-year-old a vast improvement over Morrow. But the Finnish defenseman has more than 200 games of NHL experience and began the season in the top six. Scratching the rookie indicates Sullivan favors Vaakanainen’s experience and play in the defensive zone over Morrow’s potential.

That said, the move leaves New York without much skill on its back end.

Vladislav Gavrikov and Carson Soucy are pleasant offensive contributors, but neither comes close to replicating the playmaking Fox delivers on a game-by-game basis. Morrow’s offensive profile aligns closest to the 2021 Norris Trophy winner — albeit to a much lesser degree. There’s simply no replacing a dynamic defenseman like Fox, as evidenced by a power play that’s 0-for-11 without him.

In theory, Morrow’s development could benefit from assuming some of Fox’s responsibilities. But he’ll need to tighten up his defensive play to let his offensive skills shine through.

Though it’s well-worn cliche, the Rangers (15-13-4) know now more than ever they must simply focus on what’s right in front of them and not the busy bigger picture. That means trying to get back on the winning side of the ledger Saturday and end their three-game winless skid (0-1-2).

The first two of those defeats, last weekend against the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights, were in overtime. The Rangers deservedly picked up a point in each loss.

That wasn’t the case Wednesday, when the Rangers were shut out by the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0. They were outplayed and a step or two slow all night. Understandably, the Rangers weren’t at all happy with their performance.

Saturday provides the next opportunity for them to re-set in this rollercoaster season.

“We didn’t have our best in Chicago, I think we all know that in this room,” veteran forward Conor Sheary said Friday after practice. “Come out [Saturday] with a little more energy and try to get a win on home ice.”

Captain J.T. Miller was even more direct in his comments Friday.

“I know we’re going to bounce back. Every time we seem to have a lapse, we bounce back as a group,” Miller stated firmly. “I’m confident we’re going to be good on Saturday.”

They must be on their toes and ready to skate against the speedy Canadiens (16-11-3), who are one point ahead of the Rangers (with two games in hand) in the tight Eastern Conference standings. The Rangers won the first head-to-head meeting with the Canadiens, rallying with three goals in the third period for a 4-3 road victory on Oct. 18.

After a 10-3-2 start this season, the Canadiens are 6-8-1 since Nov. 11. Montreal comes off a 4-2 road victory at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, when rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler made 36 saves to win his NHL debut.

3 storylines when Rangers host Canadiens

1. Gonna get scoring chances

The Rangers are 29th in the League, averaging 2.56 goals scored. They’ve been shut out six times, five of those on home ice. But they should get plenty of chances to change that narrative on Saturday.

The high-flying Canadiens own a minus-10 goal differential, and their team GAA of 3.50 is tied for third-worst in the NHL. They give up plenty of scoring chances, and their goalies don’t exactly bail them out often enough. Montreal’s allowed four or more goals in 14 games, and at least six on five occasions.

Maybe Fowler is the tonic to cure Montreal’s goaltending ills. But the Rangers should see this is as a big opportunity to break out offensively after totaling only four goals in their past three games

2. Centennial woes

The Rangers celebrate “The New Garden” years (1967-91) on Saturday as part of their 100th NHL season. What they’d really like to celebrate is an actual victory in their sharp Centennial sweaters. The Rangers lost their first five games wearing the good-looking threads this season, and scored just two goals total in those contests. That includes the shutout defeat Wednesday in Chicago.

Saturday marks their 646th regular-season game against the Canadiens. The Rangers are 207-337-7 with 94 ties all-time against the Canadiens. More relevant, they have points in their past eight games (6-0-2) against the Habs.

New York is 3-2-1 against Original Six foes this season. Montreal is 4-2-0 in such games.

3. Milestone games

Igor Shesterkin joins a select group Saturday, when he becomes the eighth goalie in Rangers history to play 300 games for the franchise. An interesting note is that Shesterkin already has more career wins (174) than two of the goalies ahead of him on that list — Chuck Rayner (377 games; 123 wins) and Dave Kerr 324 games; 157 wins). Of course, Kerr led the Rangers to a Stanley Cup championship in 1940, so there’s that.

Shesterkin’s allowed two goals or fewer 14 times this season, second-most in the NHL. His 2.48 goals-against average is fourth-best among goalies who’ve made at least 20 starts this season, and his 15.1 goals saved above expected is fifth-most in the League, per MoneyPuck.

Rangers forward Will Cuylle plays his 200th NHL game Saturday. He’s played all 32 games this season, and missed just one game — as a healthy scratch — in his three full NHL campaigns. The 23-year-old is third on the Rangers with eight goals and second with three power-play tallies. His 109 hits lead the Rangers and are fifth in the NHL.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Artemi Panarin — Mika Zibanejad — Alexis Lafreniere

J.T. Miller — Vincent Trocheck — Conor Sheary

Will Cuylle — Noah Laba — Brett Berard

Jaroslav Chmelar — Sam Carrick — Taylor Raddysh

Vladislav Gavrikov — Braden Schneider

Carson Soucy — Will Borgen

Urho Vaakanainen — Matthew Robertson

Igor Shesterkin

Jonathan Quick

Rangers vs. Canadiens: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers vs. Montreal Canadiens

When: Saturday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. ET

Where: Madison Square Garden

How to watch: MSG

So, that means Rempe misses his 24th consecutive game Saturday, when the Rangers host the Montreal Canadiens at Madison Square Garden.

“He will not play tomorrow. He was full contact today,” coach Mike Sullivan stated Friday. “Given the time he was out, we think it’s important he gets a couple of practices under his belt in a full capacity. We’ll monitor as he goes, but he’s getting close.”

When those practices come is anyone’s guess. The Rangers’ schedule turns fairly hellacious next week, when they play five games in seven days, including a pair of back-to-back sets bookending the week.

It’s certainly possible that Rempe practices hard in a morning skate or two and then gets back in the lineup later in the week.

The popular 23-year-old has one goal and seven penalty minutes in nine games this season.

He’s missed on the fourth line, which had several different looks in his absence. Veteran stalwart Sam Carrick will center Taylor Raddysh and rookie Jaroslav Chmelar against the Canadiens, based on practice Friday.

Rangers make ‘number of adjustments’ to top power-play unit

After the 3-0 shutout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday, Sullivan alluded to making changes on the power play. The Rangers were 0-for-3 in Chicago and allowed a back-breaking short-handed goal. They’re now 0-for-11 in five games since PP1 quarterback Adam Fox went down with an upper-body injury.

So, the Rangers made a “number of adjustments” to the top unit at practice Friday, in Sullivan’s words. But the one thing that didn’t change was the five-forward personnel. Alexis Lafreniere moved to the bumper spot, and Mika Zibanejad replaced Artemi Panarin up top to fill Fox’s usual role. Panarin moved to the flank, and J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck continued to round out the top unit.

So, again, no defenseman manning the point. Why’s that, coach?

“Because we think they’re the best five guys right now to help us have success.”

Defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov did quarterback the second power-play unit Friday. And Scott Morrow, the rookie defenseman who seemed most likely to join PP1 after the most recent game, appears to be the odd-man out completely. He skated as an extra, and it looks like Urho Vaakanainen replaces him in the lineup Saturday.

As for Zibanejad swapping places with Panarin?

“He’s a cerebral player. He sees the ice so well. He’s similar to ‘Bread’ in that regard,” Sullivan explained. “But I think Mika might add a little more defensive conscience back there. One of the things I’ve always admired about Mika is his willingness on both sides of the puck. I think that’s an important element on the power play, using five forwards.”

Sullivan also pointed to Zibanejad’s willingness to shoot more often, and to create rebound opportunities for his teammates.

“One of Mika’s strengths is that he can really pound the puck. He can really shoot it. Now that he’s up top, he can do the same thing from there, also,” Sullivan explained.

“Sometimes we want to pass the puck into the net. We need to create in different ways. We can create off the shot.”

Since Sullivan is also coach of the United States team for the 2026 Milan/Cortina Olympics, he has a big say in the construction of the roster. At one point, it seemed Miller was a slam-dunk candidate to make the team, especially after playing a gritty middle-six role for Team USA at the 4 Nations tournament this past February.

Now, there are doubts about Miller’s inclusion on the roster, based largely on his declining production with the Rangers this season. A former point-per-game player, Miller has seven goals and 18 points in 30 games

That leaves Sullivan in the unenviable position of, perhaps, informing the proud 32-year-old center that he didn’t make the team. Or the flip side — trying to keep the peace, Sullivan pushes for Miller to be included at the expense of players perhaps more deserving of the honor. No bueno either way.

“The whole thing with J.T. Miller, it’s more of a challenge then I thought it would be,” Elliotte Friedman stated Friday on the 32 Thoughts podcast. “I think he’s going to be on the U.S. team, but Miller’s played himself into a situation where you’re almost asking the question, ‘Should he be on the U.S. team?’ Like it’s a really tough spot on Sullivan because that’s his captain, and you want to take your captain, and you’re picking the team, and you’re worried about how Miller will handle it if he’s not going to be picked. But he’s really had a rough year.”

Allow yourself for a minute to picture that uncomfortable conversation, if Miller doesn’t make the team. Then ponder how that could possibly affect their relationship moving forward and what that could do to the Rangers (15-13-4), who already face considerable challenges to get back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“It is conjecture, so it’s hard to get into somebody’s heart, their mind, about how they feel about something like that,” NHL Network’s E.J. Hradek told Forever Blueshirts on the RINK RAP podcast. “I’m sure J.T. would be disappointed … the top players seemingly all want to compete in a best-on-best tournament, and J.T. Miller was part of Team USA at the 4 Nations.

“I ran into [Team USA general manager Bill Guerin] at an Islanders game at UBS Arena last week and, obviously, he keeps his cards close to the vest, but he said to me, ‘I’m going to have to deliver some tough news to a lot of good guys.'”

Even if Guerin was the one who delivered bad news to Miller, it still wouldn’t make for a great situation between the veteran forward and Sullivan.

Rangers coach, captain hope to lead United States at 2026 Milan/Cortina Olympics

This all be a moot point because Miller likely has enough cache as a relentless grinder and shutdown center to at least earn a spot in the Team USA lineup in a checking role on the third or fourth line. He’s consistently gone up against opposing teams’ top forwards this season with the Rangers, and he basically filled that role at the 4 Nations, too.

His physicality and intensity level rub off on his teammates — just some of the intangibles that favor Miller landing a roster spot for the United States.

“I think he’ll be there because I think they’ll look at it and say, ‘This is the team we’re going to need to beat Canada, and he can be that kind of player,'” Friedman said, before adding, “But it’s been harder this year for Miller, and less impressive, I think, for Sullivan, when it comes to him, than any of us expected.”

Interestingly, Hradek sees a major positive if Miller doesn’t participate in the Olympics. And that’s shutting it down for three weeks between games on the Rangers schedule, kind of a February vacation of sorts for their captain.

“In the case of J.T., if he doesn’t get selected, he gets the rest. I think he’s been dealing with an injury for pretty much most of the season. It might serve to spur him on to have a really strong post-Olympic stretch, which would be great for the New York Rangers.”

“It’s a lot that day, when you’re heading back into the building, even just walking to the other side. It’s just a heavy day,” Stepan explained last week on the Morning Cuppa Hockey podcast. “Everyone around you wants to give you advice, like ‘Hey, after your first shift you’ll get into it.’ And then the video [tribute] comes and you’re sitting there watching it.

“So for Chris, there’s just no good advice and there’s no easy way to do it. He’ll do it like the rest of the guys have done it, and he’ll get through it, and the next time it gets easier.”

The Rangers traded Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks last summer, and Monday marks his first return to MSG. The popular 34-year-old forward played 883 regular-season games, and another 123 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, over 13 seasons with the Rangers. He’s third in franchise history with 326 goals, and tied for first with 116 power-play goals.

Kreider’s off to a great start with the Ducks. He has 13 goals and 21 points in 26 games, helping the Ducks (19-10-1) to the top of the Pacific Division standings.

Outside of his famous roars when he scores a goal, Kreider is not known to share his emotions publicly. It’ll be interesting to see how Kreider reacts to the expected rousing ovation when he hits the ice at The Garden, and again when the tribute video is played on the MSG videoboard.

“It’s goofy. Again, it’s just heavy,” Stepan explained. “You go into the building, and whatever the emotions were at the time you got traded, whether you were angry or sad or excited to be going out of there, whatever your scenario was, when you come into that building, all you wan to do is win. You’re like, ‘I don’t care what it takes, we’ve got to get two points, and then I want to get out of this building.’

“You get out on the ice and then they show you the tribute and you’re like, ‘Oh man, it was a great time when I was here.’ It just downshifts you so hard. It’s mixed emotions. … It’s just one goofy night.”

Derek Stepan recalls his first game back at MSG after Rangers traded him

Stepan was a very popular homegrown Rangers player, but didn’t have quite the distinguished career on Broadway that Kreider did. Nor did he play as long with the Rangers. The former top-6 center, who’s now retired and working for the Minnesota Wild, is 29th in Rangers history with 360 points (128 goals, 232 assists) in 515 regular-season games.

As teammates, Stepan and Kreider helped the Rangers win the Presidents’ Trophy in 2014-15, reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2014, and play in the Eastern Conference Final three times. The Rangers traded Stepan at the 2017 NHL Draft, sending him to the Arizona Coyotes. Not unlike Kreider, Stepan was moved primarily to create more room under the salary cap.

Stepan’s return to Madison Square Garden didn’t go so well. The Coyotes lost their 10th straight game that night, falling 5-2 to the Rangers on Oct. 26, 2017. Stepan was held without a point and finished minus-3.

The Rangers would sign up for a similar result Monday. The Ducks and Kreider? Not so much.

Right now, Hughes feels like a luxury for a team that already has Adam Fox as its No. 1 defenseman and power-play quarterback. A dynamic proven point producer to play in the top-six forward group is the more immediate need for the Rangers, if they’re going big-game hunting any time soon. Especially with the possibility high-flying forward Artemi Panarin bolts as a free agent next summer.

Of course, the flip side to that argument is that superstars in their prime — regardless of what position they play — demand your attention if they become available, either through free agency or trade. Chris Dury would do a disservice to the Rangers organization if he didn’t check in about Hughes and find out what’s the cost of doing business with the Canucks.

Really, that’s the crux of NHL insider Dave Pagnotta’s take that the Rangers are serious about Hughes

“Do I think it’s going to happen tomorrow? No. Do I think he’s going to be a New York Ranger? I don’t know yet. It’s still way too early in that process,” Pagnotta explained Wednesday on the Morning Cuppa Hockey podcast. “But in terms of teams that I anticipate to be in the mix in a more serious rather than just poking around type of situation, I think the Rangers are going to be one of them with where they’re at, with the owner they’ve got, and with a clear lack of desire to go through a rebuild. I think the New York Rangers … are one of those teams that will try to step up to this.”

And let’s face it, whether goals and points come from the forwards or the back end, the Rangers need to score more 5v5 and on the power play. Through 32 games, they’re 29th in the NHL, averaging 2.56 goals per game. The Rangers were shut out Wednesday for the sixth time this season, losing 3-0 to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Hughes has 431 points (61 goals, 370 assists) in 458 career games, slightly better numbers than Fox (395 points also in 458 games). Each has a Norris Trophy on his resume (Fox in 2021; Hughes in 2024), and each recorded 70 or more points three times.

Of course, each is used to playing big minutes as the top dog on defense, and there’d have to be a shift in mindset about shared roles. But, hey, it certainly worked for the Rangers in 1994, when they won the Stanley Cup with Brian Leetch and Sergei Zubov, two highly-skilled Hall-of-Fame defensemen, anchoring the top two defense pairs.

That’s not an apples to apples comparison, since Leetch and Zubov each were Rangers draft picks, with the latter establishing himself after Leetch already won the Calder and Norris Trophies. A closer comparison is one Rangers coach Mike Sullivan knows well from his days with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who acquired Erik Karlsson when they already had Kris Letang. That hasn’t worked out so well.

But Fox paired with Vladislav Gavrikov, and Hughes alongside Will Borgen? There’s lots to like there, for sure.

So, let’s play along and break down what a possible Rangers trade for Hughes could look like.

What it could take for Rangers to land Quinn Hughes in a trade

Hughes earns a reasonable $7.85 million annually, and his contract runs through 2026-27. The Rangers have $3.709 million in available salary cap space, per PuckPedia. And that’s factoring in LTIR ramifications, since Fox, Matt Rempe, and Adam Edstrom each is on long-term injured reserve.

The Canucks have less than $200,000 in available cap space, with defenseman Derek Forbort on LTIR.

A smooth financial fit for each side is to have Alexis Lafreniere be the main return for Hughes, since the 24-year-old makes $7.45 million through 2031-32. So, for argument’s sake, the Rangers trade Lafreniere, one of their two first-round picks in the 2026 draft, and a prospect, say Brennan Othmann, for Hughes. Maybe the Rangers also get a mid-level prospect or mid-round draft pick back as well. Perhaps, the Canucks want rookie defenseman Scott Morrow included in the deal, since they’ll need a good, young puck distributor to help fill the Hughes void.

That may not be enough for the Canucks, who can expect serious offers from many teams, including the New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals, and Detroit Red Wings. But it’s an intriguing offer, especially since the Canucks long had interest in Lafreniere.

Nick Kypreos: Re Quinn Hughes: It seems the going rate for a team wishing to acquire Hughes is a combination of four or five pieces, including roster players, prospects and first-rounders. The Canucks are seeking those first-rounders to be unprotected – Sportsnet (12/9)

— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) December 11, 2025

If it’s not enough, and the Rangers really want Hughes, do they swallow hard and include top prospect Gabe Perreault? That’d leave the Rangers mighty thin in their top-six forward group. Lafreniere is currently a staple there, and if he’s traded, Perreault is the most logical fit to replace him. It’s difficult to see the Rangers sending both forwards, plus a first-round pick, to the Canucks for a player we already deemed a luxury.

In this iteration, Perreault feels a bit untouchable. So, too, do young forwards Will Cuylle and Noah Laba. So, Lafreniere, Morrow, Othmann, and a first-rounder for Hughes. And maybe the Rangers get a piece to help up front.

Another possibility is the Rangers using Braden Schneider as another central figure in a bigger deal for Hughes. That’s another player the Canucks like a lot, and tried to acquire as recently as last season. Since, Schneider makes $2.2 million per season — though is an RFA with arbitration rights after this one ends — this specific trade scenario needs to be expanded because the numbers don’t add up cap-wise for the Rangers, and it’s not a big enough return from the Canucks point of view.

But how about this blockbuster? The Rangers send Lafreniere, Schneider, Othmann and/or Morrow, and a first-round pick to the Canucks for Hughes and Evander Kane, or Nils Hoglander if you prefer? Kane is a rugged veteran forward making $5.125 million in the final season of his contract. The inconsistent but talented Hoglander, makes $3 million per through 2027-28.

It’s all speculative at this point, though fun to go through the process. One thing for certain is that until he’s traded, Quinn Hughes will be the dominant name in NHL trade rumors.

Fox, who quarterbacks New York’s top power-play unit, sustained a left-arm injury on Nov. 29 that landed him on long-term injured reserve. In his absence, coach Mike Sullivan opted to use a five-forward setup with the No. 1 power-play group, with their top scorer, left wing Artemi Panarin, running the show.

The 2021 Norris Trophy winner and a 2023 finalist was tied for the Rangers scoring lead with Panarin at 26 points when he landed on LTIR. Fox has resumed skating, but is expected to miss several weeks.

His absence brought the power play to a crashing halt.

The Rangers were 0-for-3 and allowed a short-handed goal in a poorly played 3-0 road loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday. In the five games since Fox’s injury, the Rangers are 0-for-11 with the extra man and have a total of 14 shots on goal. Without Fox, the Rangers are out-scored 1-0 on their own power play.

“It’s one goal,” center Vincent Trocheck said about Louis Crevier’s shorty 7:08 into the second period that gave Chicago a lead it never relinquished. “We have a ton of game left. We can’t let that happen. That’s on us.”

Sullivan changed his power-play strategy during the game, moving rookie Scott Morrow into the quarterback role, and said afterward that he’s junking the five-forward approach, at least for now.

“They showed us enough to stay with it for as long as we have, but they showed us enough to make a change,” he said after the loss. “We put a defenseman up there. I’m not sure what we’re going to do moving forward, but obviously Fox is not an easy guy to replace.”

Rangers look for answers to Fox-less power-play issues

That’s an understatement. The Rangers were 13-for-61 (21.3 percent) on the power play in 27 games with Fox but have yet to score without him. He has a point on eight of the 13 power-play goals.

It’s also a big change from what Sullivan touted after practice Tuesday.

“I think the guys have done a really good job,” he said then. “We are competing hard. … I think the guys that have stepped in have done a really good job, just as far as bringing what they bring and not trying to do too much, playing within themselves, defending hard. So, we’ll continue to work at it.”

It looked like Morrow was going to be quarterbacking the power play when the Montreal Canadiens come to Madison Square Garden on Saturday night. But he was not on the top power-play unit at practice Friday — in fact, he and forward Johnny Brodzinski were not among the four forward lines or three defense pairs on the ice, indicating they’re unlikely to play Saturday.

Instead, Mika Zibanejad replaced Panarin at the point on PP1, and Vladislav Gavrikov, Fox’s regular partner, played on PP2 with four forwards.

But perhaps a bigger problem is the Rangers’ inability to draw power plays in the first place.

They’ve had just 72 opportunities in 32 games, an NHL-low 2.25 advantages per contest. In the five games without Fox, that average is 2.20 – including the 3-2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, when they didn’t have a single power play. They have more than three power plays in a game just three times this season.

Of their three man-advantages against the Blackhawks, two came in the final 13 minutes of the third period — after Chicago took a three-goal lead. They had all of one shot on goal in six minutes with the extra man, matching the Blackhawks total shorthanded.

Captain J.T. Miller said his team wasn’t very good with or without the extra man.

“They outcompeted us and outexecuted us,” Miller said. “We had trouble getting on the inside. It’s hard to score when you’re on the outside on the O-zone. They’re a man-on-man team. They kept us on the outside most of the night, created a lot of turnovers and defended well.”

The Rangers lived by the power play in 2023-24, scoring on 26.4 percent (65-for-246) of their opportunities when they won the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL regular-season champion. They dropped to 17.6 percent (37-for-210) last season, when they missed the playoffs, and are on pace for just 34 PPGs and 185 attempts this season. Those are numbers that could well keep them out of the postseason again.