What Rangers options are if Jonny Brodzinski leaves in free agency
Jonny Brodzinski is set to become an unrestricted free agent July 1, and it appears unlikely that he returns to the New York Rangers.
On the surface, that doesn’t appear to be a big deal, considering the 33-year-old slotted in the past few seasons as their 13th forward. But his value evolved into much more than that during his Rangers tenure, making his skates a bit larger to fill if he departs, as expected.
From serving as captain of the Rangers’ AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack, to mentoring some of the organization’s best prospects, all while filling virtually every role imaginable in the Blueshirts lineup, Brodzinski impacted the Rangers in a big way since first signing with them ahead of the 2020-21 season.
Once he finally established himself in the NHL with the Rangers, hopping off the New York/Hartford shuttle, Brodzinski averaged 55 games played and 18 points over the past three seasons. Those aren’t exciting numbers, but Brodzinski accepted his role, played center and on the wing, filled spots up and down the lineup as needed, and was an excellent leader and teammate throughout.
If his time on Broadway is indeed coming to an end, Chris Drury and company must decide how they’ll fill a significant hole. The Rangers likely won’t struggle to find another depth forward, but replacing Brodzinski himself is where things get tricky.
Do the Rangers look within the organization, or turn to free agency to replace Brodzinski?
Let’s examine the options.
Adam Sykora among Rangers options if they promote from within
Looking internally, the Rangers already have a handful of forwards who could try absorb some of the responsibilities Brodzinski handed over the years. Without adding another forward from outside the organization, the Rangers have a slew of bottom-six/13th forward options including Adam Sykora, Jaroslav Chmelar, Adam Edstrom, Matt Rempe, Brett Berard, veteran Taylor Raddysh, and even youngsters like Nathan Aspinall, Liam Greentree, Dylan Roobroeck, Brody Lamb, and Bryce McConell-Barker.
If seeking a true 13th forward, perhaps Raddysh, who’s 28, is the best fit. That is unless coach Mike Sullivan believes Raddysh still is a bottom-six lineup lock. Berard will be 24 next season and could fill that extra forward role, too, though he’s an RFA with arbitration rights and coming off a down year.
It makes little sense to have rookie pros Aspinall and Greentree sit in the press box and slot in from time to time. Either they make the team in a regular role, or they play big minutes at Hartford next season. Lamb turns 23 this summer, has four years of NCAA experience, and plays center, so he could be a possible fit.
If the Rangers trade Vincent Trocheck this summer, they need to replace him down the middle (unless a center is part of a return package). Perhaps that opens a spot for Lamb in the bottom six.
Noah Laba currently slots in as the fourth-line center, but a Trocheck trade could get him back in the 3C spot. Tye Kartye also has experience playing center, but seems to be best suited to play on the wing. Assuming Kartye and Laba play in the bottom six, that leaves four open spots on the third and fourth lines, plus a need for an extra forward on the roster. Right now that leaves the group mentioned at the top of this section fighting it out for five roster spots.
Many of those players are younger, so it’s hard to imagine, say, Sykora, Chmelar, or Lamb staying in New York if they’re not lineup regulars. It also points to why Brodzinski was such a great fit in that role the past three seasons.
Rangers could look to options in free agency
Teddy Blueger
Among the available free agents, Teddy Blueger may be one of the closest fits to the role Brodzinski filled. The 31-year-old center is coming off a two-year contract that carried $1.8 million cap hit with the Vancouver Canucks and could once again be available at an affordable price. However, at that price or a similar one, Blueger would be more of a lineup regular.
Blueger has experience playing throughout the lineup, kills penalties, wins face-offs, and can handle either a regular fourth-line role or slot higher in the lineup when needed. In 35 games with the Canucks last season, he recorded nine goals and 17 points after missing a significant portion of the year with a leg-muscle injury. More importantly, Vancouver’s coaches and media consistently pointed to his leadership and willingness to embrace whatever role was asked of him. Blueger served as a veteran mentor on a young roster, and that’s where the comparison becomes more interesting.
He also played for Sullivan in Pittsburgh with the Penguins for several seasons and won the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023. Not sure, he’s a fit as 13th forward, but he could replace the traded Sam Carrick down the middle in the bottom six.
Curtis Lazar
Curtis Lazar is another veteran who could make sense if the Rangers decide to look outside the organization. Signed by the Edmonton Oilers last summer for $775,000, Lazar spent much of the season doing exactly the type of work Brodzinski became known for, and more. He bounced in and out of the lineup, won face-offs at an elite rate (61.2 percent), killed penalties, and provided depth down the middle.
Lazar appeared in 45 games for the Oilers in 2025-26, recording four goals and six points while finishing fifth on the team with 95 hits despite being sidelined for half the season. At 31 years old, Lazar wouldn’t solve any major questions surrounding this roster, but if Drury is looking for another low-cost veteran, Lazar might be the guy.
Noel Acciari
If the Rangers decide they’re less concerned about replacing Brodzinski’s versatility and more focused on replacing his veteran presence, Noel Acciari could be another option. The 34-year-old is coming off a three-year contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins and is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Acciari isn’t the same type of player as Brodzinski. He’s more physical, more defensive-minded, and has spent much of his career serving as a bottom-six center. But much like Brodzinski, he’s built a reputation as a player coaches trust.
Last season, Acciari appeared in 67 games and scored 13 goals and 25 points, his highest totals in six years. He became an important part of the Penguins’ fourth line that many looked at as the backbone of the team. His flexibility in being able to play both center and wing is also a plus, and if the Rangers are headed in this direction, they would be adding a veteran depth forward capable of bringing physicality, penalty-killing experience, and defensive reliability.
