Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad scratched, Matt Rempe game-time decision vs. Ducks
One of the most hyped New York Rangers’ games of the 2025-26 season, just added a couple more juicy subplots.
As if the return of Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba to Madison Square Garden with the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night isn’t enough, a couple major lineup decisions by the Rangers could steal the thunder of the duel homecoming.
Mika Zibanejad is a healthy scratch for the Rangers because he missed a team meeting. Some might joke that the 32-year-old forward simply couldn’t stand the thought of actually playing against his BFF, Kreider, whom the Rangers traded to the Ducks this past offseason.
But it’s no laughing matter. And it pained coach Mike Sullivan to follow through with this decision to sit the alternate captain, who’s tied for the Rangers lead with 11 goals and is third with 25 points in 33 games.
“Mika will not play tonight because he violated a team rule,” Sullivan said following the morning skate. “He missed a team meeting this morning. So, he won’t play tonight. He’ll be available [Tuesday, when the Rangers host the Vancouver Canucks].”
This is only the third game Zibanejad’s missed since the start of the 2020-21 season. Zibanejad is seventh in Rangers history both in goals (261) and points (614). He’s never been a disciplinary issue for the Rangers since coming over in a trade with the Ottawa Senators before the 2016-17 season.
“Mika and I had a conversation about it.,” Sullivan explained. “You know there are logistical challenges this city provides sometimes. But having said that, I think Mika understands the importance of the rules that we all expect of one another, and this is something, I think from his standpoint, he feels terribly. The one thing about Mika is he’s an honest person, he’s a great human being. He takes responsibility for it.
“It’s certainly not something we would like to happen. But having said that, we believe strongly in the process that we have in place.”
Matt Rempe ‘game-time decision’ after missing 24 games with injury for Rangers
Though it’s unclear how this affects New York’s line combinations, it appears Jonny Brodzinski draws back into the lineup, likely in a top-six role. Since Brodzinski can player center or on the wing, he could slot right into Zibanejad’s spot between Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. But that remains to be seen.
The Rangers practiced the power play during the morning skate, with Will Cuylle joining the five-forward PP1 and Panarin taking Zibanejad’s spot as the unit’s quarterback. Brodzinski then replaced Cuylle on the second power-play unit.
There could be one other big — literally and figuratively — change in the Rangers lineup Monday. Matt Rempe might be activated from LTIR to play his first game since sustaining an upper-body injury in a fight against Ryan Reaves of the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 23.
“He will be a game-time decision. But I would anticipate him being available,” Sullivan said about the 6-foot-9 forward.
Rempe has one goal and seven penalty minutes in nine games this season. He missed his 24th game Saturday, when the Rangers defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 in overtime at The Garden.
If he dresses, Rempe slots in on the fourth line with center Sam Carrick and winger Taylor Raddysh.
