Key takeaways after Rangers make strategic changes to balance lineup
If Saturday’s practice is any indication, there will be changes in all four of the New York Rangers’ forward line combinations against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome on Sunday night.
Towering forward Matt Rempe will miss his first game of the season, after he sustained an upper-body injury following a first-period fight in a 6-5 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. With Rempe back in New York, the Rangers recalled 2021 first-round pick (No. 16 overall) Brennan Othmann on Friday, and he’s expected to be in the lineup against Calgary.
Coach Mike Sullivan is taking advantage of the personnel change to switch things around, making alterations to all of his lines at practice. Afterward, he conceded he’s trying to create more balance.
“I would acknowledge that,” Sullivan said. “Would you guys agree?”
Creating that balance is more difficult without center Vincent Trocheck. The seven-time 50-point scorer is sidelined since Oct. 9 with an upper-body injury.
Trocheck is on LTIR, and eligible to return for the finale of this road trip Saturday against the Seattle Kraken. But Sullivan revealed that the 32-year-old didn’t travel with the Rangers for their four-game swing through Western Canada and Seattle, and his return isn’t imminent. That means the Rangers must make do with what they have.
A matchup against the moribund Flames is a good way to start their first lengthy road trip. Calgary opened the season with a 4-3 shootout win over the Edmonton Oilers but is 0-7-1 since then, and last in the League standings with three points.
Perhaps New York’s new-look forward lines can provide a spark. Here are the biggest takeaways from Sullivan’s rejiggered groupings.
1. Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad split up
Sullivan’s most notable change was separating two of his best playmakers, Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad.
Buoyed by a four-point outing on Oct. 18 against the Montreal Canadiens, Panarin’s seven points are tied with Adam Fox for the team lead. Zibanejad hasn’t been as noticeable on the stat sheet — he has five points (three goals, two assists) — but is one of New York’s most consistent play drivers and continues to get plenty of high-danger looks, as evidenced by a team-leading 4.27 individual expected goals (ixG), per Natural Stat Trick.
Zibanejad began the season on the wing alongside center J.T. Miller, but returned to the middle with Trocheck sidelined. He’s been accompanied by Panarin on left wing in each of the past seven games, with the two logging more than 85 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time together.
Sullivan typically matched Miller’s line against the opponent’s top offensive trio, leaving the job of leading the offense to Zibanejad and Panarin. To their credit, the tandem has a 60.67 expected goals for percentage at 5-on-5 — although they’ve produced just two goals at even strength in the past seven games.
If creating more balance is Sullivan’s goal, splitting Panarin and Zibanejad is an easy way to distribute the scoring talent across a top-six forward group that could use a kickstart.
At practice, Panarin played left wing on a line with Miller and Taylor Raddysh, and Zibanejad centered for Conor Sheary and Alexis Lafreniere. Miller and Lafreniere have struggled offensively so far, so Sullivan hopes using Panarin and Zibanejad to anchor the top two lines will spread things out.
2. Will Cuylle moved out of top six
Another player off to a less-than-ideal start is Will Cuylle, who was a bright spot during the Rangers’ dismal 2024-25 season. He finished with 20 goals and 45 points, and set a team record with 301 hits.
The 23-year-old played almost exclusively on the third line during his first two NHL seasons, but began 2025-26 playing left wing in the top six. The results have left much to be desired; Cuylle has one point (a goal), and is minus-3 in nine games.
The 2020 second-round pick has struggled to adapt to the move up in the lineup, particularly in regard to vision and puck-moving. Sullivan opted for a change Saturday, putting Cuylle with a pair of 22-year-olds, center Noah Laba and the recently recalled Othmann, on the third line.
It’s by far the youngest line combination possible with the current roster.
Cuylle thrived last season playing near the goal line, when he routinely cleaned up messes around the net. He could find similar success against more favorable defensive matchups.
3. Brennan Othmann projected to play on third line
Othmann’s recall was a notable one, particularly because the former first-round pick was sent down to AHL Hartford even before the final round of training camp cuts — ahead of fellow youngsters Brett Berard and Gabe Perreault.
With Rempe out, Othmann is projected to play Sunday — likely in the bottom six, considering that he skated with Cuylle and Laba at practice.
Trade rumors are casting doubt about the 22-year-old’s future in New York. But the recall gives Othmann another chance to prove himself at the NHL level after a disappointing 22-game stint in 2024-25, when he didn’t score a goal and managed just two assists.
Othmann’s been a proficient goal-scorer in junior hockey and the AHL, although he has yet to turn on the red light in his 25 NHL games. But if he can showcase his offensive talent and play sound defensively within Sullivan’s system, he’ll have the opportunity to carve out an NHL role, and perhaps earn a spot in the top six.
4. Taylor Raddysh cracks top six after hat trick vs. Sharks
Raddysh’s second career hat trick helped the Rangers avoid going home empty-handed on Thursday. It was an impressive showing from a journeyman player who scored just seven goals in 80 games with the Washington Capitals in 2024-25 and had five in 73 games in 2023-24 with the Chicago Blackhawks.
He scored just once in his first eight games with the Rangers, but now leads them with four goals in nine games. Perhaps that’s an indictment of a Rangers offense that’s produced just 2.33 goals per game, second-worst in the League. Nonetheless, his offensive production is a pleasant surprise, earning the 27-year-old an opportunity in the top six.
Raddysh played right wing on the top line at practice Saturday with Panarin and Miller. He won’t be able to maintain his current 40.0 shooting percentage — but as long as he can hold his own, the move allows Sullivan to spread his talent across four lines, and keep his top scorers in the top six.
Raddysh isn’t likely to become a fixture in New York’s top six this season, but it makes sense for Sullivan to reward someone who’s got the hot hand.
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