Rangers vs. Red Wings: Lineups, storylines for important Original 6 clash
Yet again, the New York Rangers take to the road, looking to get right after another losing effort on home ice. This time they’re in Detroit to face off against the Red Wings on Friday night, after extending their home winless streak to six games earlier in the week.
This early-season cycle features two distinctly different parts for the Rangers (6-6-2). On the road, they’re an NHL-best 6-1-1 and have points in seven of eight games. Back home at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers can’t score (six goals in six games) and are a League-worst 0-5-1, an all-time bad start in franchise history.
The Rangers were shut out for the fourth time on Garden ice when they lost 3-0 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. This came on the heels of three straight wins to close out a four-game road trip, when coach Mike Sullivan proclaimed that the Rangers had their “swagger” back.
This is an important game. There’s a good chance that the Red Wings (9-5-0) will be among the teams that the Rangers must battle for a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference all season, so these head-to-head games are crucial.
The Rangers swept the season series in 2024-25, though all three games were early on, before New York hit the skids and Detroit found its footing. This should be a more representative showing for each team — and the rematch a week from Sunday at MSG is equally as important.
Neither team made the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. In fact, the Red Wings haven’t reached the postseason since 2015-16. Each team is hungry to get back there again, perhaps at the expense of the other. Which, to the original point, makes this an important contest.
Though they were shut out 1-0 by the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, the Red Wings are tied with the Boston Bruins for second in the Atlantic Division with 18 points. They’ve won four of their past six overall, had a five-game winning streak earlier in the season, and are 5-1-0 on home ice.
History is on the Rangers side, however. They’ve defeated their Original Six rival in six consecutive games, and earned points in 26 of the past 30 head-to-head meetings (18-4-8), dating to Nov. 5, 2014.
3 storylines when Rangers visit Red Wings
1. Is tonight the night?
Artemi Panarin carries a six-game pointless streak into Little Caesars Arena on Friday, and has seven points (two goals, five assists) in 14 games this season. New York’s leading scorer each of the past six seasons has one four-point game to his credit so far, and points in just four of 14 games overall.
“Obviously, we rely on him to produce offensively and to drive offense,” Sullivan explained Thursday after practice. “We’re trying to help him work through some of the challenges. We’ve had him on a number of different lines. I’ve tried my best to stay out of his way offensively and allow him to do his thing. … Although he hasn’t gotten rewarded, I think his game is improving, he’s getting more looks. … Nobody cares more than him. He wants to help this team and he knows this team relies on him to produce offensively.”
To change his luck, Panarin shaved his head this week. That drastic move worked pretty darn well in 2023-24, when the Breadman chopped off his locks before the season and then scored 49 goals and totaled 120 points, second-most in Rangers history.
If that doesn’t work, perhaps playing against the Red Wings will. Panarin has 16 goals and 41 points in 25 career games against them.
2. Ch-ch-ch-changes
The Rangers showed different line combinations again Thursday. If they carry over into the game Friday, the biggest change will be that New York won’t load up the top line. Instead, J.T. Miller will center Alexis Lafreniere and Will Cuylle. Panarin and Mika Zibanejad remain together, with Taylor Raddysh moving up to play right wing with them.
Jonny Brodzinski moves up to the third line, Juuso Parssinen bumps down to the fourth line. Rookie Jaroslav Chmelar likely makes his NHL debut and replaces Adam Edstrom in the lineup.
Why the changes, coach?
“Because we haven’t had a comfort level with production, I mean, isn’t that obvious?,” Sullivan stated. “I just feel like … we’ve got to find ways to score goals. … Trying to be proactive.”
In addition, Connor Mackey may draw into the lineup and replace Matthew Robertson on the third defense pair alongside Braden Schneider.
3. Tweak to power play
One other change for the Rangers comes on the power play. Cuylle replaced Lafreniere on the top unit at practice because Sullivan wants more of a net-front presence on the power play, someone more willing to play the Chris Kreider role, creating screens, tipping shots, and making life miserable for the opposing goalie.
The Rangers are 31st in the NHL on the power play (11.1 percent) and 0-for-12 in their past five games. They’ve scored two power-play goals in their past 27 opportunities dating to Oct. 12, a span of 11 games.
For what it’s worth, the Red Wings’ penalty kill is good. They’re seventh in the League (87.2 percent) and allowed one power-play goal in their past five games.
New York Rangers projected lineup
Artemi Panarin — Mika Zibanejad — Taylor Raddysh
Will Cuylle– J.T. Miller — Alexis Lafreniere
Conor Sheary — Noah Laba — Jonny Brodzinski
Juuso Parssinen — Sam Carrick — Jaroslav Chmelar
Vladislav Gavrikov — Adam Fox
Carson Soucy — Will Borgen
Connor Mackey — Braden Schneider
Jonathan Quick
Igor Shesterkin
Rangers vs. Red Wings: When, where, what time, how to watch
Who: New York Rangers vs. Detroit Red Wings
When: Friday Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena
How to watch: MSG
