Rangers’ Tye Kartye ‘feeling good about my game’ with 2nd-chance opportunity
The Tye Kartye waiver claim continues to pay off for the New York Rangers.
The energetic forward appears to have found a home on Broadway since the Rangers claimed him off waivers from the Seattle Kraken last month. Kartye has three goals and nine points in 13 games with the Rangers, including the primary assist on their only goal in a 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Monday.
With his setup on Conor Sheary’s third-period goal, Kartye now has more points with the Rangers than he did in 40 games with the Kraken (8) earlier this season.
Part of the reason for that is receiving a bigger opportunity in New York, where he’s averaging a career-high 14:15 TOI per game. With the playoff-contending Kraken, he logged 10:42 per game.
Kartye, who turns 25 on April 30, regularly kills penalties for the Rangers, just as he did with the Kraken. But now he’s getting more even-strength playing time on New York’s third line, as opposed to largely a fourth-line role in Seattle.
He’s earned the increased ice-time by providing a jolt of energy, along with plenty of speed and physicality, to the Rangers lineup.
Tye Kartye on offensive surge with Rangers
Kartye also has shown a nice scoring touch, and a willingness to go to the dirty areas to score goals. That shouldn’t be such a surprise, since he netted 45 goals for Sault-Sainte Marie of the Ontario Hockey League in 2021-22, which helped the undrafted free agent land a contract with the Kraken.
He then scored 28 goals as a first-year pro with Coachella Valley of the American Hockey League in 2022-23, leading all AHL rookies with 57 points. That earned him a playoff call-up to the Kraken, where he had five points and was plus-six in 10 games.
As of late, Kartye’s been playing with Sheary and captain J.T. Miller, who moved to center on the third line after Noah Laba‘s recent injury. Miller set up Kartye’s goal Sunday, which put the Rangers on the board early in the second period in an eventual 3-2 shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets.
Kartye credited Miller for his strong play to set up his goal, as well as another Grade-A chance in front later on that was denied by Jets goalie Eric Comrie.
“That’s his game,” Kartye said of Miller. “He’s super strong. He puts guys on his back, and he makes plays from there. I’m getting used to playing with him in that sense and trying to give him some space, because he’ll hold off guys then make a play.
“That’s exactly what he did that whole that shift. He’s making plays up the wall [and] down the wall there. I think just giving him some space there, because he’ll find you.”
Kartye had excellent chemistry 5v5 and on the PK with Laba right from the get-go after arriving on Broadway, but relishes the opportunity to play alongside Miller.
“He’s an incredible player,” Kartye said of Miller. “He’s been an elite producer in this league. Just trying to find open spots because he’s going to find you.”
Miller is equally impressed with his new linemate.
“I like playing with guys like that that are relentless,” Miller said Sunday. “He’s a very good forechecker. He’s backing the [defense] off, even if he doesn’t have the puck he’s backing them off. It’s a simple game. I like playing with him and [Sheary].
“Tye had a big game today. He was a big part of the success we had.”
Tye Kartye ‘same player’ but with better results for Rangers
Kartye made his NHL debut in the Game 5 of the Kraken’s first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs; he scored three goals on just 13 shots in 10 postseason games that spring against Colorado and the Dallas Stars.
So, he’s certainly not afraid of the spotlight. Something’s he’s proven again in New York since being claimed on waivers.
Kartye was buried on Seattle’s fourth line for much of his three-season tenure out west, but found new life on the third line in New York. He has three goals on only 13 shots (23.1 percent) since joining the Rangers and taken advantage of his opportunity to play with two-way players that also have offensive skill.
“It’s definitely exciting to play here and play with such great players,” Kartye said Sunday. “Me and my linemates, since I’ve been here, have been really good. Just trying to keep that going.”
A career 10.3 percent shooter, his current rate of finding the back of the net in New York is not sustainable. But he’s focused on rounding out his entire game, not just goal scoring.
“Just continue to build my game [and] just keep playing well,” Kartye said of his goals the rest of the season. “There’s not a specific goal for me but just keep showing the type of player I am and the type of player I want to be.
“I’m the same player. I’m the same guy. I feel I’ve had more success here, and I don’t know why that is, but I’m feeling good about my game.”
