All three are expected in the lineup after it was announced Friday that Jacob Trouba would miss up to three weeks with a lower body injury. Additionally, Adam Edstrom was sent down to the Hartford Wolf Pack, but Matt Rempe will stick around on the fourth line or as the extra forward.

The Rangers are coming of a 4-2 loss to the Florida Panthers and are 1-2-1 in their past four after winning 10 straight. However, the new additions are ready to give the team a boost by filling holes due to injuries. That includes Wennberg, who will take over as the third-line center after Filip Chytil was lost for the season.

“Obviously, [the Rangers] have the firepower really offensively, so for me coming in as a third-line center I think is perfect,” Wennberg said Thursday after his acquisition. “I can play both sides, so if it’s to play a 200-foot game or the PK, I’m ready for it.”

Meanwhile, Kaapo Kakko has remained with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider at practice this week, but that could change with Roslovic’s late addition on Friday, just 15 minutes before the deadline ended.

The 27-year-old may slot in on that line or start with fellow new addition Wennberg and left wing Will Cuylle on the third line. Regardless, one thing is clear, he’s a straight-line player that’s effective in gaining the zone thanks to his wheels.

“Speed, hands, scoring,” Agent Claude Lemieux told Forever Blueshirts about what the Rangers are getting in Roslovic. “And able to play with any of the top players they have!”

Finally, the 33-year-old Ruhwedel will likely replace the injured Trouba. A veteran of 12 NHL seasons, he’s a right-handed shot that can play both sides.

Here’s today’s game and broadcast info:

New York Rangers (40-18-4) vs St. Louis Blues (32-28-3)
Date/Time: March 9, 2024 @ 7:30 PM ET
Arena: Madison Square Garden
TV: MSG
Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM

Note: Subject to change, updated for each game

Related: Rangers add Jack Roslovic at end of trade deadline

New York Rangers projected lineup

Here’s the expected lineup:

Kreider – Zibanejad – Roslovic
Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere
Cuylle – Wennberg – Kakko
Vesey – Goodrow – Rempe

Lindgren – Fox
Miller – Schneider
Jones – Gustafsson

Shesterkin
Quick

Update: Coach Peter Laviolette said at optional morning skate that Braden Schneider will move up to take Trouba’s spot next to K’Andre Miller and that he’s still sorting out what the bottom defense pairing will look like. It is believed that Jonny Brodzinski and Ruhwedel will be the healthy scratches, but that’s not official.

New York Rangers vs St. Louis Blues

The Rangers sit at 84 points and are four points up on the second-place Carolina Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division. As the teams fight for first-place, Carolina went big at the deadline acquiring top trade target Jake Guentzel, whom the Blueshirts refused to pay the hefty price needed to acquire a rental. Also, the Canes traded for Evgeny Kuznetsov in order to bolster their offensive attack.

All that being said, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette is just focused on dealing with the next matchup versus the Blues.

“Having a couple of days off was good,” he noted. “Back to work with games. It gets really busy with the schedule, so we’ll take advantage of the rest we had.”

This season, the Blueshirts are 21-8-0 at the Garden and 6-1-0 in their last seven contests on home ice.

The Blues are 14-17-2 on the road, have lost two straight and sit six points out of the second wild card in the Western Conference. They remained pat at the deadline, despite talk they could trade former Blueshirts forward Pavel Buchnevich.

This is the second and final meeting between the teams this season. Jordan Kyrou had a hat trick in a 5-2 Blues win Jan. 11 in St. Louis.

Upcoming Rangers Milestones

• Jonathan Quick is 1 win away from tying Dominik Hasek (389) for 15th all-time
• Igor Shesterkin is 1 game away from 200 in his career
• K’Andre Miller is 1 point away from 100 career points
• Chris Kreider is 4 goals aways from 300 in his career
• Vincent Trocheck is 1 game away from 700 in his career

The Rangers needed a talented center to replace Filip Chytil, whose season ended on Jan. 28 when he was shut down with an upper-body injury. Wennberg will be a great addition to the bottom six with 25 points in 60 games.

“This is what the Rangers need,” said Jim Cerny on the latest Forever Blueshirts Show. “He’s a solid veteran two-way center.”

Related: Can the Rangers reunite with Pavel Buchnevich?

5 Interesting Facts about Alexander Wennberg

When he pulls on a Rangers sweater for the first time, he’ll be the team’s ninth-highest scorer in 2023-24, with one more point than K’Andre Miller (24 points) and one behind fellow Swede Erik Gustafsson (26 points).

Although New York fans may remember Wennberg from his days with the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he skated with Artemi Panarin, everyone should know a few interesting things about the latest addition to the Rangers’ lineup.

Wennberg will be New York’s 45th Swedish-born player

Wennberg was born on Sept. 22, 1994, in Stockholm, Sweden. He is 16 months younger than Mika Zibanejad, the Rangers’ all-time leading scorer from the Nordic country. Wennberg’s debut on Broadway will mark the first time the duo skates together since the 2013 U20 World Junior Championships in Ufa, Russia.

The Rangers have employed 44 Swedish-born players, with 17 skating over 100 games and 11 reaching 100 points. Wennberg has played 693 games and scored 90 goals with 240 assists for 330 points, which ranks 63rd overall amongst skaters from Sweden.

Wennberg’s favorite opposing goalie is Andrei Vasilevskiy

On Dec. 22, 2014, Wennberg scored his first NHL goal on Pekka Rinne. After 693 games, Wennberg has scored a penalty shot (Feb. 16, 2016) and two hat tricks (Apr. 3, 2021, and May 8, 2021), beating 53 different goalies in his career. Although he’s never lit the lamp on Igor Shesterkin, he has two goals against Jonathan Quick and four on franchise icon Henrik Lundqvist.

However, Wennberg’s favorite opposing goalie to play (six goals) is a Rangers’ rival, Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning. While skating with the Blue Jackets, he netted his first in 2016 before collecting five during the single season he played with the Florida Panthers in 2020-21.

See you soon, Wenny. pic.twitter.com/8ZwDxLOSpc

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 7, 2024

Wennberg is a three-time silver medalist in World Junior competitions

In 2010, Wennberg joined the Djurgårdens IF J18 program in his hometown of Stockholm, suiting up for some games with the J18 Allsvenska team, too. After earning a promotion through the program, dressing with the J20 SuperElit team in 2011-12, he eventually got called to the Djurgårdens IF team in HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s top junior league.

That year, Wennberg made his international debut, winning a silver medal at the U18 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic. The following season, he was selected for the U20 team, winning another silver medal in Ufa, Russia. In 2013, He finished his junior career as an alternate captain on the U20 team that won silver on home ice in Malmö, Sweden, getting voted Sweden’s Junior Hockey Player of the Year (Årets Junior).

As a senior-level player with Team Sweden, Wennberg has collected 18 points in 14 games at the 2016 and 2019 World Championships, where Tre Kronor finished sixth and fifth, respectively.

Wennberg is cousins with Simon Johansson and Anton Johansson

At the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, the Blue Jackets selected Wennberg with the 14th overall pick. He was the second Swedish player taken in the draft after the Carolina Hurricanes selected Elias Lindholm with the fifth overall pick. Considering he was ranked the fifth-best European-born skater, he ended up as the fifth player chosen from outside of North America.

Wennberg is the 11th highest-scorer from his draft class, with Nathan MacKinnon and Aleksander Barkov at the top. Interestingly, he has two cousins, Simon Johnsson and his brother Anton Johansson, who are prospects for the Minnesota Wild (148th overall, 2018 draft) and Detroit Red Wings (105th overall, 2022 draft). Neither has yet to make their NHL debuts, with Simon playing in the AHL and Anton in the SHL for 2023-24.

Wennberg has yet to score against the San Jose Sharks, Ottawa Senators, and Seattle Kraken

The Kraken acquired Wennberg on July 28, 2021, as one of their first-ever free-agent signings. Since he has played with the club for the past two and half seasons, he has yet to have the opportunity to score against them. The Swedish forward has collected a goal against 29 of the 32 teams, excluding the Ottawa Senators (seven assists), San Jose Sharks (five assists), and Kraken.

Alex Wennberg with the powerplay dagger!

Way to stick with that puck and crash the net. That's a hard-earned goal. 2-0 Kraken with under 5 to go. pic.twitter.com/63geRg5mvN

— Emerald City Hockey (@EmeraldCityHky) March 1, 2024

After 10 seasons, his favorite opponents are the Chicago Blackhawks (16 points), Boston Bruins (15 points), and Edmonton Oilers (15 points). Thanks to a career points-per-game average of 0.476, he’s spread out his offensive production, earning a best 52 points in games played in November, January, and March.

According to Stathead.com, Wennberg scored his 26th and 27th career goals thanks to assists from Panarin in October and December 2017, when the pair skated together for two seasons in Columbus from 2017 to 2019.

Additionally, Larry Brooks of the NY Post reaffirms Forever Blueshirts report that Anaheim Ducks Frank Vatrano is a top target.

“I keep hearing his name, but they are going to have to do something to entice Pat Verbeek (Ducks GM) to move him,” a source told us in late February. “He’s not in the position where he’s walking out the door for nothing, so he won’t be looking to sell at any cost.”

Rangers may be getting traction on Wennberg…In addition, told NYR have more interest in Vatrano than Henrique….

— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) March 4, 2024

Rangers working on trades

Wennberg, 29, has registered 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 60 games this season. The Rangers are among several teams that have expressed interest in Wennberg, including the Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche.

Per Arthur Staple, there’s a possibility the Rangers could be using a third team to lower Wennberg’s AAV. A second-round pick and a prospect to Seattle for Wennberg, and a fourth or fifth round selection to another team may drive his cap hit to as low as $1.125 million.

#NYR could use a third team to get double retention on Wennberg to keep the cap hit down to $1.125m… 2nd and a prospect to SEA/4th or 5th elsewhere could get it done

— Arthur Staple (@StapeNHL) March 4, 2024

Meanwhile, Vatrano is a player that could spark Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider’s to start scoring more 5v5.

The former Blueshirts forward has an NHL career-high 29 goals in an All-Star season, and has another year left on his contract with a $3.65 million which means he isn’t a rental.

“The price for Frank Vatrano is high,” Elliotte Friedman wrote in his 32 Thoughts blog Monday. “He’d be perfect in many places, but someone reminded me that, a year ago, there was interest in [center Adam] Henrique, but [Ducks] GM Pat Verbeek made it clear if he didn’t get what he wanted, he could wait.”

Initially, Forever Blueshirts was told that the Rangers 2024 second-round pick along with either prospect Brett Berard or Matthew Robertson may be enough to get it done. Based on the latest reports, that pick now has to be a first rounder.

One final note, we have also learned that an upgrade over Erik Gustafsson is also on general manager’s Chris Drury’s radar. A name brought to my attention is Joel Edmundson in Washington.

Edmundson, 30, has played 44 games this season and amassed six points (1 goal, 5 assists). The pending UFA comes with a $1.75 million cap hit, that could come down with salary retention. A defensemen prospect like Matthew Robertson or Zac Jones could get the deal done.

So why Edmundson? He won the Stanley Cup in 2019 with the St. Louis Blues and played in the Stanley Cup Final in 2021 for the Montreal Canadiens, who fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The latest from the NHL rumor mill attaches the Blueshirts to center Alex Wennberg. The New York Post reported that the Rangers have “identified” Wennberg as a possible target.

It’s not a surprise the Rangers would check in with the Seattle Kraken on the 29-year-old center. Wennberg is best suited to a 3C role, could play up in an emergency and is a rental, since he can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

The Rangers are seeking a center, with Filip Chytil out for the season due to an upper-body injury believed to be a concussion. Jonny Brodzinski has drawn high praise from coach Peter Laviolette for his play on the third line, but with eyes on winning the Stanley Cup, the Rangers will be looking to upgrade at the position.

Related: Rangers sign Jonny Brodzinski to two-year contract extension

Prod and cons of Rangers trading for Alexander Wennberg

Wennberg is not a slam-dunk option, though, for the Rangers. First, his salary cap hit is $4.5 million, so the Rangers need the Kraken to likely take on half that salary. But not at the expense of New York’s first-round pick in the 2024 draft.

The Rangers have other holes to fill, notably a top-line right wing to play alongside Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. That appeared to be a priority even before Blake Wheeler went down last week with a season-ending lower-body injury,

If the Rangers deal their first-round pick, it’d more likely be to secure a right wing, like a reunion with Anaheim Ducks forward Frank Vatrano, who isn’t a rental with another season remaining on his contract.

So, the Kraken would likely have to make do with a prospect or two, perhaps a secondary draft pick, though the Rangers don’t have a second-rounder in 2025 nor 2026 and they already traded away their third-round picks in 2024 and 2025.

Assuming logistics could be worked out, Wennberg would provide New York a veteran presence between Kaapo Kakko and Will Cuylle on the third line. He’s never really met expectations offensively since producing 59 points (13 goals, 46 assists) with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2016-17. He has 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 55 games this season, skating almost exclusively with Jaden Schwartz (a five-time 20-goal scorer).

What a move from Alex Wennberg at the blueline. Made Rust look silly. pic.twitter.com/E1o4qVnaan

— Emerald City Hockey (@EmeraldCityHky) January 15, 2024

Wennberg plays in all situations for the Kraken. He averages 18:40 in ice time, including 1:51 per game on the power play. He also plays on the penalty kill. His 60 blocked shots are a plus, but his miserable 46.2 face-off winning percentage is not.

He has been on for five goals more than those against (35-30) but his expected goals for 5×5 is 49 percent. Not great, playing in a top-six role.

One would think that Adam Henrique might be a better fit here. The Anaheim Ducks center is far more productive, even if six years older. But the pending UFA could cost the Rangers that coveted first-round pick.

Rangers general manager Chris Drury has a bit more than two weeks to sort this all out and fill a couple holes to set the Rangers up for a run this spring in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

That’s what Rangers general manager Chris Drury is wrestling with. And knowing Drury’s track record of swinging trades before the deadline, you’d expect he’s actively finding out which centers are available now, even as Chytil recuperates from an upper-body injury back home in Czechia.

New York entered 2023-24 with quality depth at center. But the loss of Chytil 10 games into the season created a domino effect that has taxed their depth.

Peter Laviolette says the Rangers are "hopeful" that Filip Chytil can return this season: pic.twitter.com/gqN0nKpwXx

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) December 30, 2023

Vincent Trocheck replaced Chytil on the second line with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere, and that threesome has been one of the most productive lines in the NHL. Mika Zibanejad, of course, centers for Chris Kreider to form a potent 1-2 punch on the top line. Kaapo Kakko, who missed 21 games with a lower-body injury, is now back on that line playing right wing. So, all good in the top six.

From there, though, things are not as good. Nick Bonino, known for his defensive game, has been asked to anchor the third line after Trocheck moved up. Barclay Goodrow and Jonny Brodzinski have spent time as fourth-line pivot. Those three have combined for four goals in 107 games, leaving the Rangers with virtually no production from their bottom-six centers.

And though Chytil has resumed skating, a timetable for his return remains unknown, leaving Rangers general manager Chris Drury in a position to look to add down the middle ahead of the trade deadline.

So, let’s examine what the Rangers’ options are at center.

Related: Rangers’ biggest surprises in 1st half of 2023-24 season

5 centers Rangers could target ahead of 2024 NHL trade deadline

Sean Monahan – Montreal Canadiens

The sixth overall pick by the Calgary Flames in the 2013 NHL Draft, Monahan is healthy and producing at his best rate in years with the Canadiens. He’s scored 11 goals and 27 points through 44 games, and if those rates continue, he’ll have his best offensive season since 2019-20, when he had 22 goals and 48 points with the Flames. 

The 29-year-old could be a perfect fit on New York’s third line, as he has respectable underlying numbers on what’s been a bad Montreal squad. On top of that, he’s been a solid performer in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) in 30 games, all with Calgary.

A bonus for the Rangers is that Monahan has an affordable $1.985 million salary cap hit and is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season

Will former Rangers GM Jeff Gorton be willing to help his replacement? We’ll see in a few weeks.

Alexander Wennberg – Seattle Kraken

The Rangers had a front row seat to watch Wennberg up close Tuesday when the Kraken visited The Garden. Will he call New York home come March?

It feels like a very long time ago when Wennberg nearly posted 60 points as a 22-year-old with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2016-17. But since then, he’s become a solid middle-six center.

The on pace for another 35-point season, which is essentially what he’s been for the last half decade. His advanced stats aren’t impressive and he’s not the sexiest name on this list, but he’d likely be available since he’s a UFA at season’s end.

Elias Lindholm – Calgary Flames

The biggest name on this list is likely the one most out of reach for Drury and the Rangers.

The 29-year-old is now two years removed from his only point-per game season, and the numbers this season aren’t great (eight goals, 29 points in 44 games). But he’s a four-time 20-goal scorer who’s been a top-six mainstay for years with the Flames.

Power play goal for Calgary!

Scored by Elias Lindholm with 12:11 remaining in the 2nd period.

Assisted by Nazem Kadri and Yegor Sharangovich.

Anaheim: 0
Calgary: 2#CGYvsANA #FlyTogether #Flames pic.twitter.com/X0lj0X5Lnu

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) December 22, 2023

Lindholm’s role in New York wouldn’t be to drive the offense, but rather anchor the bottom-six, and he’s done that very well during his career in becoming one of the better two-way forwards in the game as evidenced by three top-10 Selke finishes.

The bidding war for the impending UFA will be high and likely more than the Rangers want to spend on a third-line center. Plus the Flames are fighting for a playoff spot in the Western Conference and may want to add, not subtract a player with Lindholm’s track record.

Adam Henrique – Anaheim Ducks

The name likely still sends shivers down the backs of Rangers fans, but Henrique is having a strong season in SoCal as he approaches his 34th birthday.

The former New Jersey Devil center, who KO’d the Rangers with an overtime goal in Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Final, has 11 goals and 24 points in 43 games. The Ducks are bad, in a rebuild and likely to sell off assets come March.

Henrique has the largest cap hit in this group ($5.825 million) but is a free agent at the end of the season. He’s also a consistent 40-point player and contributes on the penalty kill, making him an ideal possibility to fill a void in New York.

Jack Roslovic – Columbus Blue Jackets

Probably the name with the biggest long-term upside, the youngest member of this list is a strong two-way forward even if the offensive numbers haven’t been there this season on another bad Blue Jackets club. The 26-year-old hasn’t scored in eight games since returning from a fractured ankle (against the Rangers on Nov. 12) and has two goals and 10 points in 22 games.

However, the former first-round pick has posted back-to-back 40-point seasons, including a 22-goal campaign in 2021-22.

Roslovic is an unrestricted free agent this summer and making $4 million. Like with Montreal, Drury would have to work with his predecessor John Davidson in Columbus to get a deal done. But with how things have gone for the Blue Jackets this season, it appears everything not bolted down has a price.

Alexander Wennberg (26 years-old)

The Columbus Blues Jackets have just bought out Swedish center, Alexander Wennberg. While his production has slipped over the last few years, the move was primarily financial.

Here’s why Wennberg is of great interest. He was drafted by Columbus while John Davidson was at the helm. When the Jackets acquired Artemi Panarin, John Tortorella had this to say, “I’m going to match him with Wennberg who I think is one of the better playmakers in the league.”

When Panarin and Wennberg were paired they did a great job in the possession game. The issue is they need a trigger man since both players are pass first guys. If Kaapo Kakko is committed to shooting the puck as he showed in the qualifying round, this could work.

Of course, how much will Wennberg want and can he rediscover his game with Panarin? His best season was in 2016-17 where he notched 59 points, the decline has been pretty steep since. Note that Panarin joined the Jackets in 2017-18.

Since Alex is just 26 he could experience a resurgence. Worse case, if the deal is right he could play 3rd line center and distribute pucks there. It wouldn’t hurt Alexis Lafreniere and Vitali Kravtsov to have a legit playmaker on that line.

Kyle Turris (31 years-old)

The Predators have bought out Kyle Turris, and the Rangers could give him a look on a one or two year deal. Obviously, the deal has to fit financially and the term can’t be more than one or two years.

Turris is decent on face-offs, and has a career CF% of 51 (playing on some bad teams too). He’d make a nice third line center for a team looking to improve down the middle.

Turris notched 9 goals in and 31 points in 62 games last season. He has 50 point potential, and that could benefit young wingers like Vitali Kravtsov, Brendan Lemieux, or Julien Gauthier.

Mikko Koivu (37 years old)

This Finnish center is long in the tooth and would be a one year deal on the cheap. His contract would be bonus laden and he would make a nice mentor to Kaapo Kakko next season.

You can call this a low risk / moderate reward type deal if the Rangers really can’t find anyone else out there. He would be a third line center at best for this team and allows the Rangers to bring back Strome at a decent price.

While I am not giddy over this idea, it would not hurt to have a reliable center who can still score. Koivu is also a face-off master with a career average of 54% and that can come in handy too.

Latest NHL Rumors!

The goalie market is beyond flooded. Get the latest here.

The Blue Jackets, according to league sources, appear to be considering a contract buyout of their former first-round draft pick, a player who appeared to be on the cusp of becoming a No. 1 center just three seasons ago. It’s a decision that could save the Blue Jackets $10.7 million over the next three seasons — but only if they act now.

The Athletic

Why buyout Alexander Wennberg?

First and foremost, Wennberg hasn’t exactly thrived offensively under John Tortorella. Let’s face it, some guys absolutely get it under Torts or get run out of town. The other reason is purely financial as Portzline outlines.

Wennberg was 25 years old as of this June — he turned 26 on Tuesday — the buyout, per the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement, would require Columbus to pay only one-third of the money owed him over the remaining three years of his contract. After this summer, a buyout of Wennberg’s contract would cost the team two-thirds of his remaining deal.

It should also be noted that Wennberg and his agent have not been given any indication of a buyout. Just for some perspective, Bobby Ryan didn’t see that happening to him either yesterday.

A fit for the Rangers?

The 6’2″ lefty shot center has regressed since his 59 point season in 2016-17. Last year, he only notched 22 points in 57 games. Wennberg did however step up a bit in these playoffs with three goals and 2 assists in 10 games.

At 26, Wennberg does fit the mold of what the Rangers are trying to build. His current cap hit is $4.9 million so if he’s bought out the expectation of the cost would be less.

What can become prohibitive is if there are other teams that will drive up the term. Jeff Gorton would not be comfortable giving a player like Wennberg more than three or four years.

The organization is pretty high on 19 year-old Karl Henriksson in Sweden and want to make sure they will have room for him in two to three years. So if, and that’s a big if, Wennberg gets bought out, the Rangers should seriously investigate. Signing him however will depend on term more than anything else.