The New York Post published an explosive article Monday detailing Kaliyev’s alleged gambling problem — and how he defrauded his then-girlfriend out of $50,000 to pay off his debts.

Kudos to Mollie Walker for doing a helluva’ job researching and tracking down important background information for this story. Not to mention landing an exclusive interview with Lauren Mochen, the alleged victim of Kaliyev’s fraud.

Ex-#NYR Arthur Kaliyev stole thousands from me, owes money around NHL over gambling problem: model ex-girlfriend tells The Post⬇️https://t.co/ene8v0iPVU via @nypostsports pic.twitter.com/JezWmSTAlr

— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) November 4, 2025

I won’t steal Walker’s thunder and recap all that she reported. We linked to her story within this article, and I encourage you all to read it.

If his issues are as big as it seems, it’s worth questioning when the Rangers — and Los Angeles Kings, Kaliyev’s first team — became aware of them. The Rangers claimed Kaliyev on waivers last season and he played 14 games with them before sustaining a season-ending injury.

The Rangers didn’t re-sign the pending free agent in the offseason and quietly moved on from him. The 24-year-old signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with the Senators on July 2. He has one assist in two games with them, and six points (two goals, four assists) in seven games with their AHL affiliate in Belleville.

Listen, this is a tragic story. For Mochen. For Kaliyev. For their respective families.

And it does raise questions about who knew what and when, about Kaliyev’s gambling problem.

Let’s see how this plays out.

New York Rangers news and analysis

Here’s a breakdown of how and why a pair of 22-year-old forwards — Noah Laba and Brennan Othmann — are headed in opposite directions right now for the Rangers.

Vincent Trocheck is practicing with his teammates again, but remains on LTIR with an upper-body injury. Urho Vaakanainen is day to day with a lower-body issue. Here’s the latest news and quotes in our Rangers injury report.

What’s to make of Alexis Lafreniere? Our Tom Castro takes a deep dive into all the good things Laf is doing this season, and how he can be a game changer for the Rangers if he fixes one major flaw.

Speaking of former first-round draft picks, Gabe Perreault is the AHL Player of the Week, after recording six points in three games for the Hartford Wolf Pack..

John Kreiser takes a closer look at the Rangers week ahead, which includes a pair of home games against Metropolitan Division rivals.

NHL news and rumors

New Jersey Hockey Now: It’s always early, until it isn’t. So, James Nichols analyzes why the New Jersey Devils may want to address their depth on defense before it submarines their season.

TSN: The NHL is going big, like Texas-sized big, next season. The League announced that the Dallas Stars will host the 2027 Stadium Series at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys in February of that year.

The Athletic ($$): A terrific article by Daniel Nugent-Bowman, detailing how goalie Connor Ingram headed back to the minor leagues to rebuild his foundation after stepping away from the game because of depression that followed his mother’s death last season.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Penguins absolutely collapsed in the third period against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night, and Dan Kingerski provides a detailed breakdown of what happened and why it did.

Sportsnet: Despite the 4-3 comeback victory, coach Craig Berube was still steaming after the game about how poorly the Maple Leafs played in the first two periods against the Penguins.

NHL.com: Connor McDavid had two assists for the Edmonton Oilers in their 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues, and became the 69th player to reach 1,100 points in the NHL, the fourth-fastest to do so — behind Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Mike Bossy.

Sportsnet: Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy remains adamant that rookie defenseman Zayne Parekh belongs in the NHL and not back in juniors despite a rocky start for the highly-touted 19-year-old.

NHL.com: Quinn Hughes played 28+ minutes in his return to the lineup after missing four games due to injury, when the Vancouver Canucks edged the Nashville Predators 5-4 on Brock Boeser’s overtime goal.

Each was an RFA with arbitration rights; but clearly neither was in the Rangers’ plans moving forward. Minor-league forwards Jake Leschyshyn and Lucas Edmonds also didn’t receive qualifying offers from the Rangers.

Five players, including forward Will Cuylle and defenseman K’Andre Miller did receive qualifying offers from the Rangers. Minor-league goalies Dylan Garand and Talyn Boyko also received qualifying offers, as did forward Brendan Brisson, who was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline in March when the Rangers dealt veteran forward Reilly Smith.

The decision to part ways with Jones is not a big surprise, considering how the 24-year-old defenseman voiced displeasure over his lack of playing time the past two seasons. A third-round pick (No. 68 overall) by the Rangers in the 2019 NHL Draft, Jones played 115 NHL games over the past five seasons, including a career-high 46 in 2024-25.

“It’s tough. It’s really [expletive] tough,” Jones told reporters in January. “I mean, I’m just generally a pretty easygoing, happy person. And no matter what is going on in my life, I’m gonna try and come to the rink with a smile on my face . . . But it [expletive] sucks. Like, there’s nothing else I can say about it.”

Two goals for Zac Jones tonight, and they were both beauties. 🗽 pic.twitter.com/h4ThCY15if

— NHL (@NHL) September 25, 2024

Three different coaches — David Quinn, Gerard Gallant and Peter Laviolette — each routinely bypassed Jones and chose other options when it came time to regular duty in the top six. It appeared that Jones was set to be a third-pair staple in 2024-25 after the Rangers didn’t re-sign veteran Erik Gustafsson nor replace him in free agency last summer. Yet Jones eventually lost playing time to rookie Victor Mancini (who was traded to the Vancouver Canucks) and later to Urho Vaakanainen, Calvin de Haan and Carson Soucy as the season progressed.

The rub continued to be that Jones was viewed as being too small (listed at 5-foot-11, 190 pounds) to adequately defend in his own end. The Rangers could’ve used his ability to quickly move the puck and smartly exit the zone, however, when they imploded as a group defensively in 2024-25.

Jones had 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) and averaged 17:15 TOI last season. He has 28 points (four goals, 24 assists) in his career, and likely will have many teams interested in him as a free agent. It’s not known if the Rangers tried to trade Jones before the qualifying offer was due in order to get something in return.

“I thought there were some good parts of the year,” Jones stated at breakup day. “When I had some consistent time, I thought I played well. I thought my defensive game was a lot better this year as opposed to years prior. I lost the offensive game a little bit, but that’s something that this summer I’m really going to try and focus on and get back to.”

Per Natural Stat Trick, Jones was on ice for 157 high-danger scoring chances against and just 118 for, and the Rangers expected goals 5v5 was 47.79 percent when he was on the ice.

Related: Intriguing prospects to watch at Rangers development camp, including Malcolm Spence

Rangers part ways with Arthur Kaliyev, qualify five others including Will Cuylle, K’Andre Miller

Kaliyev played 14 games with the Rangers last season after they claimed him off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings in January. His season began with an extended stretch on long-term injured reserve when he sustained a fractured clavicle in Kings training camp. It ended with him on LTIR again with an upper-body injury sustained in a March 11 game against the Winnipeg Jets.

The 24-year-old forward scored three goals and had four points with the Rangers, his favorite childhood team when he lived on Staten Island. Kaliyev proclaimed it “a dream come true” when the Rangers claimed him. But it didn’t seem Kaliyev was a fit next season with general manager Chris Drury looking to change the makeup of the roster this summer.

Drury is trying to sign Cuylle as soon as possible after the forward broke out with 20 goals and 45 points last season, and tied for third in the NHL with a Rangers-record 301 hits. The concern is that another team could try to sign Cuylle to an offer sheet this summer. Since the Rangers qualified him, they can match any offer. But that could get expensive considering New York has approximately $13.14 million in salary-cap space this offseason, with holes to fill on the roster.

The Rangers also must decide what to do with Miller, a player they’ve reportedly tried unsuccessfully to trade this offseason. Miller has arbitration rights, so the two sides could go that route on his next contract — especially since the Rangers aren’t inclined to give the 25-year-old defenseman a long-term, big-money contract.

The Rangers announced Tuesday that Kaliyev is done for the rest of this season — including the Stanley Cup Playoffs if they make it — with an upper-body injury. The 23-year-old forward has been on injured reserve and missed the past three games after he was hurt in a 2-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on March 11.

“Another young player that we’re moving in and out of the lineup and he’s done some good things for us,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette explained Tuesday. “He got back in the lineup and got a chance to make an impact and that happened. That’s really tough. You never want to see anybody go down. It’s tough.”

It is not known if Kaliyev’s latest injury is related to the fractured clavicle he sustained on the second day of training camp in September, when he was was still with the Kings. Kaliyev rehabbed that injury for nearly four months before he was claimed off waivers by the Rangers on Jan. 6. He did not play in a game with the Kings this season.

Kaliyev’s bad luck this season continued in Winnipeg last week. Playing his first game after being a healthy scratch for seven straight, Kaliyev was checked hard by rugged Jets defenseman Luke Schenn and didn’t return to the game. He flew home from the road trip and was placed on injured reserve.

In 14 games with the Rangers, Kaliyev had four points (three goals, one assist) this season.

Related: Polarizing former Rangers captain avoids NHL suspension after another borderline hit

Injury sidelines Arthur Kaliyev rest of season for Rangers

Kaliyev spent part of his youth growing up on Staten Island and attending Rangers games at Madison Square Garden. So, he was thrilled when the Rangers picked him up off waivers after three so-so seasons with the Kings.

“I didn’t expect it obviously, but it’s kind of like a dream come true,” Kaliyev told reporters at the time. “We grew up watching (the Rangers) obviously living down here for a long time. I didn’t expect it but I’m really excited, and a little bit nervous, it was awesome … I used to come watch games here too, so it’s crazy — not much more words you can say.”

Kaliyev’s best game for the Rangers likely was Jan. 21, a 5-0 win against the Ottawa Senators. He scored his second goal with the Rangers in that one and had another goal overturned on video review because the Rangers were offside on the play.

Roughly a week later, he was a healthy scratch and Laviolette had this to say about him and his play.

“He’s a guy that’s coming from injury and coming to a new team,” Laviolette said. “I think there’s been times when he’s been good, he’s been productive. I think there’s room for growth, and then there’s things that he’s done well for us as well. He can shoot the puck, he scored some goals. He’s part of a group that had a pretty successful month. I wish it ended different, but I think there’s been some good things.”

Prior to coming to New York, Kaliyev, a 2019 second-round pick by the Kings, scored 14 goals in 2021-22 and 13 the following season, when he also had an NHL career-high 28 points.

“Nothing’s changed with him. That’s great he’s out on the ice and progressing, but he’s on IR still,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette told reporters.

Fox, who also participated in the morning skate Tuesday before a 2-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets to start this three-game road trip, has been sidelined since sustaining an upper-body injury against the New York Islanders on Feb. 25. He appeared to land heavily on his shoulder when he fell to the ice defending in front of his own net in that game, though the Rangers haven’t specified the nature of his injury.

The 27-year-old will miss his eighth game Thursday. The Rangers are 2-3-2 without him in the lineup and on a four-game skid (0-2-2). Despite missing seven games, Fox still leads the Rangers with 40 assists and is tied for second with 48 points.

During his absence, Fox and his wife Tate became first-time parents with the birth of their daughter Greer Rose.

Zac Jones returned to the lineup and took Fox’s spot as the point man on New York’s top power-play unit. Jones has two assists at even strength in the seven games, but the power play is 2-for-23 in that span.

Related: 3 things to watch for when Rangers visit Wild in first meeting this season

Rangers send Arthur Kaliyev back to New York for further evaluation on upper-body injury

Arthur Kaliyev was sent home from the road trip to be further evaluated for an upper-body injury the forward sustained against the Jets. Laviolette didn’t have any further information on Kaliyev’s injury, condition nor timetable.

The 23-year-old was hammered into the boards on a clean check by Jets defenseman Luke Schenn in the third period Tuesday. Kaliyev was in obvious discomfort leaving the ice and didn’t play another shift.

It’s a touch break for Kaliyev, who was playing for the first time in eight games, after being a healthy scratch every game since last playing Feb. 23. He has four points (three goals, one assist) in 14 games and registered one shot on goal in 7:49 TOI against the Jets.

He will be replaced by rookie Brett Berard in the lineup against the Wild. Berard has eight points (four goals, four assists) in 23 games and last played Sunday in the 7-3 home-ice loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The 22-year-old will skate on right wing of the third line with center Sam Carrick and left-wing Chris Kreider.

The Rangers will also shuffle thheir top-six group of forwards against the Wild a bit. Alexis Lafreniere is being removed from his usual spot alongside Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin and will skate on a line with J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad. Will Cuylle flips spots with Lafreniere and joins Panarin and Trocheck.

Lafreniere is without a goal in 13 games and has 14 on the season, half his total from last season.

Like a boat that’s less than seaworthy, leaks keep appearing and needing to be plugged. As with any leak, a permanent fix is required or the problem will resurface as some point.

The latest crack the Blueshirts ship is facing is the third line, which like it did last season, has devolved into a sinkhole of uncertain personnel use and little production. That the dilemma re-emerged after the departure of regular No. 3 center Filip Chytil should hardly have been a surprise.

The excitement over the acquisition of top-line pivot J.T. Miller on Jan. 31 has largely worn off, with the reality of the cost of the move becoming increasingly obvious. While no one would harbor regrets over the obtaining of Miller as a linchpin of general manager Chris Drury’s ongoing renovation of the roster, the deal cost the Rangers Chytil, whose skill set at least gave the team an anchor to build a third forward unit around.

With Chytil now playing for the Vancouver Canucks, coach Peter Laviolette has watched as any impact from his third line has stalled. Without a clear option to center the line, or a clear sense of what he’s looking for from the unit, Laviolette has cycled through personnel to little success.

Related: Winners, losers after Rangers fall to Jets to start road trip

Loss to Jets put spotlight on Rangers ugly third-line situation

The coach has tried depth players Jonny Brodzinski and newcomer Juuso Parssinen in the middle of the line, neither of whom stuck. Recently, he’s moved Sam Carrick, a revelation as a low-cost fourth-line center this season, up to 3C, where he’s miscast. Wingers from Chris Kreider to Arthur Kaliyev to Brennan Othmann to Brett Berard have taken spins on the third line. None of it has worked.

The frustration for Laviolette over this issue is all too familiar. Last season, the loss of Chytil to a suspected concussion for almost all of 2023-24 left the coach in the same spot, as Brodzinski and others tried in vain to create a cohesive, effective unit that could at least contribute some offense. The opening was only somewhat patched with the trade-deadline acquisition of Alex Wennberg, who provided stability in the middle of the line but not much in the way of scoring (his overtime goal in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final notwithstanding).

This time around, Chytil is gone for good, and with the trade deadline having passed, the Rangers are left with internal options, none of which evoke confidence in them being the solution.

Laviolette and the front office received a painful reminder of what they’re missing in the 2-1 loss to the NHL-best Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday – the fourth in a row (0-2-2) for a Blueshirts team that’s struggling to keep pace in the race for an Eastern Conference wild-card spot. The Jets boast a sturdy third line, made up of 6-foot-5, 210-pound two-way center Adam Lowry, 6-2, 218-pound left wing Nino Niederreiter and right wing Mason Appleton.

The Jets employ that line as a shutdown unit, with the big and physical Lowry ideal for going head-to-head with top NHL centers, winning 52.0 percent of his face-offs this season. Niederreiter, like Lowry an elite defensive forward, served in the same role during his three-plus seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes, teaming with center Jordan Staal and former Ranger wing Jesper Fast on a dominant matchup third line.

All three players also provide offense. Lowry has 14 goals and 15 assists this season, Niederreiter has 30 points and Appleton 19. The trio has posted a 51.1 expected goal share, and Winnipeg has outscored opponents 20-9 with the line on at 5-on-5 while out-chancing teams 97-84, per Natural Stat Trick. It’s hardly a coincidence that the Jets are by far the League’s best defensive outfit, allowing 2.3 goals per game.

It’s the kind of third line that the Rangers have never been able to construct – one with a clear purpose and dimension that the Blueshirts desperately need. Even with Chytil, questions persisted about whether the club required what amounted to a third offensive unit instead of a checking trio to take on opposing top lines.

Related: Jonathan Quick to return for another season with Rangers, agrees to 1-year contract

There’s little hope of Rangers being able to correct third-line problem this season

Now, Drury isn’t any closer to forging such a group than he was last season, when stellar play from the top line of Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere helped to paper over the lack of bottom-six depth — especially the glaring matter of the third line.

The avenues for coach and GM to fix this for the final 17 regular-season games are limited and known. Parssinen was viewed as an intriguing prospect when he arrived as part of the Ryan Lindgren trade March 1, but he lasted a couple of games as the 3C before Laviolette moved him to the wing, and then out of the lineup. Kaliyev’s mostly nondescript 14 games in a Blueshirt have illustrated why the Los Angeles Kings waived him in January.

Brodzinski remains nothing more than a solid depth option, one who’s failed to nail down a steady role when given chances to do so over the past several seasons. And Laviolette would benefit the lineup by putting Carrick back on the fourth line with Matt Rempe, as that unit is the team’s only one that can maintain a consistent forecheck and cycle effectively in the offensive zone.

Like so many of the Rangers’ structural and cultural problems, the third forward unit’s ongoing lack of identity and meaningful production will have to be dealt with in the offseason. Perhaps a summer call to Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff about old friend Morgan Barron might be a course of action for Drury as he seeks a big, tough center to build a Winnipeg-esque third line.

Drury, of course, has bigger offseason matters to address. If he doesn’t get around to addressing this one, however, the hole is going to keep letting in water indefinitely – dragging the Rangers downward with it.

That’s not exactly a soft landing spot for the Rangers (31-27-6), who’ve dropped three straight (0-1-2) after losing to the two teams ahead of them in the Eastern Conference playoff race on consecutive days Saturday and Sunday. The Jets (44-17-4) lead the Western Conference and are tied with the Washington Capitals for most points in the NHL with 92.

Perhaps the Rangers are catching the Jets at the right time, however. The Jets just returned from an East Coast trip and are 2-3-1 in their past six games since a franchise-record 11-game winning streak.

Or maybe that’s wishful thinking. The Jets have been a powerhouse all season, allowing the fewest goals in the NHL (2.32 per game) and scoring the third most (3.49). Their goal differential is whopping +76, far and away the best in the League. By contrast, the Rangers are -2 after losing 4-3 in overtime to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday and 7-3 on home ice to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.

The Rangers are ninth in the East, two points behind the Blue Jackets for the second wild card and three back of the Senators for the top wild-card spot.

New York is trying to avoid being swept in the season series after losing 6-3 at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 12. The Jets are 4-0-1 in their past five games against the Rangers; but the Rangers have won seven of their past 10 visits to Canada Life Centre.

Related: Should Alexis Lafreniere be playing for his Rangers future down stretch of season

3 things to watch for when Rangers visit Jets

1. Bounce back

If the Rangers weren’t resilient, they would’ve just caved after that 4-15-0 stretch in November and December. They didn’t and are now in the thick of the playoff race with 18 games to play in the regular season.

That’s relevant because the Rangers were kicked in the teeth twice last weekend. First, they blew a pair of two-goals leads, including one midway through the third period, in losing to the Senators. Then they somehow got blown out 7-3 by the Blue Jackets after tying the game in the second period with a pair of short-handed goals on the same penalty kill. Who does that?

The Rangers need to leave that all in the past and focus on playing a tight, smart game against an elite opponent Tuesday. A big bounce-back win in the ‘Peg would do wonders for the Rangers.

2. Not-so-welcoming hosts

The Jets have treated visitors rather rudely at Canada Life Centre this season. They are an imposing 23-5-4 on home ice and own a six-game point streak at home (5-0-1). They’ve lost only twice in regulation in their past 20 home games (14-2-4).

On the flip side, the Rangers are 15-13-3 away from MSG this season, but have points in four of their past five road games (3-1-1).

Also, to keep in mind for the Rangers, it would behoove them to get a lead and keep it. The Jets are 27-3- when scoring first, 25-0-3 when leading after the first period and 34-0-1 when leading after two periods. They’re the only team not to lose in regulation this season when leading after 40 minutes.

3. Revolving door on third line

Arthur Kaliyev returns to the Rangers lineup Tuesday. his first game action after being a healthy scratch the past seven games. He replaces Brett Berard, who played against Columbus. Berard had replaced Juuso Parssinen, who played four games after being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in the Ryan Lindgren trade but was scratched after being a minus-2 against Ottawa.

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette is looking for the right fit on that line after moving center Sam Carrick up from the fourth line and Chris Kreider’s return from injury this past weekend.

Kaliyev has four points (three goals, one assist) in 13 games with the Rangers. He has one goal in his past games played.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere

Cuylle – J.T. Miller- Zibanejad

Kreider – Carrick – Kaliyev

Othmann – Brodzinski – Rempe

K. Miller – Borgen

Vaakanaien – Schneider

Soucy – Jones

Shesterkin

Quick

Rangers vs. Jets: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers vs. Winnipeg Jets

When: Tuesday, March 11 at 8:00 p.m. ET

Where: Canada Life Centre

How to watch: MSG

Will Cuylle scored with 1:39 remaining in the third period to give the Rangers a 4-3 victory at Nationwide Arena, sending them into the two-week break for the 4 Nations Face-off with their third third-period comeback win this week.

Cuylle, who assisted on Urho Vaakanainen’s game-tying goal at 1:57 of the third period, capitalized on a funny bounce after Vincent Trocheck got a piece of a clearing pass. The puck came right to Cuylle, alone in the slot, and his shot beat a surprised Elvis Merzlikins, giving the Rangers a desperately needed two points.

COOLS SNAPS IT IN. pic.twitter.com/bJgGizAshz

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 9, 2025

“We knew we had to make at least get one goal trying to get to overtime, and then we were just trying to get lots of pucks to the net,” said Cuylle, whose 14 goals surpassed his total last season. “I felt like we kind of outplayed them most of the period. So that was kind of just the game plan, that desperation we really hadn’t had the last couple of games.”

Arthur Kaliyev and Mika Zibanejad also scored for the Rangers in a game that saw neither team have a power play. Jonathan Quick made 22 saves.

The win moved the Rangers (27-24-4) within three points of the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference – the Red Wings lost 6-3 at home to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the afternoon. New York also gained on the Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens, all of whom lost Saturday.

Their next game comes on Feb. 22, when they open a three-game road trip in a span of four nights with a visit to the Buffalo Sabres.

“There’s games that go by that you wish you played better,” coach Peter Laviolette said, “and then there’s been a lot of games that we won to put ourselves back up in the mix anyway.”

Six Rangers will take part in the 4 Nations event – forward Mika Zibanejad (Sweden) and defenseman Urho Vaakanainen (Finland), as well as forwards Chris Kreider, Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller, and defenseman Adam Fox (United States).

Everyone else gets a midwinter vacation – one that the Rangers hope will let starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin heal from an upper-body injury and allow them to regroup for what they hope will be a playoff push in the final 27 games.

Related: Why Trent Frederic likely won’t be option for Rangers ahead of NHL trade deadline

New York Rangers 4 – Columbus Blue Jackets 3

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette shook up his lines after the poor showing against Pittsburgh and was rewarded when his team grabbed a 1-0 lead 1:56 into the game.

Kaliyev, a healthy scratch in each of the past four games, took a pass from Ryan Lindgren, shook off Blue Jackets defenseman Jordan Harris as he got into the left circle, raced around the net and scored on a wraparound, tucking the puck just inside the right post as Merzlikins didn’t get all the way over. It was his third goal in 11 games since being claimed on waivers from the Los Angeles Kings on Jan. 6.

ARTY ON THE WRAPAROUND. pic.twitter.com/3AmApwFq04

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 9, 2025

The Rangers continued to dominate in the early going, forcing Merzlikins to make a big stop on Jimmy Vesey after he got behind the defense. He had to stop another breakaway just after the nine-minute mark on Reilly Smith’s breakaway backhander.

Quick bailed himself out less than a minute later after his own misplay behind the net, getting back into his crease in time to deny Cole Sillinger and Luis Del Bel Belluz, then got some help when K’Andre Miller dove to block a second shot by Del Bel Belluz with the net wide open.

But the 39-year-old goaltender wasn’t as fortunate at 14:31, when Kent Johnson scored from below the right circle to tie the game 1-1. Defenseman Zach Werenski extended his home points streak to 21 games by coming down the slot, looking like he was going to shoot and instead feeding Johnson, who rifled a shot past the glove of Quick, who couldn’t get over in time.

The energized Blue Jackets needed just 58 seconds to take a 2-1 lead. After Columbus won a puck battle at the Rangers’ blue line, Justin Danforth was left unchecked in front the net and deflected a shot-pass by Jack Johnson from the left circle past a defenseless Quick.

The Rangers tied the game 6:38 into the second period by doing something they’d done just once all season – score while playing 4-on-4. With Trocheck and Columbus defenseman Damon Severson off for unsportsmanlike conduct, the Rangers set up in the Blue Jackets zone. Fox set up in the right circle and fed a pass through the seam to Zibanejad, who zipped a shot from the left dot past Merzlikins to make it 2-2.

FoxyFeed + Mika buries it. pic.twitter.com/AdMPiJHxQe

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 9, 2025

New York dominated play for the next several minutes but couldn’t get another puck past Merzlikins. The Blue Jackets, who’d had trouble clearing their zone, finally mounted a rush with less than three minutes remaining in the period and turned it into the go-ahead goal.

All three Rangers forwards got caught when James van Riemsdyk led a 3-on-2 rush. He fed Cole Sillinger, cut for the net and was left unchecked to take a pass from Severson for a deflection past a helpless Quick to give the Blue Jackets a 3-2 lead.

But the Rangers needed just 1:57 of the third period to get even at 3-3. Cuylle drew a penalty as he carried the puck from right to left across the top of the zone. Before the Blue Jackets could gain control of the puck and get a whistle, Cuylle wristed a shot from above the left circle that deflected off Vaakanainen and caught the top far corner for his first goal with the Rangers.

Cools putting in the WORK. pic.twitter.com/pP7HIrrYgw

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 9, 2025

The Rangers continued to dominate play, outshooting Columbus 17-4 in the final period and 40-25 for the game. The Blue Jackets were often content to lob the puck out of their zone to get a change.

Werenski briefly saved the day for the Jackets with just over seven minutes left when he swept the puck out of the crease after Alexis Lafreniere’s shot slithered through Merzlikins.

Cuylle ultimate played hero, scoring the game winner in the final minutes to secure the Rangers’ third win this week when trailing after two periods.

Vesey unloaded in a conversation with Larry Brooks of the New York Post after practice Thursday. At that practice, Arthur Kaliyev was off the third line and skating as an extra forward. What likely set Vesey off is that Jonny Brodzinski — not Vesey — took Kaliyev’s spot next to Filip Chytil and Chris Kreider, and will likely play against the Boston Bruins on Saturday.

“I love being a Ranger, and I think everyone knows that. The six years I’ve been here have been the best and most fun I’ve had as a player,” Vesey told Brooks. “But this stretch where I haven’t dressed for the last [nine] games and have no indication that this is going to change, it’s been extremely difficult for me.”

Vesey was just warming up.

“It seems that I’ve fallen out of favor and have just been cast aside over an extended period of time. It feels like I have no role or purpose on this team.

“I’m kind of dying by being here.”

The 31-year-old forward has played 26 games this season, in part due to injury. But lately, he’s been healthy and sitting in the press box. Coach Peter Laviolette played Kaliyev 10 games, mainly on the third line, and Matt Rempe has now taken a regular role on the fourth line, also playing 10 consecutive games. Plus, Adam Edstrom and Sam Carrick played every game on the fourth line this season.

A skilled penalty killer, Vesey lost his spot on the PK to Edstrom and Will Cuylle, a pair of younger players.

Laviolette said after practice Friday that he hasn’t given up on Vesey.

“Jimmy’s an important piece to this team,” he said. “He’s proven that. Right now we’ve gone with a lineup, and like all the players that aren’t in there, we just ask them to keep working hard. We’re more than confident in our team and their abilities to come in and make a difference.”

Being healthy-scratched so often is likely a bit of a shock to the system for Vesey, who appeared to be a Laviolette favorite last season. Vesey had 13 goals and 26 points in 80 games, largely in a bottom-six role. But he also played some important minutes in the top-six, especially after Blake Wheeler went down with a knee injury.

Under Gerard Gallant in 2022-23 scored 11 goals and had 25 points in 81 games. He averaged 13:37 TOI that season, compared to an NHL career-low 10:04 this season.

Related: Breaking down trade options for Rangers, East rivals ahead of March 7 deadline

What’s next for Rangers with unhappy veteran Jimmy Vesey

So, what’s next for Vesey? He’d appear to be a likely trade candidate ahead of the March 7 deadline. But that’s not a given, unless he becomes a disruptive force behind the scenes, which isn’t his nature. The reason it’s not a given is that he is a fairly valuable depth forward should things go awry or injuries hit the Rangers down the stretch.

Still, it feels more likely than not that Vesey’s second tenure on Broadway is coming to an end soon. He is a slower, more plodding player, and Laviolette favors better skaters. Edstrom and Brodzinski certainly fit into that category.

“I love this place,” Vesey said. “But i know I’m unhappy and don’t see this changing. I know I have value to teams in this league. I know I could help teams.”

Vesey is right about two things there. His situation in New York is not likely changing, as explained above. And, yes, there are likely contenders who’d like to add him in their bottom six.

For now, he remains with the Rangers, with whom he signed as a free agent twice, including after his collegiate career at Harvard ended in 2016. His first three seasons in New York were his best in the NHL, when he scored, 16, 17, and 17 goals.

Now, he sees the end coming and is worried about his future in the NHL. Vesey is an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, and he doesn’t want his career to be over just yet.

Arthur Kaliyev was off to the side for the majority of line rushes during practice Thursday, indicating that he could be a healthy scratch against Boston. Jonny Brodzinski took his place on the third line, and may slot into the lineup for the first time since Jan. 11.

Kaliyev has had ups and downs with the Rangers since being claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings. In 10 games this season, he’s scored two goals and added an assist, and is plus-2. Largely playing on the third line with center Filip Chytil, Kaliyev has an xGF of 52.77 percent 5v5, per Natural Stat Trick.

But after the Rangers lost consecutive games in regulation for the first time in 2025, coach Peter Laviolette is looking to change things up. And it apparently starts with Kaliyev, who recorded two shots on goal on 15 shifts in a 4-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday and is still finding his footing after missing more than three months after fracturing his clavicle in training camp.

“He’s a guy that’s coming from injury and coming to a new team,” Laviolette said Thursday. “I think there’s been times when he’s been good, he’s been productive. I think there’s room for growth, and then there’s things that he’s done well for us as well. He can shoot the puck, he scored some goals. He’s part of a group that had a pretty successful month. I wish it ended different, but I think there’s been some good things.”

Perhaps Kaliyev’s best game was on Jan. 21, a 5-0 win over the Ottawa Senators. The 23-year-old forward had a goal, and even scored another that was called back after video review for an offside. Since then, however, his play along with the rest of the third line consisting of Filip Chytil and Chris Kreider has seen a dip in production.

Related: ‘There has to be so much more to his game’: Alexis Lafreniere’s disappointing season with Rangers

Arthur Kaliyev could be healthy scratch, still ‘getting up to speed’

Looking to switch things up, Laviolette may be bringing in Brodzinski to give more speed and battle to the third line. Brodzinski has played well when called upon this season, with three goals and three assists as well as a plus-4 rating in 20 games, though his xGF is 0.43 at 5v5.

As for Kaliyev, don’t expect him to be out of the lineup for long. After missing a substantial amount of time with that injury, some games spent as a healthy scratch could prove more beneficial than detrimental.

“I think getting the pace up to speed and the battles, sometimes it takes some time if you haven’t been involved in it for a stretch of time,” Laviolette explained. “I think those are areas that we talk to him about and show him. Just the speed of the game and the compete in the battles. There’s been times when it’s been good as well and he’s used it to his advantage to gain opportunities to get his shot off, which we feel is excellent, so it’s just getting up to speed.”

The Rangers have a very important stretch of games coming up, so it is important that whoever slots into the lineup is at the top of his game. New York plays Boston twice over the next three games. Boston currently holds the first wild card in the Eastern Conference, four points ahead of New York.

The Rangers sit just three points back of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who hold the second wild card. With five important games in eight days ahead of the 4 Nations Faceoff, beginning Saturday in Boston, Kaliyev likely will see his fair share of action, even if it’s not on Saturday.

Nothing is ever perfect, though, and if coach Peter Laviolette wanted to nitpick, he could have looked at the performance of his third line, featuring Chris Kreider, Filip Chytil and Arthur Kaliyev. That forward unit was the only one of the Blueshirts four to not deliver positive possession numbers, and those 5-and-5 metrics weren’t just in the red – they were downright ugly.

Despite the lopsided final score, Kreider-Chytil-Kaliyev somehow posted a 25.9 expected goal share, with the Rangers getting outshot 11-2 in their 8:39 at 5-on-5, according to Natural Stat Trick. In contrast, the Artemi Panarin-Vincent Trocheck-Alexis Lafreniere line had a 54.4 expected goal share, and Mika Zibanejad-Will Cuylle-Reilly Smith were at 56.3. The fourth line of Matt Rempe, Sam Carrick and Adam Edstrom continued to deliver as well, with a 53.2 mark.

Related: Where New York Rangers fit in wild Eastern Conference playoff scramble

Chris Kreider-Filip Chytil-Arthur Kaliyev dominated recently 5-on-5

It’s worth noting that the third line did come through with a goal, when Chytil deflected in his 11th of the season early in the third period to extend the Rangers lead to 4-1 against the Flyers. Chytil added an assist on the power play and had four shots on goal, attacking the net and darting around and through defenders in a vintage game that drew Laviolette’s postgame praise.

Filip Chytil makes it 4-1 for the @NYRangers! 🗽

📺: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/DbMhM8jD2D

— NHL (@NHL) January 24, 2025

That, however, doesn’t change the fact that the Blueshirts were almost always back on their heels when Chytil, Kreider and Kaliyev took the ice at even strength. It undoubtedly played a role in the one-sided second period, when Philadelphia fired 17 shots on goal. The Blueshirts luckily had the world’s best goaltender in net, as Igor Shesterkin stopped them all.

Despite their 8-1-3 surge since the New Year, the Rangers need their third line to be better at 5-on-5. This trio has fashioned a 46.9 expected goal share in its six games together, and the past two have been particularly bad, with the unit posting a 25.8 mark against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. That number was just as stunning as Thursday, given that it came in another Rangers rout, 5-0 over the Senators.

Yet that even-strength weakness can be spun positive. Each player has room to grow, and there’s reason to believe in each case that could happen reasonably soon. Along with the fact that the line is still meshing, each of the three forwards might be on the verge of substantial improvement – as individuals and consequently, as a unit.

Chytil, six games into his latest return from an upper-body injury, is rounding into form. His goal against the Flyers was his first since Jan. 5, and the relentless, high-skill style that makes him so effective continues to be on display. If he can finally stay in the lineup long term – and that of course is a big if – there’s every reason to believe the 25-year-old will start to produce more consistently.

Kreider missed four games with an upper-body injury of his own, coming back Jan. 14 – the same date as Chytil – for the Rangers’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche. The rust was evident, when Kreider missed the net on several shot attempts during a power play in overtime.

Chris Kreider wastes no time answering Montreal’s goal. 👊 pic.twitter.com/YiXrATEdUs

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 20, 2025

Yet he scored in two of the next three games and has looked more comfortable after a reported back injury shelved him. Kreider may have to manage the problem for the rest of the season, but Laviolette saw good signs in his one-goal, plus-2 performance in their 5-3 win over the Utah Hockey Club on Jan. 16. The coach called the 33-year-old left wing “excellent” and “one of our most noticeable players.”

Kreider, despite his struggles with inconsistency and injury this season, still has 15 goals. He’s the same player who scored 127 goals the past three seasons, and he’s playing on the third line.

Kaliyev, a waiver claim from the Los Angeles Kings a few weeks ago, is undoubtedly still working to find his place and rhythm with the Rangers. However, he turned in a strong effort against the Senators, scoring a goal and having another one waved off due to a successful offside challenge. The 23-year-old followed that up with an assist against Philadelphia and is plus-4 the past three games. He has three points (two goals, one assist) in eight games.

Related: Filip Chytil explains Rangers resurgence: “We didn’t lose our heads”

Arthur Kaliyev could be candidate to bolster second PP unit

Kaliyev made the NHL because of his quick, powerful shot, and Laviolette has taken notice of the weapon as the 33rd overall draft pick in 2019 has started to contribute.

“The shot that got called back, that was wicked,” Laviolette said after the Ottawa game. “He’s had actually a couple of those that didn’t go in. He’s gotta work to find that space, and when he can, he can be dangerous.

” … I think he’s fitting in.”

As Kaliyev continues to get his feet under him, Laviolette might want to consider eventually deploying him in the role in which he’s been most effective over his 196 career games. Kaliyev’s big shot makes him a force on the power play, with 17 of his 37 career goals coming with the man advantage. Though the Rangers’ second PP unit doesn’t get much time, Kaliyev setting up on the right side, looking to trigger his elite release, would bring a new dimension to that group.

Arthur Kaliyev fires home his second goal as a Ranger! pic.twitter.com/6tAYJzyYJX

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) January 22, 2025

Questions about the third line will persist until – if – they begin to win their matchups at even strength. Kreider and Kaliyev aren’t 5-on-5 warriors and at their best on special teams – in Kreider’s case, also being an outstanding penalty killer who’s scored 11 short-handed goals since the start of the 2021-22 season. Chytil being in the lineup makes the Rangers a much different and better team, yet he’s yet to kick the injury bug in his career, having missed 81 games since the start of last season.

The potential of these three skilled, big-bodied forwards to become a difference-making bottom-six unit, though, is apparent. One need look no further than their efforts in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens last Sunday, when the line dominated with a 58.6 expected goal share and Kreider scored a go-ahead goal late in the second period.

There have been numerous reasons for the Rangers’ turnaround in the new year, but none of them have been bigger than getting contributions from throughout the lineup. Like the nascent fourth line, the third line has a higher ceiling than it’s shown to this point. As with the Rangers’ other forward units, it may just be a matter of time until Kreider, Chytil and Kaliyev begin their own climb – one that might significantly strengthen a team that seems to finally be on its way to becoming a tough, dangerous playoff contender.