Former Rangers defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk is among those who will be on hand.

“The hat I’m wearing right now [is] for one of my good buddies, Jimmy Hayes (a seven-year NHL veteran who died in 2021 with died with fentanyl and cocaine in his system). This is something that hits home for me,” Shattenkirk told NHL Network. “Seeing the message that’s behind it and knowing you can make a difference with such a small act, it goes a long way.”

Some of the NHL's best will be on display at the 2025 Shoulder Check Showcase, taking place on July 24th at 4pm ET! https://t.co/7CNa5ohiD9 pic.twitter.com/aLeAf1OA7b

— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) July 20, 2025

From its beginnings just two summers ago, the Showcase has become a marquee summer event, featuring talent like Shattenkirk, former Rangers forward Chris Kreider and current backup goalie Jonathan Quick. Current Rangers Brett Berard and Matt Rempe will be playing, as will former Rangers Kreider, Frank Vatrano and Kevin Hayes (Jimmy’s brother).

CLICK HERE for more information about the Shoulder Check Showcase and movement.

New York Rangers news

Forever Blueshirts: Don Maloney discussed his “magical” rookie season and a lot more with our own Jim Cerny on their recent Rink Rap podcast. The kid brother of newly selected Rangers TV analyst Dave Maloney also reminisces about being GM of the New York Islanders when they were demolished by the Blueshirts in the opening round of the 1994 Stanley Cup Playoffs and the thrill of stepping onto the ice as a Ranger at Madison Square Garden.

NHL Rumors, News, & the Sportsnaut Family

Philly Hockey Now: The departure of top-level players from major juniors to college hockey continues. Porter Martone, who was picked sixth overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL Draft last month, is heading to Michigan State, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Monday. Martone was the captain of the OHL’s Brampton Steelheads last season. He racked up 98 points (37 goals, 61 assists) in 57 regular-season games. He’ll be playing Big Ten games against Gavin McKenna, the likely No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, who left Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League for Penn State earlier this month.

The Athletic: The Detroit Red Wings again came out on top in the online sports daily’s annual fan poll of NHL TV teams, finishing first locally and nationally. The Seattle Kraken were second for the second straight year. The outgoing Rangers tandem of Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti finished ninth. And who was last, you ask? The Boston Bruins, even with Judd Sirott replacing longtime (and polarizing) play-by-play man Jack Edwards.

TSN: If you want to win in the NHL these days, an effective power play is a must. Here’s a look behind the numbers. Long story short: Unless you’re extremely good (think Carolina Hurricanes) or absolutely awful (Chicago Blackhawks, anyone) at even strength, your power-play success will have a major impact on whether you make the playoffs.

NHL.com: Goalie Mikhail Yegorov isn’t a candidate for the New Jersey Devils’ starting job – yet. But after leading Boston University to the NCAA title game last season, there’s every indication he’ll end up as their starter after playing another year or two at BU – especially on a team whose two goalies are already in their mid-30s.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Kyle Dubas is racing to rebuild the Pittsburgh Penguins in time to give Sidney Crosby one more trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Penguins are loaded with young players, but they may not be ready in time. Getting Sid one more shot at the postseason likely would mean refraining from trading veterans like defenseman Erik Karlsson and forwards Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust. There have been plenty of trade rumors surrounding the Pens in recent weeks, but it doesn’t look like anything’s cooking right now.

Florida Hockey Now: What’s the best jersey in Florida Panthers history? According to a poll by The Athletic, it’s the current one. It’s hard to argue with the Panthers’ results in the decade they’ve worn it, especially with back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. A lot of fans still like the original jersey, and there are hints it may return for the Winter Classic game against the Rangers on Jan. 2 at LoanDepot Park.

San Jose Hockey Now: Shane Bowers is 25 – and eight years removed from being a first-round pick (No. 28) by the Ottawa Senators in the 2017 draft. He’s played just 13 NHL games since being drafted but hopes that being traded from the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche to the San Jose Sharks, who finished last in the NHL in 2024-25, will provide the opportunity he’s been waiting for.

New York Rangers GM Chris Drury and his counterparts around the League are making their lists and checking them twice as they look to see whether they’ll be buyers and/or sellers as the March 7 deadline approaches.

The Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche got things started on Jan. 24 when the Avalanche sent two-time 100-point scorer Mikko Rantanen to the ’Canes for forward Martin Necas, center Jack Drury and two draft picks. Carolina also traded another draft pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for forward Taylor Hall, who won the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 2017-18.

The Rangers pulled off a blockbuster of their own on Friday night by acquiring center J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks, giving up center Filip Chytil, rookie defenseman Victor Mancini and their first-round pick in the 2025 draft as long as it’s not in the top 13 — if it is, they’ll give up their 2026 first-rounder.

With five of the eight playoff berths in the East (two in the Atlantic Division, three in the Metropolitan) all but decided, teams also have to determine as the deadline draws nearer whether their playoff chances are worth adding talent — or if it’s time to sell.

Here’s an updated look at the Rangers and the teams they’re battling against for a playoff spot as trade season heats up. All deadline cap figures are from Puckpedia.

Related: NHL insider warns Rangers, NHL teams to do ‘homework’ on J.T. Miller before making trade

Breaking down what Rangers, East rivals could do ahead of NHL trade deadline

New York Rangers (24-22-2; 6th in Metro, 13th in East, 5 points out of wild card)
Deadline cap space: $16,418,170

Even before acquiring Miller, the he remodeled Rangers had made two major trades in December, sending their captain, defenseman Jacob Trouba, to the Anaheim Ducks and forward Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken. The return was two defenseman, Urho Vaakanainen and Will Borgen, who’ve fit in well on the bottom four. The Rangers also claimed 23-year-old forward Arthur Kaliyev off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings; he has two goals and an assist in 10 games.

New York got back into the playoff hunt with an 8-3-3 mark in January after a disastrous 4-15-0 stretch in their final 19 games of 2024, although the Rangers are coming off back-to-back home losses to Colorado and Carolina. But the solid showing in January hasn’t been enough to put them into a playoff position — hence the reason that Drury made the big swing for Miller.

The question is whether Drury will try to make a big splash for Miller, a top-six forward or perhaps another defenseman, or ditch a contract or two (See: Ryan Lindgren Reilly Smith, Jimmy Vesey) and let some of the Rangers’ young talent, such as forward Brennan Othmann, see what they can do in the heat of a playoff race.

In playoff position

Ottawa Senators (27-20-4; 3rd in Atlantic)
Deadline cap space: $3,330,833

The Senators wasted a two-goal third-period lead on Thursday but defeated the Washington Capitals 5-4 in overtime to maintain their hold on third place in the Atlantic.

Newf and Pinto's battle on the boards 👏
Chabby's finish 👏
The vibes 👏#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/eKujGh3W8M

— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) January 31, 2025

The Senators are surviving the absence of starting goaltender Linus Ullmark, who’s been out since Dec. 22 with a back injury, thanks to the play of Anton Forsberg and rookie Leevi Merilainen. But injuries have forced them to use AHL call-ups like Nikolas Matinpalo on defense and Zack Ostapchuk up front, so depth trades could be a priority.

Ottawa hasn’t made the playoffs since 2017-18, so expect GM Steve Staios to make whatever moves he feels his team needs to get back to the postseason. The most likely ones, if he can find a partner, would be to acquire a righty-shooting defenseman and/or a wing who can score.

Columbus Blue Jackets (26-19-7; 4th in Metro, first wild card)
Deadline cap space: $46,151,240

After their best player, forward Johnny Gaudreau, was killed in a cycling accident in late August, it would have been impossible to imagine that the Blue Jackets would be in the playoff hunt. But the Blue Jackets continue to ride a sensational season by defenseman Zach Werenski and breakout seasons by young players such as Kirill Marchenko as they battle for a playoff berth that few, if anyone, thought they even had a chance to earn.

Columbus opened its four-game road trip Thursday with a 2-1 overtime win at Vegas to move back into the second wild card, then rallied for a 3-2 victory against the Utah Hockey Club on Friday to gran the first wild-card berth

The Blue Jackets expect the return of captain Boone Jenner and rugged defenseman Eric Gudbranson will add some toughness to the lineup. But if GM Don Waddell goes shopping, don’t be surprised if he looks for big forwards who can produce some offense and offer some protection for the kids.

The one veteran Waddell may be willing to trade is defenseman Ivan Provorov, an impending UFA who has said he wants to stay. Cap space isn’t an issue, but if Waddell is afraid of losing him in free agency without any return, the 28-year-old would likely bring back a significant haul in talent and draft picks.

TSN’s Pierre Lebrun reported Thursday that the Blue Jackets are speaking with the Canucks about Elias Pettersson, in what would be a massive move on their part if a trade is consummated.

Tampa Bay Lightning (27-20-3; 4th in Atlantic; second wild card)
Deadline cap space: $1,792,070

Few general managers have been more willing that Tampa Bay’s Julien BriseBois to go for it as the trade deadline nears. Whether he’ll have the assets – the Lightning are without their first-round draft pick — and cap room to do more than tinker around the edges is the question.

If an NHL roster had 10-12 players, the Lightning would be in great shape. They have Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Jake Guentzel, Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli up front, Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, Erik Cernak and J.J. Moser (when he returns from injury) on defense and Andrei Vasilevskiy in goal. Vasilevskiy was in goal for a 3-0 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.

Shutout hugs are the BEST hugs pic.twitter.com/vxCvVhguWV

— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) January 31, 2025

The problem is that after third-line center Nick Paul, there’s no scoring depth in the bottom six. Expect BriseBois to try to bring in a low-priced two-way forward who can mesh with Paul and give the top six some support. Perhaps, that player could be two-time Stanley Cup champion Brandon Saad, who had his contract terminated with the St. Louis Blues this week but still appears to have something left in the tank on a League minimum deal.

In the chase

Boston Bruins (25-22-6; 5th in Atlantic, ninth in East; 1 point out of wild card)
Deadline cap space: $5,718,334

The Bruins are hanging on in the race despite a minus-29 goal differential. It’s hard to see that lasting unless GM Don Sweeney makes some moves. Firing the coach won’t help — he did that in November by sacking Jim Montgomery.

Sweeney opened his checkbook last summer with the thought that bringing in Elias Lindholm would fill the hole at No. 1 center. That hasn’t happened; Lindholm has been demoted to the third line, with Pavel Zacha manning the top spot between David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie. Zacha is a useful player, but he’s not an ideal No. 1 center. The two goaltenders, Jeremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo, each has a save percentage below .900.

Boston will look for an offense-minded center. Finding one isn’t likely to be easy, even if the Bruins are willing to give up a first-round pick this year or next. With the Bruins having already played 53 times, every contender has games in hand on them – some have two or three. If his team continues to struggle, Sweeney could be a seller instead of a buyer.

Detroit Red Wings (25-21-5; 6th in Atlantic, 10th in East, 2 points out of wild card)
Deadline cap space: $8,397,971

The Wings appeared to be headed for their ninth straight non-playoff season when they reached the Christmas break at 13-17-4. But GM Steve Yzerman changed coaches, firing Derek Lalonde and bringing in Todd McLellan, and Detroit has looked like a different team since then. They won their fourth in a row on Thursday by overcoming an early two-goal deficit to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 in a shootout to begin a four-game trip. The win moved the Red Wings within two points of the second wild card.

With his team so close to making the playoffs for the first time since 2016, it’s hard to imagine Yzerman being a seller (as it appeared he might be five weeks ago). If he adds, expect him to look for a scorer who can help not only this season but for years to come.

Whether that kind of player is available during the season is a separate issue, but the Wings need to add offense behind Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat — all three have reached the 20-goal mark; no one else on the team has hit double figures.

New York Islanders (23-20-7; 5th in Metro, 11th in East, 4 points out of wild card)
Deadline cap space: $1,806,667

The Isles made it six wins in a row and nine in their past 11 games with a 3-0 victory against the Flyers in Philadelphia on Thursday. They still don’t score much, and their power play is horrendous, but coach Patrick Roy has them playing terrific defense (seven goals allowed during the winning streak) and they’ve leap-frogged the Rangers, among other teams, to give themselves a chance at a wild-card berth.

Hug. Your. Goalie. pic.twitter.com/x6w2UyvsQM

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 31, 2025

The Islanders have the League’s fourth-oldest roster, almost no cap space and a weak prospect pool, so GM Lou Lamoriello doesn’t have much to work with. However, he’s found bargain-basement pickups Tony DeAngelo and Scott Perunovich to plug the holes on defense left by injuries to Noah Dobson and Ryan Pulock, who should be back at some point. The Isles added another bargain-basement veteran D-man Friday when they claimed Adam Boqvist from the Florida Panthers.

If Lamoriello decides to sell, he has veterans such as centers Brock Nelson and Jean-Gabriel Pageau, as well as forward Kyle Palmieri, who should attract a lot of attention and bring in some more much-needed young talent.

Montreal Canadiens (24-22-5; 7th in Atlantic, 12th in East, 4 points out of wild card)
Deadline cap space: $6,447,500

The Canadiens were flying high about 10 days ago, 10-2-1 in their first 13 games after the Christmas break. Then reality hit: Montreal is 0-3-1 in its past four games, including a 4-0 home loss to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.

It’s hard to imagine the rebuilding Canadiens, led by former Rangers GM Jeff Gorton and loaded with young talent, doing any serious shopping. The lone exception might be on defense, where they need a right-handed shot to allow lefty-shooting Mike Matheson to go back to his natural side. The Canadiens also need to replace Kaiden Guhle, who’s out indefinitely after surgery to repair a lacerated quadriceps muscle.

Montreal has a lot of rentals, including veteran forwards Jake Evans and Joel Armia, as well as defenseman David Savard, who should attract interest if it decides to go in that direction.

Philadelphia Flyers (23-24-6; 7th in Metro, 14th in East, 5 points out of wild card)
Deadline cap space: $5,023,177

The rebuilding Flyers have lost four of their past five games after a 5-0-1 run that got them into the playoff race. Philadelphia desperately needs to get better up the middle; until that happens, it’s hard to envision the Flyers not falling out of the race in the next couple of weeks.

They got a head start on the deadline Thursday by sending a pair of 25-year-old forwards, Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost, to the Calgary Flames for forwards Andrei Kuzmenko and Jakob Pelletier, plus two draft picks.

Here's the heated exchange between John Tortorella and Matvei Michkov after the first Islanders goal. #Flyers pic.twitter.com/lDOFXC4WSc

— Flyers Nation (@FlyersNation) January 31, 2025

GM Daniel Briere doesn’t have any pending unrestricted free agents. Players who’ve been mentioned in trade talk (Rasmus Ristolainen and Scott Laughton are two of the most talked-about) have term left on their contracts, which figures to diminish interest.

Don’t be surprised if Briere does some more selling before the deadline as he prepares for the Draft in June, where he’ll have three first-round picks and four more in the second round.

The Rangers gave up the first of two goals by Andrei Svechnikov 56 seconds after the opening face-off and spent the rest of the night chasing the game. But few of their shots severely tested Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen before the ’Canes put the game away with three goals in 3:01 of playing time bridging the second and third periods. Svechnikov got his second of the night at 19:29 of the second and assisted on Sebastian Aho’s goal 1:04 into the third.

Seth Jarvis’ goal at 2:30 started a parade to the Garden exits not long afterward.

Fortunately for the Rangers, all but one of the six teams in the playoff scramble who played Tuesday and Wednesday also lost, meaning that while New York missed a golden chance to gain ground, it didn’t lose any. The only playoff hopeful to win was the Islanders, who made it five victories in a row when they defeated the Colorado Avalanche 5-2 at UBS Arena on Tuesday. They are a point behind their big-city rivals.

However, the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens all lost on Tuesday, followed by the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday.

The Bruins, who own the first wild card, were demolished 7-2 in Buffalo, where Sabres forward Tage Thompson and J.J. Peterka each had a hat trick. The Lightning returned home from a four-game road trip and lost 4-1 to the 31st-place Chicago Blackhawks, and the Canadiens lost 4-1 at Bell Centre to the Winnipeg Jets. The New Jersey Devils, who lost 4-2 in Philadelphia on Monday, avenged that loss by blanking the Flyers two nights later.

The Rangers (24-22-4) finished January with an 8-3-3 record — although if they miss the playoffs, the points they left on the table might be the reason. The Rangers dropped OT decisions to the Dallas Stars, the Avalanche and the Canadiens, all in games they led well into the third period. Add that to the 5-4 loss to Colorado on Sunday, a game they allowed the Avalanche to score the game-winner with 14.7 seconds left, and it’s safe to say the Rangers can’t be happy about the points they’ve let get away.

Now it’s time for some serious scoreboard watching. The Rangers are in the midst of a three-day break in the schedule before they begin a stretch of five games in eight days prior to the 4 Nations Face-off break. The Rangers visit the Bruins on Saturday afternoon, followed by a game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday to get the final stretch underway.

Between the pipes. pic.twitter.com/EuezAdX0gp

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) January 29, 2025

Here’s a look at the playoff scramble in the East (all records through Wednesday’s games).

Related: Mind-numbing Rangers mistakes threatening to finally sink season

Metropolitan Division top three

None of the top three teams in the Metropolitan Division look like they’ll be threatened by anyone. The Washington Capitals (34-11-5) are the leaders in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy, the Hurricanes (31-16-4) are second in the division and the Devils (29-18-6) trail them by two points.

The Devils lead everyone else in the division by at least nine points, which gives them some runway as they continue to deal with the loss of starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom, who was ruled out of the 4 Nations tournament on Wednesday because of a sprained knee ligament sustained in a 5-1 win against Boston on Jan. 22. Jake Allen is 2-1-0 in three starts since Markstrom’s injury and will be expected to carry the load. He made 24 saves to shut out the Flyers on Wednesday.

However, as long as Markstrom doesn’t miss more time than expected (4-6 weeks), it’s hard to imagine the Rangers (or anyone else) being able to overtake the Devils.

Related: Rangers look to ‘keep the positivity’ heading into February schedule

Ahead of the Rangers (current wild cards)

Boston Bruins (25-21-6, 56 points)

The Bruins were 5-1-1 in their previous seven games before they got torched in Buffalo. The Sabres lit up Jeremy Swayman for six goals on 32 shots, and David Pastrnak, the NHL First Star last week, was limited to a garbage-time second assist.

Boston goes home for its next three games, hosting the Jets on Thursday before the Rangers come in two days later. The Minnesota Wild visit TD Garden on Feb. 4 before the Bruins come to the Garden for a back-to-back the next night.

The Rangers edged the Bruins 2-1 at the Garden on Jan. 2 and go to Boston for their nationally televised matinee before hosting them four nights later.

Tampa Bay Lightning (26-20-3, 55 points)

It’s hard to imagine than any of the 19,092 fans at Amalie Arena on Tuesday gave the Blackhawks, who are next-to-last in the overall standings, a chance to win. Though the Lightning lost three of four games on the road last week, winning only a 4-3 overtime decision at Chicago last Friday, they were expected to make quick work of the Blackhawks in their return home.

Instead, Chicago spotted Tampa Bay an early goal by Brayden Point before a spectacular shot by Connor Bedard tied the game, and scored three more times for Arvid Soderblom, who made 34 saves in the stunning win.

Tampa Bay plays its next four games at home, beginning Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings. The Islanders come in Saturday and the Ottawa Senators, who’ve jumped the Lightning for third place in the Atlantic Division behind the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs, play back-to-back games in Tampa on Feb. 4 and 6.

The Rangers lost 6-2 at Amalie Arena on Dec. 28. Tampa Bay comes to the Garden twice in the final 10 days of the regular season.

Ahead of the Rangers (but not in the playoffs)

Columbus Blue Jackets (24-19-7, 55 points)

The Blue Jackets have had to sit and watch the scoreboard since Saturday night, when they defeated the Kings 3-2 in overtime on a goal by Kirill Marchenko. That one home game is sandwiched between a pair of four-game road trips.

Columbus was 1-2-1 on the first trip, including a 1-0 shootout loss to the Rangers at the Garden on Jan. 18. They’re off until Thursday, when the second four-gamer begins against the Golden Knights.

The Rangers and Blue Jackets have three games remaining. The next one is in Columbus on Feb. 8 and is the last game for each team before the 4 Nations break. Columbus comes to the Garden again on March 9 and hosts New York six nights later.

Montreal Canadiens (24-21-5, 53 points)

The Canadiens stole a point Saturday when they overcame a pair of two-goal deficits before losing 4-3 in overtime to the Devils at Bell Centre. But they were beaten soundly at home three nights later by the high-flying Jets, the best team in the Western Conference.

Montreal hosts Minnesota on Thursday before beginning a three-game California trip on Sunday against the Anaheim Ducks.

The Canadiens, seeking their first playoff berth since losing to the Lightning in the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, have gotten back into the playoff race after a 5-11-2 start looked like it would doom them to another early summer vacation. The Rangers were 2-0-1 in the season series, winning 7-2 in Montreal on Oct. 22 and 4-3 at MSG on Nov. 30 before the OT loss 10 days ago.

Detroit Red Wings (24-21-5, 53 points)

The Red Wings continued their post-Christmas surge under new coach Todd McLellan on Monday by rallying from an early two-goal deficit for a 5-2 win against the Kings. Lucas Raymond, who continues to blossom into an offensive force, had a goal and three assists. Detroit has won three in a row, all with Cam Talbot in goal, to move within two points of the second wild card.

The Red Wings head out for a four-game swing through Western Canada and Seattle that begins against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.

The Rangers swept the three games between the teams in a season series that ended before Veterans Day, outscoring the Red Wings by a total of 13-3.

Tied with or trailing the Rangers

We’ll assume that the Pittsburgh Penguins (50 points in 53 games) and the Sabres (43 in 50 games), who are last in their respective divisions, have too few points and too many teams in front of them to have a realistic chance at the postseason. But there are two other teams that are even or just behind the Rangers and still hold realistic playoff hopes.

Philadelphia Flyers (23-23-6, 52 points)

The Flyers looked like they might be ready to fold after back-to-back road losses against the Rangers (6-1) on Thursday and the Islanders (3-1) on Friday. But a couple of days off appeared to give them a spark on Monday, when they knocked off the Devils 4-2 at Wells Fargo Center in the first of a home-and-home set, only to lose 5-0 in Newark on Wednesday.

The Flyers return home to host the Islanders on Thursday before visiting Colorado on Sunday.

The Flyers’ split with the Devils and the Rangers loss to the Hurricanes left the two Metropolitan Division rivals tied, three points out of the second wild card — although the Rangers have played two fewer games.

The Rangers and Flyers have split two games this season. The Flyers won 3-1 at Wells Fargo Center on Black Friday before losing at the Garden last week. The teams don’t play again until the Flyers come to the Garden on April 9.

New York Islanders (22-20-7, 51 points)

The Islanders have worked their way onto the fringes of the playoff chase in the East by winning five straight games, all at home, giving them eight wins in their past 10 games. They got a superb effort by Ilya Sorokin on Tuesday in the win against Colorado and have allowed just seven goals during the winning streak.

PUCKS ON NET. #LGI | @Ford pic.twitter.com/Y0K0gtanq3

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 29, 2025

However, injuries have hampered the Isles all season, and they lost a couple of key pieces — defensemen Noah Dobson and Ryan Pulock — last week. They were also without backup goalie Marcus Hogberg on Tuesday after he was removed before the start of overtime Saturday in a 3-2 win against Carolina because of an upper-body injury. They’ve already added ex-Rangers defenseman Tony DeAngelo to fill in for Dobson and acquired defenseman Scott Perunovich from the St. Louis Blues on Monday.

But losing Pulock and/or Hogberg for any length of time (both went on injured reserve Monday) could be fatal to their already-slim playoff hopes, especially with five of their final six games before the 4 Nations break on the road, beginning Saturday at Tampa Bay.

The Rangers haven’t played their local rival since a 5-2 win at the Garden on Nov. 2; they play three times in the final seven weeks of the season, beginning Feb. 25 on Long Island.

MSG’s Joe Micheletti spoke for thousands of Rangers fans with that remark early in the telecast of their team’s 6-1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. With most of the teams the Rangers are battling in the Eastern Conference playoff race in action, it would be hard to blame those in the sellout crowd of 18,006 from keeping one eye peeled for out-of-town results.

The victory against the Flyers extended the Rangers’ point streak to 10 games (7-0-3). The Rangers are off until the Colorado Avalanche come to town Sunday afternoon, so you can bet that they’ll be eagerly following the out-of-town action again on Saturday. The Carolina Hurricanes visit on Tuesday, and the Rangers then get three days off.

As for the game Thursday: Igor Shesterkin continued his superb play, finishing with 33 saves to extend his point streak to 6-0-1 as the Rangers improved to 24-20-4 – the same record as the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators, each of whom lost on the road when the Rangers were winning at home.

The Avs and Hurricanes will look different than the last time the Rangers saw them. Colorado traded high-scoring forward Mikko Rantanen to the Hurricanes on Friday night for Carolina’s top scorer, forward Martin Necas, and center Jack Drury. The ‘Canes also added forward Taylor Hall from the Chicago Blackhawks. All four players should be with their new teams by the time they arrive at MSG.

Here’s an updated look at the playoff scramble in the East (all records through Friday’s games):

READ: Daily — Rangers making contenders look like pretenders, Gary Bettman retirement talk

Metropolitan Division top three

None of the top three teams in the Metropolitan Division look like they’ll be threatened by anyone below them. The Washington Capitals are the leaders in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy, the Hurricanes are second in the division and the New Jersey Devils trail them by three points.

#NJDevils head coach Sheldon Keefe said Jacob Markstrom “will miss some time” following his injury in the second period of tonight’s game.https://t.co/FiNg3cdD1y

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) January 23, 2025

The third-place Devils lead everyone else in the division by at least seven points, although starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom is out 4-6 weeks with a sprained left MCL. Markstrom was injured and had to leave early in the second period of New Jersey’s 5-1 win against the Bruins on Wednesday; Jake Allen finished the game and will be relied upon to carry the load in Markstrom’s absence.

The 34-year-old should be back before the playoffs but this next month could prove interesting. If the Rangers remain hot and the Devils falter without their No. 1 goalie, a top-three spot in the division is not out of the question for the Blueshirts, who have two games in hand on their Hudson River rivals.

Ahead of the Rangers (current wild cards)

Boston Bruins (24-20-6, 54 points)

A 2-0 win over the visiting Senators on Thursday nudged the Bruins past the Tampa Bay Lightning and into third place in the Atlantic Division, behind the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers — for one night. But the Lightning (26-18-3) jumped back into third on Friday by rallying for a 4-3 overtime road win against the Chicago Blackhawks, dropping Boston back to the top wild card. The Lightning also have three games in hand on the Bruins and at least one on all the other playoff contenders as they prepare for the second of back-to-back road games against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.

Tampa Bay is coming off losses at Toronto and Montreal earlier in the week, but the Lightning’s .585 points percentage is sixth in the conference, and it’s hard to believe they won’t end up in the top three in their division.

However, the Rangers, Canadiens and Senators each have two games in hand on Boston.

The Rangers edged the Bruins 2-1 at the Garden on Jan. 2 and go to Boston a week from Saturday before hosting them four nights later. New York lost 6-2 at Tampa Bay on Dec. 28 and plays the Lightning twice in the final 10 days of the season.

Columbus Blue Jackets (23-19-7, 53 points)

Columbus dropped from the first wild card to the second after blowing a 2-0 lead in Raleigh on the way to a 7-4 loss to Carolina on Thursday that completed a 1-2-1, six-day road trip – including a 1-0 shootout loss to the Rangers on Jan. 18. The one win was a 5-1 victory in Toronto on Wednesday, with hometown boy Adam Fantilli getting his first NHL hat trick.

But the Blue Jackets can keep their suitcases packed; after a home game against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, they’re back on the road for four more games, beginning Jan. 30 against Vegas. Their last game before the 4 Nations break is against the Rangers on Feb. 8. Columbus comes to the Garden again on March 9 and hosts the Rangers six nights later.

Now’s a good time to point out that the Blue Jackets are 7-14-4 on the road this season.

Even with the Rangers

Montreal Canadiens (24-20-4, 52 points)

Even with a 4-2 loss at Detroit on Thursday, the Canadiens are 10-3-1 since the Christmas break – including a 5-4 overtime win against the Rangers at Bell Centre this past Sunday. They host New Jersey on Saturday.

The Canadiens, seeking their first playoff berth since losing to the Lightning in the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, have come together under former Rangers forward Martin St. Louis after a 5-11-2 start that looked like it would doom them to another early summer.

The Rangers were 2-0-1 in the season series, winning 7-2 in Montreal on Oct. 22 and 4-3 at MSG on Nov. 30 before the OT loss.

Ottawa Senators (24-20-4, 52 points)

The Senators were on a 5-0-1 run before their offense disappeared in the past two games; they were shut out 5-0 at the Garden on Tuesday before being blanked 2-0 in Boston on Thursday. They hope playing back-to-back home games against the archrival Maple Leafs on Saturday and Utah on Sunday will help perk things up.

Though this won’t help the offense, Ottawa is hoping that No. 1 goalie Linus Ullmark, who’s been out injuring his back Dec. 23, will be ready to return shortly. Rookie Leevi Merilainen preserved the Senators’ playoff chances with a 6-3-1 record and two shutouts in Ullmark’s absence, but he struggled in his past two games and could be headed back to the AHL when Ullmark is ready to go.

New York defeated Ottawa 2-1 on Nov. 1 in their only meeting before this week’s win; New York makes its lone visit to Canadian Tire Centre on March 8.

Behind the Rangers

We’ll assume that the New York Islanders (47 points) and Buffalo Sabres (41), who are last in their respective divisions, have too few points and too many teams in front of them to have a realistic chance at the postseason. But there are three other teams that begin Saturday trailing the Rangers but still hold realistic playoff hopes.

Philadelphia Flyers (22-22-6, 50 points)

The Flyers’ loss at the Garden on Thursday dropped them two points behind the Rangers. The loss also ended a 5-0-1 run by Philadelphia after the Flyers looked like they might be falling out of the race two weeks ago.

Thursday began a busy stretch for coach John Tortorella’s team. The Flyers lost 3-1 to the Islanders at UBS Arena on Friday, then have a home-and-home against the Devils and host the Islanders on Jan. 30 – that’s five games in eight days. The Rangers don’t see them again until the Flyers come to the Garden on April 9.

Detroit Red Wings (22-21-5, 49 points)

The Wings are still looking to host their first playoff game at Little Caesars Arena, which opened in the fall of 2016, but it’s going to be an uphill battle. Detroit ran off a seven-game winning streak under new coach Todd McLellan, then was 1-3-1 in the next five games before defeating the visiting Canadiens on Thursday.

The pass. The finish. 🤌 pic.twitter.com/6ainBoJTQF

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 24, 2025

The Red Wings have home games against the Lightning on Saturday and the Kings on Monday before a swing through Western Canada and Seattle. The Rangers swept the three games between the teams in a season series that ended before Veterans Day, outscoring the Red Wings 13-3.

Pittsburgh Penguins (20-22-8, 48 points)

The Penguins have three games remaining on their marathon seven-game road trip that will take them through the end of January. They followed up one of their best efforts of the season, a 5-1 whipping of the Kings in Los Angeles on Monday, with a 5-1 clunker Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks, a team all but assured of missing the playoffs for the seventh straight season.

That loss dropped the Penguins two games below NHL .500, and they likely need to win at least two of the remaining three, beginning Saturday night against the Seattle Kraken, to stay in the hunt.

The Rangers are 2-0-0 against the Penguins, winning 6-0 in Pittsburgh on opening night and 4-2 at the Garden on Dec. 6. The teams play again at MSG on Feb. 7 and in Pittsburgh on Feb. 23.

Relying on terrific goaltending by Jonathan Quick, quick-strike goals in the second period by Jimmy Vesey and Artemi Panarin, and strong special-teams play (power-play goal; 2-for-2 on PK), the Rangers found a way to win when they again were not at their best.

“I thought it was a gutsy win,” Vesey said postgame. “‘Quickie’ played great, probably kept us in the game and allowed us to score those two goals at the end of the second [period]. Big two points in the standings … but we still have some stuff to clean up. Gutsy, gutsy win.”

The Rangers somehow were up 1-0 when Vesey scored a hugely important goal late in the second period. Outplayed in the first period, and then nearly run out of the building in the second, Vesey’s goal was a massive pick-me-up for the Rangers. And equally as deflating for the Red Wings, who had an xGF of 74.72 percent through two periods of play, per Natural Stat Trick, yet trailed on the scoreboard.

“We found a way to win, right?” Quick said afterward. “They were coming off a loss (Friday) and came out with urgency, and we found a way to get that first one (power-play goal by Chris Kreider in the first period), blocked shots when we needed to and take advantage of opportunities we got, especially there in the second period.”

Vesey’s first of the season at 16:52 was quickly followed by Artemi’s team-high 10th goal 48 seconds later. Quick-strike goals in a period when the Rangers were outshot 19-8, yet extended their lead 3-0.

That’s not how you write it up. But, hey, coming off that 6-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday — one where Ryan Lindgren said “nothing went right,” the Rangers will take this rebound win.

Related: 3 Rangers takeaways from 4-0 win against Red Wings

Rangers coach says ‘we’ve got to be better’ after win against Red Wings

However, don’t believe for a minute that Rangers coach Peter Laviolette is fooled by the end result. The Rangers were out-chanced in all situations 44-24 and doubled up by the Red Wings in high-danger chances 16-8. New York’s xGF was 42.16 percent in a game they won 4-0.

That second period was not pretty. But Quick was simply outstanding, making 37 saves in his 61st NHL shutout. Not bad when your No. 2 goalie has a 1.17 goals-against average and .964 save percentage.

“It’s infectious when you see that level of work,” Kreider said about what Quick brings to the Rangers. “Just the way he picks guys up, too. He’s the first one to pat someone on the back if they block a shot or something. It’s infectious.”

So, great goaltending likely stole the Rangers another two points Saturday. Quick and Igor Shesterkin have been doing that pretty much all season, though it stood out more the past few weeks when the Rangers overall play declined around the goalies.

“It was good to get the two points and get the win, get back on track,” Laviolette said after the game. “First period, we got going a little bit towards the end … the second period wasn’t very good. We gave them a little too much some of the things we did.

“Overall, to bounce back and get a win is good, but there’s definitely still things that could be better.”

When asked if this game could be a turning point, Laviolette quickly shot back his answer.

“No. We’ve got to get better,” the coach said. “There’s things tonight we did, so I don’t think you just move on. I think you address some things and get better at what we’re doing.”

They’ll need to get better quickly. The League-leading Winnipeg Jets lie in wait and bring a 14-1-0 record into their matchup with the Rangers at MSG on Tuesday.

In fact, for much of the first 40 minutes Saturday, this game looked eerily like much of how the Rangers (9-3-1) played the previous two weeks. Out-chanced, out-shot, out-hustled, out-played. And they would’ve been out-scored if not for goalie Jonathan Quick, who stopped all 27 shots through two periods of play, including 19 in the second stanza.

Yet they led 3-0 because they received a power-play goal from Chris Kreider in the first period and two quick-strike goals from Jimmy Vesey and Artemi Panarin late in the second.

Things got better in the evenly-played third period. But this has been the blueprint for the past couple weeks, when they’re 4-3-0. Get outplayed, but rely on great goaltending, quick-strike goals and outstanding special-teams play.

That’s been good enough in recent wins against the Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders and now the Red Wings. But it’s not a recipe for long-term success, especially when the Stanley Cup Playoffs arrive.

But the two points count. And a major test stands in front of them, when the Rangers host the 14-1-0 Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.

Related: Rangers ‘under siege to much’ recently, Peter Laviolette warns

3 takeaways from Ranger4-0 win against Red Wings

Here are three takeaways from the game Saturday.

1. Quick rescue plan

Typically we’re used to seeing Igor Shesterkin bail the Rangers out of trouble. But that hasn’t been the case the past two games. Shesterkin was pulled after allowing five goals on 12 shots Thursday against the Sabres and then watched from the bench Saturday.

Enter Jonathan Quick to save the day. After stopping nine of 10 shots in relief against the Sabres, Quick was terrific against the Red Wings, making 37 saves in the 61st shutout of his NHL career (third in two seasons with the Rangers).

Simply, he saved the day in the second period when the Rangers looked like the version of themselves that was fairly manhandled by the Sabres and Washington Capitals in recent losses. He stopped all 19 shots, before the goals by Vesey and Panarin 48 seconds apart changed the complexion of the game.

Aging like fine wine, the 38-year-old goalie has a 1.17 goals-against average and .964 save percentage in four games (three starts, all wins). If there was any question that last season’s career rebound was a fluke, it should be laid to rest now.

2. When third is first

On a another night when the Rangers weren’t at their best, the Zac Jones – Braden Schneider defense pair stood out in a positive way. Not unlike Thursday against the Sabres, New York’s third defense pair largely stayed out of trouble, got the puck out of their zone and contributed offensively.

Schneider’s xGF was 56.20 percent, per Natural Stat Trick, best on the Rangers. Jones was a few percentage points behind him. They were better than other defense pairs 5v5 with four high-danger chances for and four against.

Jones assisted on Vesey’s clutch goal, his second helper in two games. Schneider had three shots on goal, five shot attempts, three hits and two blocked shots — a little bit of everything. Playing three games in a row, they look very comfortable together.

3. All 82 vs. Red Wings, please

The Rangers may want to petition the NHL to play each of their 82 games against the Red Wings. They swept the season series 3-0-0, outscoring the Red Wings 13-3, meaning 33 percent of their wins this season so far are against their Original 6 rival from Motown.

Dating back, the Rangers are 12-1-2 in their past 15 games against the Red Wings and have at least one point in 21 of their past 23 meetings (16-2-5) since Jan. 22, 2017. So, yeah, they may be a bit sad not to see the Red Wings again on the schedule this season.

Panarin’s going to miss them, too. He had two more points (goal, assist) against the Red Wings on Saturday. That gives him nine points in three games (four goals, five assists), including a hat trick.

Quick has two of his three wins against Detroit this season. He stopped 66 of 68 shots against the Red Wings, winning twice on the road at Little Caesars Arena.

After making nine saves in relief of Igor Shesterkin in an 6-1 ugly loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, Quick earned his 396th career victory, inching closer to becoming the 14th NHL goalie to reach 400 wins.

Chris Kreider scored on a power play in the first period before Quick faced constant pressure in the second. After Quick kept it 1-0, Jimmy Vesey and Artemi Panarin scored late in the second to provide the Rangers (9-3-1) breathing room.

Kreider scored his 113th career power-play goal and Panarin had his sixth multi-point game of the season. Vesey scored his first goal after making his season debut Sunday against the New York Islanders.

Reilly Smith finished off the season sweep (3-0-0) of the Red Wings with a 157-foot empty-net goal with 3:43 remaining.

Quick made some timely saves in the opening minutes as the Rangers allowed eight of the game’s first 11 shots. He then made back-to-back saves on Dylan Larkin and Jeff Petry with about 10 minutes left in the second and moved slightly out of the crease to deny former Rangers forward Patrick Kane during a Detroit power play.

37-save performance for JQ32. pic.twitter.com/ytKzJ8FTw8

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 10, 2024

The Red Wings outshot the Rangers 18-8 in the second, including 15-4 before the two clutch goals.

Related: Rangers ‘under siege’ too much recently, coach believes

New York Rangers 4 – Detroit Red Wings 0

Kreider opened the scoring by doing what he does best – scoring on a deflection seven seconds into the first power play.

Vincent Trocheck won a face-off from former Rangers forward Andrew Copp and passed to Adam Fox. After getting the return feed from Panarin, Fox’s blast connected with Kreider, who was left alone in front of the crease to easily finish off his eighth goal at 13:13 of the first period.

Vesey scored at 16:52 of the second period, after Zac Jones kept the puck alive at the end boards. Jones had a shot blocked by Moritz Seider, but maintained possession, moved the puck to Sam Carrick behind the net and Vesey got the pass in front of the crease to finish off his first goal since March 9.

Panarin’s one-timer off a Mika Zibanejad feed made it 3-0 with 2:20 left in the second.

SHORT SIDE BREAD. pic.twitter.com/KVy41KIoWj

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 10, 2024

Smith’s empty-netter iced the road win for the Rangers, who are 5-1-0 away from Madison Square Garden this season. Fox picked up his second assist of the night on the goal.

With a solid bounce back performance under their belts, the Rangers take a step up in competition when they host the League-leading Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday at MSG.

The Rangers have already defeated the Red Wings twice this season — 4-1 at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 14 and 5-2 in Detroit three nights later. They are 11-1-2 in their past 14 games against the Red Wings and look to finish off a sweep of their season series Saturday.

It’s not just the loss to the Sabres that should motivate the Rangers this weekend. They’re 3-3-0 in their past six games, outplayed in at least four of those contests. Thursday against the Sabres, the Rangers looked particularly slow, lost many key puck battles and were sloppy in their own end.

Coach Peter Laviolette will keep the lineup intact, though based on practice Friday it appears he’ll flip Chris Kreider and Will Cuylle, reuniting the latter with Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko. Kreider will skate with Vincent Trocheck and Reilly Smith.

Jonathan Quick, who came on in relief of Igor Shesterkin midway through the 6-1 loss Thursday and allowed one goal, is expected to make the start in goal for the Rangers — his second in Detroit this season.

The Red Wings (6-6-1) come off a 3-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday. Captain Dylan Larkin extended his goal scoring streak to four games (five goals) and leads Detroit with nine in 13 games. Forwards Alex DeBrincat (five points; two goals, three assists) and Lucas Raymond (five assists) also have four-game point streaks.

Related: Why Peter Laviolette expects ‘pretty good response’ by Rangers against Red Wings

3 things to watch for when Rangers visit Red Wings

1. Push their agenda

In two sessions with the media since the Sabres game, Laviolette stressed that the Rangers need to push the attack offensively. He believes they’ve been too passive and too slow finding their offensive game of late. Simply, they’re not dictating how games are being played, and often find themselves back on their heels.

“We need to have more bite on our attack, more purpose for wanting the puck and wanting to play in the other end,” Laviolette explained Friday. “For me, that mindset of controlling the game and dictating the game, dictating the battles. All of those things will lead to a better game.”

Jumping out to a fast start, grabbing an early lead, as Reilly Smith pointed out Friday, would also help the Rangers establish their game offensively.

2. More Bread please

Through 12 games, Artemi Panarin leads the Rangers in goals (nine) assists (10) and points (19). He’s done his most damage against the Red Wings, with seven points in two games. He had three assists in the first meeting, and then a hat trick (and an assist) in the rematch in Detroit. He’s scored 15 goals and totaled 39 points in 24 career games against the Red Wings.

Panarin picked up his 800th NHL point Thursday, assisting on Cuylle’s third-period goal. No current undrafted player has that many points currently in the NHL. Since his NHL debut in 2015-16 with the Chicago Blackhawks, Panarin’s 800 points are fifth most in the League.

3. Reunited

The Cuylle – Chytil – Kakko line was New York’s most effective two-way line to begin the season. Together, they outscored opponents 9-0 5v5 when on ice together. Though Cuylle had a strong game Thursday, these forwards have not thrived since being separated a couple games ago. So, it makes perfect sense that Laviolette reunites them in Detroit on Saturday.

Whatever issues or stagnation Mika Zibanejad has at 5v5 playing with Kreider that led to each line being shaken up, shouldn’t come at the expense of the excellent chemistry Cuylle, Chytil and Kakko have. Though Chytil didn’t look great against the Sabres, it’s Kakko who appeared the most lost since the line was broken up.

Let’s see if they can pick up where they left off.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Zibanejad – Lafreniere

Kreider – Trocheck – Smith

Cuylle – Chytil – Kakko

Edstrom – Carrick – Rempe

Lindgren – Fox

Miller – Trouba

Jones – Schneider

Quick

Shesterkin

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

Who: New York Rangers vs. Detroit Red Wings

When: Saturday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. ET

Where: Little Caesar’s Arena

How to Watch: MSG

Click here for New York Rangers complete 2024-25 schedule and game results

Igor Shesterkin can use the three days of rest between a 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Sunday and a visit from the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday; the 28 year-old goalie was under fire for most of last week despite winning two of three games. He faced 46, 41 and 37 shots in his three starts, losing 5-3 at Washington on Tuesday before defeating the Ottawa Senators 2-1 at Madison Square Garden on Friday and getting the win against the Isles on Sunday afternoon.

The Rangers enter the new week leading the Metropolitan Division with 17 points (8-2-1), one more than the Carolina Hurricanes, who have played one fewer game. Their plus-20 goal differential is the best in the Eastern Conference and second in the NHL behind the Winnipeg Jets (plus-29).

New York scored at even strength, on the power play and shorthanded in the same game on Sunday for the first time since March 26 against the Philadelphia Flyers. Adam Edstrom’s third-period goal Sunday made him the 16th different goal-scorer for the Rangers this season.

Who’s hot

Shesterkin was beyond fantastic last week; his play was the only reason the Rangers won two of their three games. He allowed seven goals on 124 shots (.944 save percentage), kept the Rangers competitive in the loss at Washington, stole the Rangers a win against Ottawa and allowed two goals on 37 shots against the Islanders. His price tag on a new contract keeps getting higher.

Artemi Panarin continues to put up points. He scored the first goal in the win against the Senators and had two more against the Islanders, giving him the team lead in goals (9), assists (9) and points (18). Panarin already has three multi-goal games, and his next point will be the 800th of his NHL career.

Vincent Trocheck had a week that might not have been terrific but saw him reach a milestone; his goal Sunday was the 200th of his NHL career.

Who’s not

K’Andre Miller has spent most of the season on the top defense pairing with Adam Fox, though his struggles last week saw him replaced by Ryan Lindgren, Fox’s longtime partner. Despite averaging an NHL career-high 22:43 of ice time this season, Miller has managed just two points (one goal, one assist) in 11 games. He is scoreless and minus-2 since getting his lone assist of the season on Oct. 19.

Related: Jimmy Vesey ‘complemented’ 4th line in return to Rangers lineup

Rangers lookahead this week includes …

A two-game week comes after a three-day break in the schedule. The Rangers play the Detroit Red Wings for the third (and final) time in their first 13 games this season.

Buffalo Sabres at Rangers (Nov. 7, 7 p.m. ET; MSG)

Buffalo comes into its only appearance at the Garden looking much better on paper than in the standings (4-7-1 after losing to the Islanders and Red Wings on a back-to-back this past weekend). The Sabres’ special teams have been a nightmare: Buffalo enters the week 31st on the power play at 8.6 percent (3-for-31, with two shorthanded goals allowed) and 27th on the penalty kill (71.8 percent; 11-for-39).

The Sabres have talented young players like Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson, but they are still trying to put the pieces together as they work to end the longest non-playoff streak in NHL history; Buffalo hasn’t qualified for the postseason since 2011. The Rangers are 7-1-1 against the Sabres in their last nine visits to MSG.

Rangers at Detroit Red Wings (Nov. 9, 7 p.m. ET; MSG)

New York outscored Detroit 9-3 in sweeping a home-and-home set against the Red Wings in mid-October, including a 5-2 win at Little Caesars Arena on Oct. 17. The Red Wings enter the week 5-5-1 and are trying to end a long playoff drought of their own; their last trip to the postseason came in 2016. The Rangers have won five in a row against the Red Wings and are 8-1-1 in their past 10 meetings. Shesterkin has never lost to the Red Wings in regulation; he is 5-0-1 with a 1.48 goals-against average, a .948 save percentage and one shutout in six games.

The Rangers have 20 goals through their first four games after blitzing the Detroit Red Wings 5-2 at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday, completing a sweep of their home-and-home series that began Monday with a 4-1 victory at Madison Square Garden.

The victory gives the Rangers a 3-0-1 record, their best four-game start since beginning the 2008-09 season with four consecutive victories and the ninth time in team history they’ve had points in each of their first four games. The 20 goals are the most they’ve had in the season’s first four games since scoring 20 in 1987-88 and two shy of the team record of 22 set in 1976-77.

Three of the five goals came on the power play, the first time they’ve had three in a game since March 9 against the St. Louis Blues.

Artemi Panarin continued his hot start with a hat trick and an assist; linemate Vincent Trocheck also had a four-point night with one goal and assists on each of Panarin’s three goals. Defenseman Adam Fox chipped in with three assists.

With seven points, the Rangers are second in the Metropolitan Division behind the New Jersey Devils, who improved to 5-2-0 (10 points) with a 3-1 road victory against the Ottawa Senators.

Related: Will Cuylle off to strong start on Rangers’ third line

3 takeaways from Rangers 5-2 win against Red Wings

Here are three key takeaways from the game Thursday.

1. Artemi Panarin continues sensational start

Panarin had five points in his first four games last season, when he finished with 120 points, the second-highest total in Rangers history. He’s more than doubled that output through four games this season, piling up 11 points (five goals, six assists) after his four-point night in Detroit. It’s enough to give him a share of the League scoring lead with Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who has 11 in five games.

“Tonight was definitely our night,” said Panarin, who scored on three of his four shots on goal. “I don’t want to say too much, because it was only one game, but we had everything going very well.”

BREAD ON THE MONEY. pic.twitter.com/LAxXhpi4AT

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 18, 2024

It was the 23rd four-point game in Panarin’s career. He has 56 three-point games since joining the Rangers in 2019-20.; the only NHL players with more in that span are two Edmonton Oilers — Connor McDavid (83) and Leon Draisaitl (65). The hat trick was his eighth in the NHL.

Panarin became the first player in Rangers history with multiple points in each of the first four games of a season, and 11 points in the first four games of a season are the most by any Ranger.

“I didn’t know that, but that’s awesome,” Panarin said of the mark. “I’m going to try to keep that going.”

2. Victor Mancini has night to remember

Scoring your first NHL goal is a thrill for any player. Scoring it in front of family and friends in your home state is almost beyond description.

Just ask Rangers rookie defenseman Victor Mancini, a Michigan native. He’s gone from training camp long shot to a regular on the blue line in the absence of Ryan Lindgren, who’s skating again as he recuperates from an upper-body injury sustained during the preseason.

Mancini had quite a few family members and friends at Little Caesars Arena to see him play his fourth NHL game. They formed his own little cheering section when the 22-year-old’s second-period wrist shot hit the back of the net. It was his first NHL goal and point.

“Words can’t really describe that feeling, especially in Michigan,” he said. “My mom and my grandmother were here, along with a lot of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.”

Mancini’s first NHL goal = a beauty. pic.twitter.com/a0lH2lACKJ

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 18, 2024

3. Jonathan Quick shows no signs of rust

Quick hadn’t played in a game of any sort since going all the way in a 3-1 preseason loss to the New Jersey Devils on Sept. 30. But he looked like he was in midseason form on Thursday, especially in the first few minutes of the opening period when the Red Wings dominated the action and had two power plays, including a 5-on-3 advantage for 42 seconds.

“I thought the defense did a great job in front of me,” Quick said. “There were plenty of battles in front of the net and our guys were coming out on top.”

The 38-year-old was an ideal backup to Igor Shesterkin last season, finishing with a .911 save percentage in 27 games. He looked every bit as good in his 2024-25 debut, finishing with 29 saves and allowing just one goal at 5-on-5.

“All the way through he was on point,” Laviolette said. “I thought he played a fantastic game. That’s what you get with someone of his pedigree, a guy who has won championships and played as long as he has.”