TSN’s Darren Dreger reported Thursday that Shanahan is set to take the job following 11 years as the president and alternate governor of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who did not renew his contract following a second-round playoff loss to the Florida Panthers in May. His tenure ended with just two playoff series victories by the Maple Leafs, who have not won the Stanley Cup or even made the Final since their last championship in 1967 – the final season of the NHL’s Original Six.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed to Postmedia on Friday that Shanahan will be taking a position with the Hockey Ops department.

It’s his second hitch with the NHL; he worked for the league from 2009, when he retired as a player, to 2014, when he joined the Leafs. Shanahan initially worked in NHL business development, then replaced Colin Campbell as senior vice president of player safety in June 2011 to help police the game based on his vast experience as a scorer and scrapper. 

“We are excited to have him back,” Daly told Postmedia via email. “We understand that this may not be where he stays long-term, but Shanny’s overall level of hockey knowledge and experience is hard to duplicate and will clearly add value.” 

Shanahan will spend time in the NHL’s New York and offices, according to Dreger. “He’ll also attend general manager meetings, board meetings, no question about that, in an advisory capacity, another experienced voice as part of that process.”

Shanahan was nearly 37 when he signed with the Rangers as a free agent on July 8, 2006. But he showed he had plenty left in the tank by scoring 29 goals and finishing with 62 points in 67 games. He also had his final NHL hat trick with the Rangers against the New York Islanders on Dec. 3, 2006.

In the spring of 2007, Shanahan also had five goals and seven points in 10 Stanley Cup Playoff games, helping the Rangers win a series for the first time since 1997.

His offensive numbers dropped to 23 goals and 46 points in 2007-08; he had one goal and five points in 10 playoff games.

Brendan Shanahan rejoining NHL in Hockey Ops department

He finished his playing career with the New Jersey Devils in 2008-09 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013. Shanahan won the Cup three times with the Detroit Red Wings and finished his career with 656 goals and 1,354 points in 1,524 games. He is 14th all-time in goals, 28th in points and 20th in games played. He’s the only player in league history with more than 600 goals and 2,000 penalty minutes, and he was named as one of the NHL’s 100 Greatest Players in 2017,

With the Leafs, Shanahan oversaw the hiring of coaches Mike Babcock, Sheldon Keefe and Craig Berube, as well as general managers Lou Lamoriello, Kyle Dubas, and Brad Treliving.

Under Shanahan, the Maple Leafs reached the playoffs for nine consecutive seasons (2016-25), the longest active streak in the NHL. However, their continuing playoff struggles eventually cost him his job; he was informed in late May that he would not be retained when his contract expired at the end of June. The announcement came a few days after the Leafs were steamrolled 6-1 at home by the Panthers in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series.

“While I am proud of the rebuild we embarked on starting in 2014, ultimately, I came here to help win the Stanley Cup, and we did not,” Shanahan said after the decision to let him go was announced. “There is nothing more I wanted to deliver to our fans, and my biggest regret is that we could not finish the job.”

Following his departure, the Maple Leafs granted the Islanders permission to speak with Shanahan on possibly taking a role with their front office. But he wasn’t hired and Mathieu Darche was named general manager and executive vice president.

NHL "excited" to have ex-Leaf boss Brendan Shanahan rejoining office https://t.co/4MQuIDCinH pic.twitter.com/UkdeErDU6U

— Toronto Sun (@TheTorontoSun) October 24, 2025

Dreger also noted that despite his new role, Shanahan could make a move to an NHL front office in the future.

“But I also believe he’s following a path that Ken Holland went down not that long ago as well en route to becoming the general manager of the Los Angeles Kings,” he said. “So, if an opportunity presents, whereby a team decides it’s going to make a significant change atop its hockey department, I would suggest that Brendan Shanahan would be a leading candidate for a job like that as well.”

The Leafs announced the decision to cut ties with Shanahan on Thursday. That was one day after they reportedly granted permission for Shanahan, whose Hall of Fame playing career included a two-season stint with the Rangers, to speak with the Islanders about a front office role.

“Over the past 11 seasons, Brendan Shanahan has made countless contributions to the Toronto Maple Leafs on the ice, off the ice and in the community,” Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment president & CEO Keith Pelley said in announcing the decision. “Brendan is one of the most respected leaders in the game and he has instilled many of the traits that were the signature of his Hall of Fame career throughout the organization, uniting this storied franchise in the ‘Honour, Pride and Courage’ that it was founded on.

“Our responsibility and driving motivation, however, is to add a new chapter to the Maple Leafs’ championship history, and it was determined that a new voice was required to take the team to the next level in the years ahead. The franchise will be forever grateful for Brendan’s contributions and wish him and his family every success and happiness in the future.”

Toronto’s decision not to retain Shanahan after 11 years came four days after the Maple Leafs’ season ended with a 6-1 home loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of their second-round series. It also came exactly one month after the Islanders, told president and general manager Lou Lamoriello that his contract wouldn’t be renewed.

Shanahan was believed to be in the hot seat after Toronto failed to get out of the second round again. He’s served as their top executive since 2014 – and hired Lamoriello as GM a year later. Lamoriello left in May 2018 to go to the Islanders after the Maple Leafs wanted to move him from GM to senior adviser.

Toronto made the Stanley Cup Playoffs for nine straight seasons under Shanahan but has gotten beyond the opening round just twice. That includes this season, when they blew a 2-0 series lead to the Panthers under first-year coach Craig Berube and second-year GM Craig Treliving. The Maple Leafs haven’t reached the conference final since 2002 nor reached the Final since 1967, the last time they won the Stanley Cup.

“While I am proud of the rebuild we embarked on starting in 2014, ultimately, I came here to help win the Stanley Cup, and we did not,” Shanahan said in a statement. “There is nothing more I wanted to deliver to our fans, and my biggest regret is that we could not finish the job.”

Shanahan spent two seasons with the Rangers, putting up 52 goals and 108 points in 140 games from 2006-08. He helped them reach the playoffs in both seasons and had his final NHL hat trick with the Rangers against the Islanders on Dec. 3, 2006.

He finished his playing career with the New Jersey Devils in 2008-09 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013. Shanahan won the Stanley Cup three times with the Detroit Red Wings and finished his career with 656 goals and 1,354 points in 1,524 games. He is 14th all-time in goals, 28th in points and 20th in games played.

The 56-year-old signed a six-year contract extension with the Maple Leafs in May 2019. But after another playoff disappointment, ownership decided it was time for a change – especially with star forwards Mitchell Marner and John Tavares eligible for unrestricted free agency on July 1.

Marner is expected by many to leave as a free agent, while Tavares – who bolted from the Islanders to the Maple Leafs in the summer of 2018 – said he wants to stay.

Related: ‘Stock has definitely risen’ on potential Rangers free-agent target Adam Gaudette

Leafs won’t re-up president Brendan Shanahan, paving way for front office role with Islanders

NHL analyst Nick Kypreos told Sportsnet Central earlier this week that there was a good chance Shanahan’s job could be eliminated.

“Make no mistake, over the course of 10 years, this has been Brendan Shanahan’s team,” the former Rangers forward said. “He’s the one that hired (ex-GM) Kyle Dubas. He’s the one at the end of the day who changed coaches … all of it fell on the watch of Brendan Shanahan. I think there was a level of respect for Brendan over his playing career, to give him an opportunity.

“He’s lived it. He’s won championships on Detroit — surely he can find a way to get the right mix, the right players, the right character together to win a Stanley Cup. But now that he’s doubled down and tripled down on the core (players) and they didn’t come through, there’s going to be a level of changes. We’ll see where ownership now goes with this whole role of a president. Maybe they don’t need one. Maybe they move on from Brendan Shanahan and don’t replace a president.”

Despite this season’s disappointment, Shanahan’s time in Toronto was an overall success – the Maple Leafs were a tire fire when he got there. The Islanders haven’t said anything about hi, but it’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t attract interest from a franchise that missed the playoffs this season and hasn’t won a postseason series since 2021.

Lamoriello’s successor, whether it’s Shanahan or someone else, takes over a team that owns the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft next month after winning the lottery (the Rangers will pick No. 12). There’s also an excellent goaltender (Ilya Sorokin) and a couple of talented defensemen (Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov).

But the Islanders are also loaded with long-term contracts for players whose best years are behind them. Also, their talent pipeline is just beginning to refill after Lamoriello traded away multiple first-round picks in the early 2020s.

The Islanders reportedly were interested in longtime NHL general manager Ken Holland and ex-Rangers GM Jeff Gorton, now the executive vice president of hockey operations for the Montreal Canadiens. But Holland took the GM job with the Los Angeles Kings, and the Canadiens refused to give the Islanders permission to talk to Gorton.

The Islanders reportedly interviewed former NHL GMs Jarmo Kekalainen and Marc Bergevin, as well as Tampa Bay Lightning assistant general manager Mathieu Darche. The Hockey News reported Monday that Bergevin and Darche each had a second interview with the Islanders.

But it’s unlikely that any of those three would get both titles – meaning that there could be an opening for Shanahan, who knows many of New York’s staff, mostly though his connections with Lamoriello. He also has a relationship with Isles executive John Collins from their time working at the NHL before Shanahan left to go to the Leafs.

Shanahan’s stature could help the Islanders do one thing they’ve never been able to do – bring in a marquee free agent. With the shine of a new building wearing off UBS Arena after four seasons, the Islanders have to do something to keep the turnstiles spinning. Bringing in Shanahan, and perhaps a solid GM under him if he doesn’t want both jobs, could be just what they need.

Or perhaps their latest no-show performance Tuesday in a 2-1 loss to the Calgary Flames is enough to hold their interest and spur a far better effort against the Maple Leafs.

“It’s all about how we respond. We want to make sure that we come back with a game that we’re proud of,” Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider said after practice Wednesday.

You just never know with these Rangers (33-30-6), who, despite their best (or worst) efforts, are only one point behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference — though Montreal does have two games in hand. Nonetheless, the point is that the Rangers are right in the mix battling for a playoff spot and need a massive bounce-back effort Thursday.

They require that rebound performance because they were manhandled Tuesday in a lifeless outing again the Flames, who were, by far, the hungrier team. Igor Shesterkin did his best to steal two points with 33 saves in a game the Rangers were outshot 35-13. But not even his heroics couldn’t completely cover up his teammates’ brutal and indifferent play.

But you have to turn the page quickly in this League, especially with 13 games remaining in the regular season for the Rangers, and a playoff berth there for the taking.

The Maple Leafs (41-24-3) are no easy mark, though. They’re tied for first in the Atlantic Division with the Florida Panthers, two points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning. So, this is a crucial game for them, as well.

Toronto is coming off a 2-1 home win against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday. The eventual winning goal was scored short-handed by Steven Lorentz, with an assist to referee Kelly Sutherland who fell down on an attempted Maple Leafs clear and was hit by the puck, allowing Lorentz to speed in, collect the disc and whiz it past Colorado goalie Mackenzie Blackwood.

Steven Lorentz nets one with a perfect set up by … the ref?! 😂 pic.twitter.com/gdXHYxFQ9d

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 20, 2025

The win was the second straight for the Maple Leafs after they lost four of five.

This is the final game of the season series, which is tied 1-1-0 after each team won on the road. Chris Kreider scored twice in a 4-1 Rangers win on Oct. 19, part of their 5-0-1 start that feels like centuries ago. Matthew Knies scored late in the third period to lift the Maple Leafs past the Rangers 3-2 at The Garden on Feb. 28.

Related: Rangers star said what (!) after shameful loss to Flames

3 things to watch for when Rangers host Maple Leafs

1. No comfort at home

Madison Square Garden hasn’t exactly been a safe space for the Rangers. They’ve lost four straight (0-3-1) on home ice, including the first two of this four-game homestand. Since Feb. 7, the Rangers are 2-5-1 at the World’s Most Famous Arena.

This isn’t just a recent problem, either. They are the definition of mediocre at MSG (16-16-3), tied with the Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers for fewest home wins in the Eastern Conference. Only the Vancouver Canucks (15), Utah Hockey Club (13), Chicago Blackhawks (13) and San Jose Sharks (10) have won fewer home games in the NHL this season.

For what’s it’s worth, the Rangers have lost three straight at MSG to the Maple Leafs, last defeating their Original Six rivals on home ice back on Dec. 15, 2022.

2. Mulling moves

The Rangers held an optional morning skate and coach Peter Laviolette wouldn’t say afterward what — if any — changes would be made to the lineup. Though coming off that disaster on Tuesday, one would figure there’d be a lineup change or two, even if just to shake up the mix.

Laviolette said the Rangers are “working through some things there, so can’t say (about lineup)” for what that’s worth.

Rookie forward Brennan Othmann was a healthy scratch against the Flames. Veteran defensemen Carson Soucy (three games) and Calvin de Haan (seven games) have been spending quite a bit of time recently in the press box.

Urho Vaakanainen stayed on late after the morning skate with de Haan, so perhaps Soucy is back in the lineup.

3. Riding Igor

One certainty in the Rangers lineup against the Maple Leafs is Shesterkin. Coming off that terrific performance against the Flames, Shesterkin will make his sixth straight start. That’s his longest consecutive games played stretch this season.; he previously started five games in a row twice.

Shesterkin is 2-3-0 in his past five starts despite allowing just nine goals. With a postseason berth hanging in the balance, the Rangers essentially are in playoff mode already, meaning Shesterkin will continue to play a lot down the stretch. Jonathan Quick has started twice since Feb. 23.

The Rangers have only two more back-to-backs on their schedule, so it wouldn’t be crazy to see Shesterkin start 11 of the last 13 games on the schedule, though the California trip next week may lead to another start either right before or after for Quick.

Thursday will be Shesterkin’s 52nd start this season. He’s never reached 60 games in a season, his tops being 58 in 2022-23.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Trocheck – Cuylle

Lafreniere – J.T. Miller- Zibanejad

Kreider – Carrick – Parssinen

Berard – Brodzinski – Rempe

Soucy – Fox

K. Miller – Borgen

Jones – Schneider

Shesterkin

Quick

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

Who: New York Rangers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

When: Thursday, March 20 at 7:00 p.m. ET

Where: Madison Square Garden

How to watch: MSG2

New York leads the Montreal Canadiens (32-27-7) by one point. However, the Canadiens have two games in hand, and they’re 7-1-2 in their past 10 games following a 3-1 home win against Atlantic Division-leading Florida Panthers on Saturday. The Rangers are two points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets after playing perhaps their best game of the season in a 4-0 win at Nationwide Arena on Saturday night. But the Blue Jackets (31-27-8) also have two games in hand and a slightly better point percentage than the Rangers (.529 to .528).

The Rangers were so dominant in the win at Columbus that Igor Shesterkin had to make just 21 saves, few of them difficult. Rangers coach Peter Laviolette decided that his No. 1 goalie hadn’t been severely taxed against Columbus and opted to start Shesterkin in both ends of back-to-back games for just the fifth time in his NHL career and the first since February 2023.

Shesterkin wasn’t awful while starting for the fourth time in six days, but he allowed the go-ahead goal to Edmonton’s Victor Arvidsson at 6:09 of the third period, then surrendered a late goal to Connor McDavid that put the game away.

The game against the Oilers was the first of four in a row at the Garden against teams from Canada, each of whom have better records than the Rangers. New York has to improve on its 16-15-3 mark at home if it wants to keep ahead of a group of challengers that also includes the Detroit Red Wings and New York Islanders, each of whom could catch the Rangers by winning their games in hand.

Who’s hot

Artemi Panarin is riding a nine-game point streak after assisting on Will Cuylle’s goal against the Oilers. He reached the 70-point mark with a goal and an assist in the win at Columbus, giving him five seasons with 70-plus points in as many full seasons since joining the Rangers as a free agent in the summer of 2019. He’s one goal shy of his third 30-goal season with New York.

Who’s not

Chris Kreider took an 0-fer last week, held without a point in four games and taking only six shots on goal. With 18 goals and 22 points in 54 games, he’s on track for his worst season since finishing with 16 goals and 37 points in 58 games in 2017-18.

Related: 3 Rangers takeaways from disappointing 3-1 loss to Oilers

Rangers lookahead this week includes …

The final three games of a 15-day stretch that will see the Rangers play nine times.

Calgary Flames at Rangers (March 18, 7 p.m. ET; MSG)

The Flames’ 3-2 win in Calgary on Nov. 21 is the line of demarcation in the Rangers season. New York came to Scotiabank Saddledome with a 12-4-1 record and appeared to be on course to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a fourth straight season, if not a repeat as Presidents’ Trophy winners. The loss began a 19-game stretch through the end of 2024 in which they were 4-15-0 and dropped out of the top eight in the East.

Calgary is in a playoff battle of its own. The Flames enter the week two points behind the Vancouver Canucks, who hold the second wild card in the Western Conference, and they’ll be playing the second of a back-to-back set after beginning a four-game road trip against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.

With Shesterkin having played four games in six days through Sunday, don’t be surprised if Jonathan Quick gets the start. Quick is 15-11-5 against the Flames in his career with an excellent 2.26 goals-against average and .910 save percentage.

Toronto Maple Leafs at Rangers (March 20, 7 p.m.; MSG2)

While the Rangers battle for a playoff spot, the Maple Leafs are in a three-way brawl for first place in the Atlantic Division with the Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. Toronto starts the week tied for second with the Lightning; both are four points behind the Panthers with two games in hand.

The Rangers and Maple Leafs split their first two games this season, with New York winning 4-1 at Toronto on Oct. 19 and Toronto winning its third straight at the Garden by edging the Rangers 3-2 on Feb. 28.

Auston Matthews has just 24 goals in 51 games after scoring 69 times for the Maple Leafs last season. He’s been a point-a-game player against the Rangers, with 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 23 games. That includes a goal and an assist in the two games this season.

Shesterkin is 6-3-2 lifetime against Toronto, including 1-1-0 this season, with a 2.53 GAA and .919 save percentage.

Vancouver Canucks at Rangers (March 22, 1 p.m. MSG/NHL Network)

Expect the Garden crowd to arrive early for the Saturday matinee since the Rangers salute Sam Rosen, their longtime TV voice, in a pregame ceremony honoring him for his 40 seasons behind the mic. Rosen has been calling Rangers games since 1984 and announced before the start of the season that this would be his last in the broadcast booth.

When the puck drops, J.T. Miller will be playing the team that traded him to the Rangers on Jan. 31 for the first time since the deal.

Miller has given the Rangers a boost with 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 17 games. New York’s first pick (No. 15) in the 2011 NHL Draft had career highs in goals (37), assists (66) and points (103) last season for Vancouver.

It would be nice if Filip Chytil made his first return to MSG since being traded to Vancouver in the Miller deal. However, Chytil is in concussion protocol and questionable to play Saturday.

The Rangers have won four of their past five against the Canucks, including a 4-3 win at Vancouver on Nov. 19 that marked the high point of their season.

Mika Zibanejad has 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) in 21 games against the Canucks, including a goal and an assist in the win at Vancouver in November.

After getting bailed out by goalie Igor Shesterkin when they were outplayed badly in recent road wins against the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders, the Rangers flipped the script against the Maple Leafs. New York outshot Toronto 35-16 and more than twice as many shot attempts – 78-38.

The only thing they didn’t have when they left the ice at Madison Square Garden was the win they needed so desperately as they try to make up ground in the Eastern Conference playoff scramble. The Rangers allowed early goals in each of the first two periods, then coughed up the game-winner by Matthew Knies 6:21 into the third for a 3-2 loss that left them where they started the night – four points out of the two wild-card berths.

“We were looking, we were hunting the entire night and just didn’t get rewarded for it,” coach Peter Laviolette said after the Rangers came up empty despite their best performance in the four games since the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

“It seemed like (the puck) was on our stick most of the night, it was in the offensive zone. I thought we defended pretty well. We made another mistake in the second period and then when they got a look they buried it in the third.”

New York had 33 scoring chances to 13 for Toronto and a 14-8 advantage in high-danger chances, according to Natural Stat Trick. The Rangers also were 38-23 on face-offs and forced the Maple Leafs into 25 giveaways. But Toronto goalie (and New Jersey native) Anthony Stolarz made 33 saves and outplayed Shesterkin. He was especially sharp down the stretch, when the Rangers kept the puck in the Toronto zone for long stretches but could not get the tying goal.

“We need to win games now, and we didn’t tonight,” defenseman Ryan Lindgren said. “We created lots of chances, created lots of opportunities. They just didn’t go in for us.”

The Rangers have to sit and watch on Saturday as the other six teams they’re jockeying with in the playoff race all see action. That includes the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets, who are tied for the two wild cards entering their NHL Stadium Series game at Ohio Stadium.

After their night off, New York begins a stretch of three home games in four days against the Nashville Predators on Sunday. The Islanders come to the Garden on Monday, and the conference-leading Washington Capitals visit on Wednesday in their last game before the NHL Trade Deadline on March 7.

“You’re disappointed,” center Vincent Trocheck said, “but every game this late in the season, you have to look at it, take what you can, learn from it and then move on to the next game. You can’t really focus on it too long.”

Related: Rangers NCAA prospects report — Gabe Perreault reaches 100-point milestone

Three takeaways from Rangers 3-2 loss to the Maple Leafs

1.  “Starting on time”

Longtime NHL coach Mike Babcock was big on this theme and making sure his teams were ready to go from the opening face-off in games and periods. The Rangers would have had Babcock venting steam out of his ears after allowing the Maple Leafs to score within the first two minutes in each of the first two periods.

Mika Zibanejad took a penalty 18 seconds after puck drop, and the Maple Leafs turned it into a power-play goal by defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson 1:47 into the game. Zibanejad tied the game at 13:08, but the Rangers had to settle for leaving the ice tied 1-1 despite thoroughly dominating play.

Borgs with the shot + Mika redirects it. pic.twitter.com/2tc9tkUsGy

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 1, 2025

They weren’t ready to go in the second period, either. A lazy change on defense let Nylander go in alone on Shesterkin for what turned into the go-ahead goal 51 seconds in. The Rangers started the third period by wasting the final 1:56 of a power play that began when John Tavares was called for interference in the final seconds of the second.

That’s spotting the opposition two goals and failing to capitalize on a chance to tie the game with poor starts – something the Rangers absolutely cannot afford in their situation.

2. Igor the Ordinary

Shesterkin was sensational in the wins against the Penguins and Islanders, allowing just four goals despite the Rangers getting outshot 77-34. He wasn’t awful against the Maple Leafs, but the Rangers needed a better performance from an elite goaltender on a night when they matched the fewest shots they’ve allowed in a game this season.

The Breakaway Man ™️😎 pic.twitter.com/1Sw9NOlESC

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 1, 2025

He had no chance on the early power-play goal by Ekman-Larsson or the game-winner by Knies. But he accidentally put Nylander’s goal into his own net after Urho Vaakanainen broke up the Toronto forward’s breakaway. Nylander shoveled the puck back into the crease, and with multiple sticks poking at the puck inadvertently nudged it over the goal line with his arm.

Shesterkin didn’t lose the game for the Rangers. But he didn’t win it, either.

3. Miller and Mika

The return of J.T. Miller in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 31 has been a success in its first month. Not only has Miller returned to being the offensive force he was last season, when he had a career-high 103 points, but his arrival has also reignited Zibanejad.

Miller’s been productive since the trade. He has five goals and 10 points in nine games while providing a physical edge that had been missing.

Much of his time in New York has been spent playing with Zibanejad, who scored the Rangers first goal, with Miller getting the secondary assist, and had the only assist on Will Cuylle’s short-handed goal in the third period. Since Miller joined the Rangers, Zibanejad has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in nine games – including seven during his current five-game point streak.

“I think Mika’s playing well,” Laviolette said. “I thought he was really good tonight. I think he played 23 or 24 minutes (actually 24:44). I thought he was moving, he was generating. I do think that J.T. has something to do with that.”

After going 2-1-0 despite playing poorly against the three weakest teams in the Eastern Conference, the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders, the Rangers outshot the Maple Leafs 35-16 and outplayed them for long stretches. But they never led, and Matthew Knies’ goal at 6:21 of the third period put the Maple Leafs ahead to stay in a 3-2 victory that moved them into first place in the Atlantic Division.

It was a damaging loss for the Rangers, who remained in a three-way tie for ninth place in the Eastern Conference after failing for the fifth straight time to win three in a row, something they haven’t done since Nov. 14-19. They’re still four points behind the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets, who own the two wild-card berths entering their NHL Stadium Series game at Ohio Stadium on Saturday. All three teams have played 59 games.

New York was playing catch-up all night after allowing a power-play goal by Oliver Ekman-Larsson 1:47 into the game. Mika Zibanejad tied it with less than six minutes remaining in the period, but Toronto went ahead again 51 seconds into the second period on William Nylander’s unassisted goal.

Zibanejad set up Will Cuylle’s game-tying short-handed goal 3:47 into the third period. But Toronto went ahead to stay just 2:34 later on Knies’ 22nd goal, then survived a barrage of shots down the stretch by the Rangers.

“When they got a look in the third period, they buried it,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette. “We couldn’t find the third one.”

Igor Shesterkin, coming off back-to-back brilliant efforts in the wins at Pittsburgh and the Islanders, was just OK against Toronto. He allowed three goals on just 17 shots, matching the fewest the Rangers have allowed this season. He was outplayed by Toronto goalie Anthony Stolarz, who finished with 33 saves.

“I felt we deserved a better fate,” Cuylle said.

The Rangers dominated play for most of the night without their best defenseman, Adam Fox, who’s on injured reserve after sustaining an upper-body injury Tuesday in a 5-1 win against the Islanders. However, defenseman K’Andre Miller (lower-body injury sustained vs. Isles) and center J.T. Miller (illness) each dressed and took a regular shift.

Related: Zach Jones getting wish to play at most critical moment of Rangers season

Toronto Maple Leafs 3 – New York Rangers 2

The Rangers got off to the kind of start that gives coaches nightmares.

Auston Matthews misfired on a wide-open shot from the slot six seconds after the opening face-off, but drew a tripping penalty on Zibanejad 12 seconds later.

Toronto’s five-forward first power-play unit did nothing, but the second unit wasted no time putting the Maple Leafs in front. Max Domi controlled the puck in the left circle and floated a pass that landed right on the stick of Ekman-Larsson near the top of the right circle. The veteran defenseman rocketed a shot off the near post and into the net at 1:47 to give Toronto a 1-0 lead.

The Rangers tightened up after that, controlling play and holding Toronto without a shot on goal for more than eight minutes before Shesterkin had to make a big stop on Mitch Marner in the crease. New York nearly tied it at 10:41 by using the same strategy that was so effective in the 5-1 road win against the New York Islanders on Tuesday – going to the net and looking for tips and rebounds. Vincent Trocheck got a piece of Urho Vaakanainen’s shot from the left point, but the tip went just wide.

Zibanejad atoned for his penalty when he did tie the game at 13:08, again using the go-to-the-net strategy. J.T. Miller had a shot blocked, but the puck came to Will Borgen, who fired from the top of the right circle. Zibanejad got a stick on the puck and deflected it past Stolarz for his 13th goal of the season, extending his point streak to five games.

Borgs with the shot + Mika redirects it. pic.twitter.com/2tc9tkUsGy

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 1, 2025

“It was a great heads-up play by Borgs,” Zibanejad told MSG Networks during the first intermission.

The Rangers dominated play for the rest of the period but couldn’t get another puck past Stolarz before time ran out, leaving the score tied 1-1 despite New York’s 14-5 lead in shots on goal, 29-11 advantage in attempts and, according to Natural Stat trick, a 9-3 edge in high-danger scoring chances.

Related: Mike Richter remains bullish on Rangers despite struggles

Toronto struck for another early goal to begin the second period after a bad line change enabled Nylander to go in alone on Shesterkin. Though Vaakanainen disrupted the shot and the puck trickled wide, Nylander got to it first and slid the puck back into the crease, where Shesterkin inadvertently knocked it into his own net at the 51-second mark. The original call of no goal was quickly overturned by video review, leaving Toronto ahead 2-1.

New York killed off Ryan Lindgren’s interference penalty at 1:34 and nearly tied it at 6:20 when Trocheck made a terrific move to sneak through the defense and get off a quick shot. Stolarz was surprised but made the save and covered.

The Rangers got their first power play at 13:10 when Bobby McMann was called for holding Braden Schneider just seconds after Schneider helped break up his dash to the net. The Rangers did little offensively until they were called for too many men at 14:54.

Jonny Brodzinski, coming off the first two-goal game of his career against the Islanders, nearly tied it with 50 seconds left. His rip from the right of the slot beat Stolarz cleanly but hit the crossbar.

John Tavares’ interference penalty with 3.1 seconds left gave the Rangers their second power play, and J.T. Miller forced Stolarz to make a big save just before the buzzer went off, keeping the score 2-1 through 40 minutes.

The Rangers didn’t generate much during the power play, then gave the Leafs their fourth man advantage when Sam Carrick was called for cross-checking. But instead of falling behind by two goals, the Rangers tied it on Cuylle’s shorthanded goal.

COOLS WITH A BEAUTY. pic.twitter.com/9Nb5rmiq3P

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 1, 2025

Cuylle started the play by picking off a pass by Nicholas Robertson in the Rangers’ zone and broke out 2-on-1 with Zibanejad. They played give-and-go, with Cuylle taking Zibanejad’s feed and beating Stolarz with a terrific backhand deke to make it 2-2.

Trocheck nearly put the Rangers ahead less than 20 seconds later when he beat Stolarz but rang the post.

Knies then put Toronto ahead for the third time by converting a pass from Matthews after a terrific play by Marner, who jumped up to knock down a rim-around by Shesterkin behind the net. This time, the Rangers couldn’t find the equalizer.

The Rangers have a rare Saturday off before playing back-to-back home games against the Nashville Predators on Sunday and the Islanders on Monday.

With or without their top defenseman for the time being, the Rangers desperately want to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fourth straight season.

“We got a resilient group in here, a hungry group that wants to get back in the playoffs,” Fox’s longtime defense partner Ryan Lindgren said this week.

Fox is expected to miss significant time with an upper-body injury sustained Tuesday against the Islanders. The timing could not be much worse, considering that the Rangers are on the outside looking in at the playoffs with 24 games remaining.

At 29-25-4, the Rangers are four points behind the two wild-card teams in the East, though they do have one game in hand on both the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets. The Rangers, who make up that game Friday when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs, are tied for ninth place in the conference with the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins at 62 points, and have the New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadians all within three points behind them. 

“Every game that we play, there’s two points on the line and a block of teams that are in the mix,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said.

It’s going to be a hectic stretch run, though really it’s been a pretty chaotic past couple months getting back into the playoff race for the Rangers since their dismal 4-15-0 stretch in November and December.

The Rangers have made the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, including two trips to the Eastern Conference Final (2022, 2024) when they were eliminated two games shy of reaching the Stanley Cup Final each time. Expectations were high heading into this season after they won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24. But a shockingly poor spate of play left the Rangers with an uphill battle to get back into the playoffs.

That means each game is critical for the Rangers, including a tough one against the Maple Leafs on Friday.

“Obviously the playoffs start after April 17, but these types of games are playoff games for us,” Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad said.

While it may be a long and strenuous road just to get to the playoffs, it could leave the Blueshirts better prepared for postseason hockey. Just two years ago, the Florida Panthers were in a similar position.

After winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2022, the Panthers had a disappointing start to their 2022-23 campaign before finishing hot to grab the second wild-card spot. Hardened by all of the must-win games played down the stretch, the Panthers took down the Bruins – whose 135 points are the most in a single season in NHL history – in seven games in the opening round. Florida eventually got all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost in five games to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Related: 3 things to watch for when Rangers host Maple Leafs to start 4-game homestand

J.T. Miller questionable for Rangers against Maple Leafs

J.T. Miller has changed the Rangers culture since he was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 31. But the Rangers may be without their difference-making center against the Maple Leafs. Miller is battling an illness that kept him from practicing Thursday, and Laviolette said he’s a game-time decision Friday.

“He plays a style of game that you really want on your team,” Vincent Trocheck explained. “He’s been a big part of the reason we’ve been winning lately.”

The Rangers are 5-3-0 since the trade and started 2-1-0 after the 4 Nations Face-Off break. Miller has five points since the break, including three goals in the two victories (against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Islanders). In eight games with the Rangers, Miller has five goals and four assists, and has brought a gritty, hard-nosed brand of hockey to the team.

“All the little things you want from a player, he brings that to the table,” Laviolette said. “He competes hard in the battles. If somebody pushes him in front of the net, he pushes them back. So there’s something that draws you in about a player like that. It’s an honesty and a hardness that you like about his game.”

Miller isn’t the only Rangers player listed as a game-time decision against the Maple Leafs. So, too, is defenseman K’Andre Miller, who sustained a lower-body injury against the Islanders but was able to practice Thursday. He appears to be OK to play Friday. Less likely to play is veteran forward Chris Kreider, who’s been practicing but missed the previous two games with an upper-body injury.

After facing three lesser teams in the Eastern Conference coming out of the break — the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders — the Rangers play a true heavyweight in the League. The Maple Leafs (36-20-2) are second in the Atlantic Division, one point behind the first-place Florida Panthers, with two games in hand. They are third in the East and sixth overall in the NHL.

You may have heard that Toronto’s lineup includes Auston Matthews, Mitchell Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares. You may also have heard that the Rangers defense has been frightful at times this season, including in that terrible 8-2 loss to the Sabres last Saturday. And New York is now without its top defenseman Adam Fox, who’s on injured reserve after sustaining an upper-body injury against the Islanders in a 5-1 win Tuesday.

So, yeah, this isn’t the easiest start to a four-game homestand that leads right into the March 7 NHL Trade Deadline. But really nothing has come very easy for the Rangers (29-25-4) this season, which is why they’re tied for ninth in the conference, four points out of a wild-card spot.

It’s the second meeting between these Original Six teams this season. The Rangers skated out of Toronto back on Oct. 19 with a 4-1 victory, the third of a four-game winning streak. That stands as New York’s longest win streak this season. They come into Friday having won two in a row, but haven’t won more than that consecutively since they snagged three straight Nov. 14-19.

Counter that with the Maple Leafs. They’re currently on their ninth winning streak of at least three games this season, including a five-game run Dec. 31-Jan. 7.

Related: Zac Jones gets major opportunity to prove himself once again

3 things to watch for when Rangers host Maple Leafs

1. In flux

Not only is Fox out of the lineup Friday, but the Rangers could be without one or more of J.T. Miller, K’Andre Miller and Chris Kreider against the Maple Leafs. Each of those Rangers regulars took part in an optional morning skate, but coach Peter Laviolette said the two forwards and one defenseman are game-time decisions.

J.T. Miller missed practice Thursday with an illness. Since he’s the engine that makes the Rangers go, it can’t be underestimated how much he’d be missed if unable to play. The other Miller, K’Andre sustained a lower-body injury Tuesday against the Islanders, but practiced Thursday and is expected to play. That would be huge because he and Will Borgen will be needed to play heavy minutes with Fox sidelined.

Kreider didn’t play the past two games with an upper-body issue. The 33-year-old has dealt with back problems all season and missed 10 games (one as a healthy scratch). He practiced Thursday.

2. Zac’s back

We haven’t seen a lot of Zac Jones the past two months, though we heard from him in January when he popped off about being a healthy scratch night-in and night-out after losing his third-pair slot to Urho Vaakanainen. With Fox out, Jones returns to the lineup Friday. He’ll pair with Braden Schneider and is slated to quarterback the second power-play unit.

The Rangers need a defenseman to replicate some of Fox’s offensive attributes, like funneling pucks to the net, make quick, smart passes to create scoring chances and start rushes up ice, and to skate the puck out of trouble when needed. That fits Jones’ skill set, though he’s no Fox, of course.

Laviolette doesn’t seem to trust Jones — hence he’s only played 28 games this season — but has little choice right now. It’s up to Jones to prove his worth.

3. Taking off in walk year

Mitchell Marner is going to be a very wealthy man. In fact, he already is very wealthy; he makes $10.9 million annually on his expiring contract. But everything is pointing toward the pending UFA being able to really break the bank this summer, whether it’s by remaining with the Maple Leafs or signing with another team on the open market (the Rangers do have some salary cap space — just sayin’).

The stars are aligning for the 27-year-old forward. The NHL salary cap is going up considerably, not only next season but those after, so teams will have more money to spend. And Marner is flying high in his prime; he’s third in the NHL with 55 assists and tied for fifth with 73 points in 57 games. He’s on the way to his first 100-point season, and already has a pair of 90-point campaigns (99 and 97 points) on his resume.

Oh, and he earned his big-game bones by assisting on Connor McDavid’s tournament-winning goal in overtime to help Canada defeat the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game.

He also comes into the Garden after a two-goal outing against the Boston Bruins on Monday.

All eyes will be on Marner at the Garden on Friday night.

Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere

Cuylle – J.T. Miller- Zibanejad

Vesey – Carrick – Smith

Othmann – Brodzinski – Rempe

K. Miller – Borgen

Lindgren – Vaakanainen

Jones – Schneider

Shesterkin

Quick

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

Who: New York Rangers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

When: Friday Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. ET

Where: Madison Square Garden

How to watch: MSG

Igor Shesterkin didn’t make it through the first period in Buffalo, allowing five goals on 16 shots before being pulled 18:21 into the game. He rebounded Sunday with a spectacular 36-save effort that stole a road win.

Their task now is to build on that victory, which moved them within two points of the second wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

The schedule offers the opportunity to gain ground. Three of their next four games are against teams that enter the week outside of the playoffs, including two in seven days against the New York Islanders, who’ve lost four of their past five games, as well as a visit from the woeful Nashville Predators.

Who’s hot

J.T. Miller had two assists in the blowout loss at Buffalo on Saturday, then scored twice against the Penguins. He has four goals and eight points in seven games since the Rangers acquired him in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 31. He also had five hits against the Penguins.

Jimmy Vesey helped rescue the Rangers on Sunday with his 100th NHL goal, which tied the game 4-4 after the Penguins had scored twice early in the third period. Vesey also had an assist for his first two-point game of the season.

Who’s not

Urho Vaakanainen was a combined minus-7 in his previous two games – he was minus-3 for Finland in a 5-3 loss to Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off on Monday, then was minus-4 in the debacle at Buffalo. He failed to tie up Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh’s first goal Sunday, but ended the afternoon with an Even rating. The Rangers need better from him on the third defense pair.

Rangers lookahead this week includes …

Plenty of time at home, with a trip to Elmont to play the Islanders before the first three of four straight games at Madison Square Garden.

Rangers at New York Islanders (Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m. ET; MSG/MSGSN)

The Rangers make their first visit of the season to UBS Arena. They’ve split their four games at UBS since the building opened in the fall of 2021, winning their first two visits in 2021-22 and losing their lone trips to Belmont Park in each of the past two seasons.

The Metropolitan-area rivals haven’t seen each other since Nov. 3, when the Rangers won 5-2 in a Sunday matinee at the Garden. That came during the Rangers’ season-opening 12-4-1 stretch, during which they looked like the team that won the Presidents’ Trophy last season, rather than the one that’s currently playing catchup in the playoff race.

The Islanders have been battered by injuries all season and are still without their best defenseman, Noah Dobson, and their most dynamic forward, Mathew Barzal. They appeared to be out of the playoff race before running off a seven-game winning streak in late January. Then, injuries caught up with them again – the Isles lost three of their past four games before the 4 Nations break, then lost 4-3 at home to the Dallas Stars on Sunday in their first game back.

Toronto Maple Leafs at Rangers (Feb. 28, 7 p.m.; MSG/NHL Network)

The Maple Leafs and Rangers haven’t seen each other for more than four months, since the Rangers’ 4-1 win at Scotiabank Arena on Oct. 19. That victory seems like 100 years ago – the win was part of the Rangers fast start, and the Maple Leafs were still trying to figure things out.

Things have changed a lot since then. The Rangers are trying to battle their way back into a playoff spot, and Toronto moved into first place in the Atlantic Division with a 5-2 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.

Shesterkin’s had a lot of success against the Maple Leafs; he’s 6-2-2 with a 2.48 goals-against average and a.924 save percentage. Also, keep an eye on Toronto captain Auston Matthews. He has 10 goals and 22 points in 22 games against New York.

Nashville Predators at Rangers (March 2, 7 p.m. MSG2)

The Predators are responsible for one of the low points of the Rangers season. Nashville shut out the Rangers 2-0 at Bridgestone Arena on Dec. 17 in one of the few highlights of a dreadful season.

The Predators haven’t visited the Garden since Oct. 19, 2023, when they won 4-1. That was a game Shesterkin would like to forget – he allowed four goals on 18 shots before being lifted after two periods.

But this season has been a total disaster for the Predators, who threw big money at free agents Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei this past offseason but have gone from a playoff team to one that’s all but certain to miss the postseason. Stamkos, who played 17 seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning before coming to Nashville, is a point-a-game player against the Rangers in his career (43 points; 19 goals, 24 assists in 43 games) but is minus-21 in those games.

New York Islanders at Rangers (March 3, 7 p.m. ET; MSG/MSGSN)

The Rangers and Islanders meet for the second time in less than a week — this time at the Garden, where the Rangers have won the past four meetings between the teams. The Isles haven’t won at MSG since Nov. 8, 2022, when they defeated the Rangers 4-3 for their fifth consecutive win on Garden ice.

Artemi Panarin has enjoyed great success against the Islanders during his career, piling up 42 points (15 goals, 27 assists) in 35 games.

In their latest annual rankings of NHL franchise evaluations, Sportico lists the Rangers as the second-highest valued team, at a cool $3.25 billion. That’s a 33 percent jump from last season ($2.45 billion). Once again, only the Toronto Maple Leafs have a higher valuation, at $3.66 billion, up 38 percent from a year ago.

It’s the fourth straight year that the Rangers ranked second in the valuations since Sportico began publishing this annual list in 2021. In fact, the top three teams remain unchanged in that span, with the Montreal Canadiens ($2.93 billion this year) once again sitting right behind the Maple Leafs and Rangers.

🏒NHL Valuations are here! @kbadenhausen's latest in Sportico's valuation series. @NHL team values have nearly doubled over the past three years, and the Toronto Maple Leafs remain on top at $3.66 billion.

Read the full story here: https://t.co/03M8iIWqiH pic.twitter.com/wvmEYJ4adW

— Sportico (@Sportico) October 30, 2024

Sportico reported that the average NHL team valuation is $1.79 billion, up 39 percent over last year and a whopping 77 percent since 2022. Each NHL team is valued at over $1 billion this season, after 10 franchises were under that mark in 2023. The Columbus Blue Jackets have the lowest valuation at $1.06 billion, a 20 percent jump from a year ago.

There are many reasons for the valuations to skyrocket right now. Interestingly, one of those pointed out is that bankers like the hard salary cap because it it creates fixed cost for each team. But as NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman continues to crow about, the NHL is experiencing record revenue year after year since the coronavirus pandemic.

Related: New York Rangers tricks and treats for Halloween

Rangers watch other NHL teams jockey for position behind them in financial valuations

Being located in New York City and owning their own building, the iconic Madison Square Garden, certainly is a boon for the Rangers. And it doesn’t hurt that they’re a winning team right now, having reached the Eastern Conference Final two of the past three seasons and capturing the Presidents’ Trophy last season.

One can only imagine how the Rangers value would take off if they win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1994. The same can be said for the Maple Leafs, who have not won a championship since 1967 or the Canadiens, whose most recent Cup was in 1993.

After reaching the Stanley Cup Final last season, the Edmonton Oilers valuation increased 51 percent from 2023 to $2.4 billion. The Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers moved up three spots in the rankings, though they’re still need the bottom of the League, 26th, at $1.25 billion.

Sportico explained its valuation process this way: “To derive the fair market value of the 32 NHL franchises, Sportico calculated each team’s revenue, relying on publicly available information and financial records—as well as interviews with those knowledgeable of team finances, including eight sports bankers and lawyers who actively work on NHL transactions. In the interest of accuracy, we traded candor for anonymity. This information was vetted with multiple team owners, team financial and operating officers, media relations personnel and former team executives, as well as industry experts and sports-focused economists.”

Not surprisingly, the Utah Hockey Club — simply be relocating from Arizona — jumped 78 percent in their valuation, per Sportico. They moved up four spots from 32nd in 2023 to 28th at $1.2 billion.