There was a photo of Mancini posted on Instagram celebrating postgame after Abbotsford’s 3-2 win in Game 6 against Charlotte, with the caption “Thank you @nyrangers.” That was a direct reference to the Rangers trading him to the Vancouver Canucks as part of the package to acquire J.T. Miller on Jan. 31. Abbotsford is Vancouver’s AHL affiliate.

i’m blocking everybody pic.twitter.com/Moqo6F1V78

— g ☆ (@absinthelftv) June 24, 2025

This was right out of the Brad Marchand trolling playbook. After the Florida Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers on June 17 to win their second straight Stanley Cup championship, Marchand posted a photo of former Rangers defenseman Niko Mikkola at a celebratory team meal, with a similar snarky “Thank you” message. Mikkola briefly played for the Rangers after he was acquired ahead of the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, signed with the Panthers as a free agent that summer, and has won consecutive titles in South Florida.

Mancini finished sixth among all AHL defensemen with eight points (three goals, five assists) during the Calder Cup Playoffs. He was third among Abbotsford defensemen behind Christian Wolanin and Kirill Kudryavtsev, who each had 10 points.

The 23-year-old had a three-game point streak (two goals, one assist) earlier in the playoffs against Colorado and a two-point outing (one goal, one assist) in Game 4 of the conference final against Texas. Mancini had his only point of the Calder Cup Final with an assist during Abbotsford’s 6-1 win in Game 3.

Mancini was on ice for each of Charlotte’s goals Monday when the Checkers grabbed a 2-0 first-period lead. Former Rangers forward Sammy Blais scored for Abbotsford late in the first period to cut the deficit in half, and the Canucks scored twice in the second period to close out the scoring and the series.

Congratulations to former #NYR Victor Mancini for winning the Calder Cup! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/tiTXOZvheS

— Jennifer O'Regan (@Jenny_ORegan) June 24, 2025

Blais, who helped the St. Louis Blues win the Stanley Cup in 2019, became the 133rd player to win a championship in both the NHL and AHL. He was the third-leading scorer in the AHL postseason with 19 points (six goals, 13 assists).

Former Rangers center Manny Malhotra became the first rookie coach to win the Calder Cup since Jeff Blashill of Grand Rapids in 2013. There was one more Rangers connection, with former Blueshirts forward Philip Di Giuseppe finishing with six goals and 11 points in the playoffs for Abbotsford.

Related: NHL insider fuels trade rumors, states Rangers coach ‘not huge fan of K’Andre Miller’s game’

AHL championship caps wild rookie year for former Rangers defenseman Victor Mancini

No matter what happens during the rest of his professional hockey career, Mancini will surely remember his busy rookie season. It began when the University of Nebraska-Omaha product shocked many by making the Rangers’ opening-night roster after Ryan Lindgren was injured, and then remained in the lineup ahead of Zac Jones for a while.

That season-opening stretch was highlighted by Mancini’s first NHL goal on Oct. 17 against the Detroit Red Wings. That it happened in Detroit was extra special for the Michigan native, who had a group of family and friends in attendance.

Eventually Mancini landed back in the AHL with Hartford before he was included in the Miller trade. All told, Mancini played for four teams in two leagues during his first pro season.

The big (6-foot-3, 229 pounds) smooth-skating defenseman accounted well for himself. Mancini had five points (one goal, four assists) in 15 games with the Rangers. He played 16 games with Vancouver and had three points (one goal, two assists). Mancini averaged 15:17 of ice time in 31 NHL games. Though he needs work in his own end, the youngster is clearly a legit prospect.

In the minors, Mancini combined for 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 30 games with Hartford and Abbotsford before helping the latter win the Calder Cup.

The Rangers (24-22-4) enter their game against the Boston Bruins on Saturday 13th in the Eastern Conference, five points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the second wild and seven in arrears of the surprising Columbus Blue Jackets for the top wild card. A 4-15-0 stretch in November and December nearly submarined their season, but a 10-game point streak (7-0-3) in January has got them back in the playoff picture.

The Miller trade is the third one made by general manager Chris Drury this season as he sought to change the look of New York’s core. Will Borgen, acquired from the Seattle Kraken for forward Kaapo Kakko, is now an important part of the top four on defense and already earned a five-year, $20.5 million contract extension. Defenseman Urho Vaakainen, who arrived from the Anaheim Ducks in the Jacob Trouba trade, is a regular on the third defense pair.

But those trades pale in comparison to adding Miller, a potential game changer for the Rangers.

Related: Rangers Daily – J.T. Miller trade fallout; Canucks add another Pettersson

Grading New York Rangers acquisition of J.T. Miller

In all honesty, it’s not fair to grade a trade right after it happens. No one can say for sure how things will play out for Miller in New York, there are a myriad of factors that can take place this season and in the years to come.

But, based on what we know and believe right this second, let’s hand out some grades. It’s a fun project. And trust me, we will be revisiting and reevaluating this trade for years to come.

New York Rangers trade grade: B+

This grade has the potential to rise or fall significantly. But right now, B+ seems a fair grade for the Rangers.

They received the best player by far in the trade, and didn’t mortgage their future or tear apart the roster to do so. Unlike Filip Chytil, another former first-round pick by the Rangers who was dealt to the Canucks in this trade, Miller is both durable and consistently productive. He’s scored 20+ goals seven times, including 30+ each of the past three seasons. Like his buddy Chris Kreider, Miller is getting much better as he gets older. His three most productive seasons have come in succession with the Canucks, including an NHL career-high 103 points last season.

#NYR Trade Details: pic.twitter.com/lLsM1QUuI0

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

Miller is a skilled playmaker and brings physicality and attitude to the Rangers forward group. When he’s on, Miller is a bull, one who’s equally powerful and quick on his skates. His addition makes the Rangers extremely deep down the middle with Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck — that’s a handful for the opposition. And maybe that jumpstarts Zibanejad if he’s freed up now from playing against other teams’ top forwards.

With Miller and Trocheck, the Rangers also have two of the top face-off men in the League, an underrated but important part of why this is such a good trade for New York.

An abrasive personality, yet at the same time a largely likeable teammate, Miller will shake up the vanilla Rangers core. He brings an edge on and off the ice. The Rangers need that just as much, if not more, than his vast skill set.

There’s reason for concern, of course, too. Miller turns 32 next month and his $8 million annual contract through 2029-30 likely won’t look so pretty down the road. The question is — and the reason why final trade grades take years to properly figure out — when will that eventual downturn take place and how much will Miller and the Rangers accomplish before then?

Miller dipped to nine goals and 35 points in 40 games this season and his commitment to playing defense is often in question. That 10-game leave of absence for personal reasons earlier this season certainly raises a red flag — as does his role in whatever went on with teammate Elias Pettersson in Vancouver, which precipitated this trade in the first place.

But at the end of the day, the Rangers landed a perfect fit for their lineup and locker room, landed one of the best players on the market and did so for a nice price. This one’s a win for the Rangers.

If defenseman Erik Brannstrom finally comes close to what was expected of him when he was a first-round pick (No. 15 overall) by the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017, then this trade grade would jump right up into the A category.

Vancouver Canucks trade grade: C+

The Canucks were in a brutal position here and ultimately had to take a below-market return for one of their best players. Canucks president Jim Rutherford went on the record to state that the Miller-Pettersson situation was untenable, so everyone in the League knew one of the star centers had to go. That didn’t help Vancouver’s negotiating stance. Neither did Miller owning a full no-move clause. Miller reportedly only wanted to go to a team in the Northeast and pretty much steered the Canucks to the Rangers.

But the Canucks received Chytil, defenseman Victor Mancini and a protected first-round pick in the 2025 draft. They already traded that pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins to help land defenseman Marcus Pettersson (can’t have enough Petterssons in Vancouver; the Canucks now have three). So, that already makes this a bit of a better return, at least in the short run, for the Canucks.

Chytil is the X-factor in this trade. At 25, Chytil still hasn’t reached his prime and he certainly flashed this season and years prior for the Rangers. But injuries — especially concussions — have slowed his progress and nearly derailed his career. The fear here is that one more head injury and Chytil’s career could come to a premature end.

He’s never topped 22 goals nor 45 points in a season, but Chytil’s never really been a top-six regular either. He should get that chance in Vancouver. Perhaps, like the early results from Kakko in Seattle, Chytil’s game will take off with the Canucks. Here’s hoping so. He’s a talented player and an even better teammate.

The need to keep Mancini in New York decreased when Borgen signed his extension. That put three right-hand shots on the blue line in New York ahead of Mancini, who could get a better chance with the Canucks. He showed flashes offensively as an early-season success story before his defensive game cratered. But he’s a good add for the Canucks, who also made the savvy play by acquiring Pettersson. They haven’t given up on this season yet, and may have saved it by cleaning up an ugly distraction with Miller and Elias Pettersson.

It’s a C+ despite trading away the best player in the deal, mainly because of the obstacles the Canucks faced.

Several of the Rangers top prospects finished with ugly stat lines when the Hartford Wolf Pack lost to the Utica Comets 7-3 on Wednesday. In a game that saw several momentum swings, the Wolf Pack fell behind 3-0 by 5:06 of the second period, then tied it with three goals in a span of 4:59 midway through the same period. Utica answered back with a goal before the period ended and added three more in the third period for what ended up to be a lopsided loss.

Rangers goalie prospect Dylan Garand allowed a season-high seven goals on 29 shots. It was only the fourth time in 19 starts this season that Garand, who will play in the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic, has surrendered four or more goals. His goals-against average jumped to 2.41 and his save percentage dropped .919 — still excellent numbers — after the defeat.

Nemo’s Night 🐠 https://t.co/DMtCGZSG60 pic.twitter.com/0ICnSyzn2n

— Utica Comets (@UticaComets) January 16, 2025

Much of the damage against Garand and the Wolf Pack was delivered by former New Jersey Devils first-round pick Simon Nemec. The 2022 No. 2 overall pick scored two goals and added three assists for the first five-point game of his pro career. Max Willman scored two goals for Utica.

Related: Rangers first-round bust tearing it up in KHL

Victor Mancini, Brennan Othmann among Rangers prospects to have tough night for Wolf Pack

All of this came at the expense of some of the top prospects in the Rangers system. Defenseman Victor Mancini was minus-4 and forwards Brennan Othmann and Brett Berard each was minus-3. None of the three recorded a point, nor was any of them on ice for any of Hartford’s goals.

Mancini, who had five points, including his first NHL goal, in 15 games earlier this season with the Rangers, was on for three of the final four Utica goals. He, Berard and Othmann were all on when Nemec scored at 13:01 of the second to make it 4-3 with what proved to be the game-winner.

It was Berard’s second game back in the AHL after the 22-year-old had seven points (three goals, four assists) in 19 games with the Rangers. In those two games with Hartford, Berard is minus-5. On the season, he has 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in 18 games with the Wolf Pack.

Othmann was held pointless for the fourth straight game and without a shot for the first time this season. New York’s first-round pick (No. 16 overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft had five points (two goals, three assists) in the first three AHL games this season before sustaining an upper-body injury that sidelined him for more than two months.

Since returning, Othmann has one goal and two assists in nine games as he struggles to regain his scoring touch.

The Wolf Pack try to get back in the win column this weekend when they play afternoon games in Charlotte against the Checkers on Saturday and Sunday.

Though, the Rangers didn’t practice Wednesday, instead settling into Dallas, where they’ll close out a three-game road trip against the Stars on Friday, they were busy making headlines. The Rangers traded Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken for defenseman Will Borgen and two draft picks.

It’s the second trade in roughly two weeks made by general manager Chris Drury, who, quite simply, can’t be done yet. At 15-15-1, the Rangers are tied for 11th in the Eastern Conference standings. For those keeping track at home, that’s three spots out of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

But here’s the silver lining: the Rangers are only three points out of a wild-card berth in the East, and they have 51 games remaining on the schedule. Of course, they’ve also lost 11 of their past 14 games and played a mind-numbing brand of hockey most of the season.

There’ll be reaction from coach Peter Laviolette and the players after the Rangers practice in the Lone Star State on Thursday, and we’ll have plenty of quality content throughout the day, including trade grades, the Rink Rap podcast, analysis and so much more.

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New York Rangers news

A pair of 22-year-olds were affected by the Kakko trade Wednesday night. The Rangers recalled forward Matt Rempe from Hartford of the American Hockey League and assigned defenseman Victor Mancini to their AHL affiliate.

Before the trade went down, our Tom Castro dug deep into Peter Laviolette’s NHL coaching career and realized there’s a false narrative that’s followed him into his second season with the Rangers.

Our 3 takeaways from the Rangers latest loss, 2-0 to the Nashville Predators on Tuesday, included come nuggets on what turned out to be Kakko’s final game wearing the Blueshirt.

Jake Leschyshyn and Matthew Robertson are featured in our latest Hartford Wolf Pack Weekly column.

NHL news

The Kakko trade wasn’t the only one in the NHL on Wednesday. Roughly six months after not giving P.O. Joseph a qualifying offer, the Pittsburgh Penguins re-acquired the defenseman from the St. Louis Blues for future considerations. Dan Kingerski breaks it down and has the reasons why Joseph is back with the Penguins over at Pittsburgh Hockey Now.

But, wait, there was another NHL trade Wednesday! The Montreal Canadiens acquired defenseman Alexandre Carrier from the Nashville Predators for defenseman Justin Barron.

The Minnesota Wild lost defenseman Brock Faber late in their 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers when he was struck in the face by the puck. Wild coach John Hynes expressed concern over the injury, but didn’t have an update after the game.

The Rangers next opponent, the Dallas Stars, were dumped at home 5-3 by the Toronto Maple Leafs, who received a 36-save outing from goalie Joseph Woll.

Speaking of Maple Leafs goalies, two-time Stanley Cup winner Matt Murray may be working his way into the mix. With Anthony Stolarz out 4-6 weeks following knee surgery, Murray could be recalled from the AHL, where’s he’s played very well over eight games, trying to resurrect his career.

Watch Mikhail Sergachev score the game winner late in overtime to help the Utah Hockey Club defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2.

Rempe began the season with the Rangers but was a healthy scratch much more often than he actually played. The towering 22-year-old averaged just 6:26 TOI in four games with the Rangers this season. He didn’t record a point in the limited action and had one fight, against Washington Capitals defenseman Dylan McIlrath on Oct. 29.

In 18 games with Hartford, Rempe had five points (three goals, two assists) and 22 penalty minutes. Most important, he played on the wing and at center, and in all game situations — even strength, power play and penalty kill. That expanded experience should be invaluable for his growth as a player.

MATT REMPE SHOOTS, MATT REMPE SCORES👊@WolfPackAHL | #PROvsHFD pic.twitter.com/lS7d2dw2q2

— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) November 17, 2024

Rempe worked hard this offseason to improve his all-around game, including his skating. He spent much of the summer training with Chris Kreider, preparing for a role with the Rangers. However, Adam Edstrom beat him out for a regular spot on the fourth line, and Rempe eventually landed in the AHL.

It was an unpopular move in many circles. Rempe because a huge fan favorite with the Rangers last season, when he racked up 71 penalty minutes in his first 17 NHL games and fought many of the NHL’s top heavyweights, including Matt Martin, Ryan Reaves and Kurtis MacDermid. He also played in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games and scored New York’s first postseason goal in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Washington Capitals.

With Kakko traded, Brett Berard or Jimmy Vesey could land a regular role on the third line. Otherwise, Rempe will battle those two and Jonny Brodzinski for playing time on the fourth line with Edstrom and Sam Carrick.

Related: False Peter Laviolette narrative not fair to embattled Rangers coach

Rangers assign Victor Mancini to Hartford after acquiring Will Borgen in trade

The Rangers acquired right-shot defenseman Will Borgen in the trade with the Kraken. That acquisition prompted New York to assign rookie defenseman Victor Mancini to Hartford. The 22-year-old had a great training camp, earned his way on to the opening-night roster when Ryan Lindgren was injured, and played well in the early going with the Rangers. However, his defensive game has sagged considerably since, and he could benefit from an extended stretch in the AHL.

Though Mancini has a very bright future, his 0.37 xGF is worst on the Rangers for skaters who played at least three games, per Natural Stat Trick. His 39.6 Corsi is also worst on the Rangers.

Mancini has five points (one goal, four assists) in 15 games with the Rangers. The Michigan native scored his first NHL goal in Detroit against the Red Wings on Oct. 17. He’s also played six games with Hartford this season and has two goals and five points.

Like Rempe, Mancini will take on a bigger workload in the AHL. More ice time and responsibility will help Mancini grow his game. In a way, it’s a bonus that he’s already played 15 NHL games because he was expected to spend all or most of this season in Hartford anyway.

The Rangers currently have seven defensemen on the roster, with K’Andre Miller on IR with an upper-body injury. Borgen likely will slot in next to Zac Jones on the third pair. Fellow newcomer Urho Vaakanainen, acquired from the Anaheim Ducks in the Jacob Trouba trade, made his Rangers debut in a 2-0 loss at the Nashville Predators on Tuesday, playing the left side in place of Miller.

Chad Ruhwedel played the past two games, but should move back into his role as seventh defenseman with the addition of Borgen.

They hit the road in crisis mode. The Rangers played a stunningly poor game in a 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings at home Saturday and are 3-9-0 in their past 12 games. In a disappointing season, this may have been the low point — though there’s much competition for that distinction.

“This is bad,” an outwardly angry coach Peter Laviolette said postgame.

He’s grown increasingly more testy by the loss, as what appeared to be a slump has morphed into an absolute freefall.

With their coach’s job likely on the line, the Rangers (15-13-1) start a manageable road swing, when they’ll play the Blues, Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars — the last game being the most difficult by far. Things have been better on the road for the Rangers, who are 8-5-0 away from Madison Square Garden and a miserable 7-8-1 on home ice. But right now, nothing comes easy for the Blueshirts.

The last time the Rangers faced the Blues, they lost 5-2 at MSG on Nov. 26, their third straight defeat in what was a five-game losing streak. That was Jim Montgomery’s first game after being named Blues coach. The Blues (14-14-3) are 4-2-3 under Montgomery, coming off a 2-1 shootout loss to the Stars on Saturday.

Related: 3 Rangers takeaways from brutal loss to Kings

3 things to watch for when Rangers visit Blues

1. Rangers need answers

After a non-competitive showing Saturday, the Rangers need to find answers in St. Louis against a mediocre opponent. The lack of compete level was galling against the Kings, so, at minimum, the Rangers need to bring much more collective effort against the Blues.

Of course, they also need to generate a heckuva lot more offense and be far less sloppy defensively. The eye test was all you need Saturday, but the numbers were terrible, too. Their 0.36 xGF, per Natural Stat Trick, spoke volumes.

Simply, it’s got to be so much better against the Blues.

2. Shaky depth on defense

It was one thing trying to get by and replace Jacob Trouba’s 20+ minutes per game after the veteran defenseman was traded to the Anaheim Ducks. But it’s a whole other thing also trying to replace K’Andre Miller’s 20+ minutes with the 24-year-old on IR with an upper-body injury. That was obvious against the Kings.

The third pair of Zac Jones and Victor Mancini had a miserable afternoon, continuing their defensive struggles. They were on for three goals against, and Mancini had five giveaways in the game. The Rangers had a 0.12 xGF with the rookie on the ice 5v5. It’s a disturbing trend of defensive issues for Mancini, who’s expected to replace Trouba in the lineup, if not take over his role. Braden Schneider is handling those duties.

Connor Mackey was fine stepping in for Miller, including a first-period fight shortly after the Kings’ first goal. But he’s not a long-term answer. And the top pair wasn’t so good, with Ryan Lindgren’s struggles ongoing and Adam Fox dragged down, as well.

3. Have to score first

Listen, the Rangers are frontrunners these days. The team you remember that never was out of any game because there was no quit last season? Yeah, forget it. These Rangers need to play from ahead or else it’s more likely than not they won’t find a way to win.

The Rangers are 12-2-0 when scoring first and 3-11-1 when they give up the first goal. After the loss Saturday, they’re 1-8-0 when trailing after one period and 0-10-1 when trailing after two. Their a fragile team right now, one with little pushback when required. So, yes, a fast start is required Sunday.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere

Kreider – Zibanejad – Smith

Cuylle – Chytil – Kakko

Edstrom – Carrick – Berard

Lindgren – Fox

Mackey – Schneider

Jones – Mancini

Quick

Shesterkin

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

Who: New York Rangers vs. St. Louis Blues

When: Sunday, Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. ET

Where: Enterprise Center

How to watch: MSG

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

The odds are pretty good the Rangers can snag a second straight win, after knocking off the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 on Friday. That’s because the Rangers are 6-0-1 all-time against the Kraken. Their .929 points percentage against the Kraken is the Rangers’ highest against any active team in the NHL.

In fact, the most recent run of consecutive wins for the Rangers was Nov. 14-19, and included in the middle of that three-game win streak was a 2-0 victory in Seattle.

Add those historical nuggets to the fact that the drama of the Jacob Trouba trade has quieted around the Rangers, and the Kraken could be itching to get on a plane home after a four-game road trip concludes at MSG.

Of course, the Kraken already defeated the Carolina Hurricanes and Islanders on this trip, before they were edged 3-2 by the New Jersey Devils on Friday. And the Rangers, despite that win against the Penguins, are just 2-6-0 in their past eight games.

Related: Rangers GM Chris Drury ready to ‘let dust settle’ after trading his captain Jacob Trouba

3 things to watch for when Rangers host Kraken

1. Money in goal

After officially agreeing to the richest contract for a goalie in NHL history, it’s back to work for Igor Shesterkin, who looks for his second consecutive win after ending a personal five-game losing streak.

No one really knows if Shesterkin carried any burden before his contract extension was worked out with the Rangers, though his struggles are more likely born by playing behind shaky Rangers team defense. But no one knows if there’ll be any extra weight carried by the 28-year-old franchise goalie moving forward, after signing his eight-year, $92 million deal. Certainly nothing short of elite play and greatness will be accepted since being the highest-paid goalie goes with the expectation that he’s the best goalie in the NHL.

In any case, it’s back to work for Shesterkin, who’s 4-0-1 lifetime against the Kraken with a 2.18 goals-against average and .934 save percentage ,but just 9-9-1 with a 2.99 GAA overall this season.

2. Artemi Panarin heating up

After a brief lull, it appears Artemi Panarin is finding his groove and heating up again. The Breadman had two goals and an assist in the win against the Penguins and has six points (three goals, three assists) in a three-game point streak. In the previous three games, Panarin was scoreless; and in the previous six, he was held off the score sheet five times.

Artemi Panarin.

WHAT A RIP. pic.twitter.com/x9DtEzUaHM

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

Panarin leads the Rangers with 13 goals, five power-play goals and 29 points this season. The Rangers would love to see him reclaim his top form, like when he opened the season with 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in an eight-game point streak. That, more than any trade, could shake up the Rangers and help get them back on track.

3. Rookie’s audition

Sunday is another chance for Victor Mancini to prove he should be a regular on the Rangers blue line. With Trouba gone and newly-acquired Urho Vaakanainen still on IR with an upper-body injury, it appears Mancini will play regularly on the third defense pair with Zac Jones. It’s a big opportunity for the 22-year-old, who was a lineup regular the first month of the season, but was since demoted to Hartford of the American Hockey League on two occasions.

Coach Peter Laviolette is very cautious in how much, and in what situations, Mancini plays. He logged under 11 minutes of ice time against the Penguins, for example. But the kid is a big part of the Rangers future, so he’ll get another look after the Trouba trade.

He could prove ready enough for a somewhat extended run — though his underlying metrics haven’t been great — but it would be surprising if the Rangers fail to acquire a more-seasoned defenseman before the trade deadline in March.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere

Kreider – Zibanejad – Smith

Cuylle – Chytil – Kakko

Edstrom – Carrick – Vesey

Lindgren – Fox

Miller- Schneider

Jones – Mancini

Shesterkin

Quick

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

Who: New York Rangers vs. Seattle Kraken

When: Sunday, Dec. 8 at 1 p.m. ET

Where: Madison Square Garden

How to watch: MSG

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

It’s something general manager Chris Drury felt compelled to do since last offseason; and after a rugged stretch for the Rangers over the past month, he decided it was time to shake things up and part ways with the 30-year-old defenseman.

Drury’s hardball tactics to move on from respected veteran leaders Barclay Goodrow and Trouba since the end of last season ruffled some feathers in the Rangers dressing room. But more importantly, those moves opened up more than quite a bit of salary cap space for the Rangers, not only this season but in future seasons. Trouba, specifically, has an $8 million AAV through the 2025-26 season.

The Rangers only took back $1.1 million annually with Vaakanainen, who’s an RFA at the end of this season.

Though a positive move, the Trouba trade does raise some questions and sets the stage for what’s next with the Rangers.

Related: 3 Rangers takeaways after 4-2 win against Penguins caps wild day at MSG

What’s next for Rangers after Jacob Trouba trade

Plan for Urho Vaakanainen, and how to replace Jacob Trouba in the lineup

Grouping these two together since they’re related. Trading Trouba is one thing, adequately replacing him on the blue line is another. Say what you will about Trouba, but he was New York’s most physical defenseman, blocked a boatload of shots, played 20 minutes a game and was an solid penalty killer.

So, is Vaakanainen, a 25-year-old left-shot defenseman, going to replace Trouba on the right side of Zac Jones on the third pair? Well, not immediately, that’s for sure. The oft-injured Vaakanainen is on IR with an upper-body injury. He played 64 games last season with the Ducks, but just 141 in the NHL since 2018-19, and only five this season.

Right now, rookie Victor Mancini is on the third pair with Jones, after being recalled from Hartford in the American Hockey League on Friday. He played just 10:58 against the Penguins, and coach Peter Laviolette does his best to shelter the 22-year-old, who struggled defensively earlier in the season but ha still blossomed into a key prospect.

Chad Ruhwedel is strictly a seventh defensemen it appears. So, the Rangers very well could add another defenseman before the trade deadline this season, especially with Ryan Lindgren a pending unrestricted free agent next summer.

Another trade feels inevitable

Speaking of adding, the Trouba trade can’t be the only one Drury makes, right? Whether it’s now or closer to the deadline, you have to believe that the Rangers are going to make more trades. With more available cash, Drury can set his sights higher than this past summer when the Rangers were pressed right up against the salary cap ceiling.

That’s how Reilly Smith ended up to be the consolation prize at right wing on the Mika Zibanejad line. Trading for him was a much more affordable option than signing a big name free agent. Now that equation has changed.

Larry Brooks reported that the Rangers targeted Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk. The rugged 25-year-old would certainly change the Rangers core and how they play, adding a combination of grit and skill the Rangers lack. Others have refuted that reporting. But the thing is, it’s now possible to take on a contract like Tkachuk’s ($8.2 million AAV through 2027-28) if the Rangers consider such a blockbuster.

Simply, there’s more coming. It’s just a question of who and when.

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The next captain

It’d be surprising if the Rangers quickly named a new captain. Remember, they went quite a while with a group of players sharing the A on their sweaters before Trouba was named captain ahead of the 2022-23 season.

The Rangers have a strong group of veteran leaders. And that’s likely good enough for the rest of this season. And then revisit the situation before next season.

Vincent Trocheck is a heart-and-soul player, articulate, respected in the room and signed through 2028-29. He’s not even an alternate now, but would be an excellent choice to be the next Rangers captain.

It’s doubtful Chris Kreider nor Zibanejad fits the bill as captain. Nor Artemi Panarin, who only has another year left on his contract anyway. And Adam Fox? Great player, but he just doesn’t seem like the next captain.

Would the Rangers turn to a younger player — say Alexis Lafreniere — next season to be their long-term captain? That could make sense, since he’d be surrounded by a solid core of veteran teammates to work with.

No matter who the next captain is, that player may not want the gig. The three most recent Rangers captains — Trouba, Ryan McDonagh and Ryan Callahan — were traded in the middle of seasons.

Igor Shesterkin’s contract extension

UPDATE: The Rangers officially announced an eight-year contract extension with Igor Shesterkin on Saturday.

Though widely reported, and even teased by the goalie himself after the 4-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday, Igor Shesterkin’s massive contract extension is not official just yet. That could change as soon as Saturday. But that’s as big — even bigger — than the Trouba trade.

There’s no more important player in the Rangers universe than Shesterkin. So, getting him signed for the next eight years is another huge item checked off Drury’s to-do list. It looks like the 28-year-old will get $11.5 million annually. That’s the richest deal for a goalie in NHL history. But it’s also less than the projected $12+ million that was expected.

So, now the Rangers have cost certainty moving forward with Shesterkin and Lafreniere signed long term after each key player entered this season needing a new contract before the 2025-26 campaign. Cost certainty — which includes removing Trouba’s salary — is key because it allows Drury to know exactly where he stands when negotiating possible trades now and free-agent contracts next offseason.

Hartford’s first win in five games (1-3-1-0) was fueled by Alex Belzile, who recorded his second hat trick of the season, and Bo Groulx, who contributed four assists. But the kids stepped forward, too. Matt Rempe and Bryce McConnell-Barker each scored his third goal and Victor Mancini had three assists.

Belzile (seven goals, 12 assists) and Groulx (eight goals, 11 assists) are tied for the Wolf Pack scoring lead with 19 points. Each veteran forward recently passed Brett Berard (13 points; seven goals, six assists) after the 22-year-old was recalled by the Rangers. Berard has two points — including his first NHL point and goal — in four games, but is currently day to day with an upper-body injury.

A BLAST FROM BELZILE💥 pic.twitter.com/xmzvWxgSmA

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) December 5, 2024

Belzile, a 33-year-old forward, has eight points (three goals, five assists) on a four-game point streak, and 11 points and two hat tricks in his past six games. He scored each of his goals on the power play Wednesday, one in each period, to make it 1-0, 2-1 and 4-1.

Groulx, a 24-year-old forward who played all of last season with the Anaheim Ducks, also has eight points (two goals, six assists) in a four-game point streak.

Mancini’s three points were a professional career high. He now has five points (two goals, three assists) in six games since the Rangers assigned the 22-year-old defenseman to the American Hockey League.

Related: Wolf Pack weekly: Alex Belzile, Bo Groulx stepping up

Matt Rempe, Bryce McConnell-Barker part of Wolf Pack explosion

Bryce McConnell-Barker — photo courtesy of Hartford Wolf Pack

Belzile’s third goal at 8:47 of the the third period opened the floodgates for two Rangers forward prospects to bust through and pile on goals of their own, all in a 52-second span.

Rempe stationed himself in front of the net to deflect a Casey Fitzgerald shot into the cage at 9:32 for his third goal in 13 games with Hartford this season. Then McConnell-Barker beat everyone down the ice to bury a loose puck seven seconds later, and the rout was on.

Alex Belzile, Matt Rempe, and Bryce McConnell-Barker all find the back of the net in just 52 seconds😳👀@WolfPackAHL | #HFDvsBRI pic.twitter.com/b0JMzi1wcp

— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) December 5, 2024

Let’s just say the Rangers will love Rempe using his size and soft hands to score. And they’ll delight in that effort by McConnell-Barker — a third-round pick in 2022 — just as much.

Speaking of Rangers prospects, goalie Dylan Garand stopped 31 of 32 shots in the win and is sitting on a solid .910 save percentage in 10 games this season. It’s only a quarter of the way through the season, but it appears that in his third pro campaign, Garand is finding the consistency he lacked the past two seasons.

Two other prospects found the score sheet Wednesday. Adam Sykora and Dylan Roobroeck each had an assist. Sykora, the 20-year-old forward, is tied with Fitzgerald for fourth on the Wolf Pack with 11 points (three goals, eight assists). Roobroeck, a rookie pro, is right behind with eight points (four goals, four assists).

The moves come after the Rangers lost the finale of a four-game road trip, 6-2 to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. Sunday was an off day and the Rangers return to action when they host the St. Louis Blues at Madison Square Garden on Monday.

There’s a chance that Berard could make his NHL debut in that game. The 22-year-old forward leads the Wolf Pack with seven goals, two power-play goals and 13 points in 16 games. He also has one short-handed goal this season and had a three-game point streak (four points; one goal, three assists) at the time of his recall.

BRETT BERARD TUCKS IT HOME! pic.twitter.com/Qrp4nS4YVs

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) November 24, 2024

Berard was among the final cuts in Rangers training camp and had a three-game goal streak to begin the AHL season. He scored five goals in his first five games before cooling off. He has two goals in 11 games since, including one in a 4-2 loss to Springfield on Saturday.

The 5-foot-9 wing led the Wolf Pack with 25 goals as a rookie pro last season. But he’s more than a goal scorer. Berard can play in any situation — including both specialty teams — and brings plenty of speed and a high compete level.

Mancini has four points (one goal, three assists) in 10 games with the Rangers this season. The 22-year-old defensemen was minus-3 against the Oilers after he was recalled from Hartford on Friday. Ruhwedel, who’s played just one game with the Rangers this season, was bypassed by coach Peter Laviolette on Saturday, when the rookie Mancini was inserted into the lineup instead to replace the injured Zac Jones.

Related: Rangers identify this one areas as major problem after loss to Oilers

What Brett Berard recall means for Rangers

With these three moves, the Rangers reduced their active roster to 22 players, consisting of 14 forwards, six defensemen and two goalies. That likely means Jones, who sat out Saturday with an upper-body injury, is good to go against the Blues on Monday since the Rangers don’t have an extra defenseman to replace him.

Filip Chytil is counted among the 14 forwards. The 25-year-old center missed his fourth straight game Saturday with an upper-body injury. He rejoined the Rangers halfway through their road trip after a specialist in New York determined Chytil didn’t sustain a concussion against the San Jose Sharks on Nov. 14. Chytil flew out to Calgary and skated twice after morning skates on the trip.

It’s not known when Chytil will return to the Rangers lineup. Jonny Brodzinski’s played four straight games centering the third line with Chytil sidelined. However, Laviolette has used Kaapo Kakko some in the middle of that line with wing Will Cuylle the past two games, moving him over from right wing.

Perhaps, the plan is to scratch Brodzinski on Monday, move Kakko to center and then slot Berard on right wing of that third line. Or Berard could play on the fourth line with Sam Carrick and Adam Edstrom, with Jimmy Vesey moving up to third line right wing.

There also could be another injury or illness we’re not aware of, necessitating Berard’s recall, similar to why Mancini was called up Friday. But it’d appear Berard has been added to the roster in order to play against the Blues, not to serve as a healthy scratch.

That’s especially so with Laviolette possibly looking to shake things up some after some dreadful play the past two games and an extended stretch of mediocre play the past several weeks.

Answers should come Monday at the morning skate.