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Latest On Artemi Panarin

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The New York Rangers had a difficult first month of the 2025-26 season, and the primary reason has been the team’s inability to consistently put the puck in the net. They rank last in the NHL in goals scored per game with just 2.21, and a notable reason for their struggles has been the performance of star winger Artemi Panarin. Panarin is usually the Rangers’ offensive engine, but he has just seven points in 14 games this season, with four of them coming in a single game. The Athletic’s Vince Z. Mercogliano reported on Panarin’s struggles in more detail, with Panarin telling the reporter his struggles have “really kind of snowballed.” He said “I missed training camp, had a couple (injury) issues. I wasn’t feeling right from a conditioning standpoint in the first couple games. I started getting frustrated right away, and then it kind of goes into the contract and all that stuff in my head.”

As Panarin himself noted, his contract status as a pending unrestricted free agent looms large over his 2025-26 season. Mercogliano reported that “there have been brief negotiations” between Panarin’s camp, led by Paul Theofanous, and the Rangers, but that those talks have “stalled” lately. It’s been reported previously that the Rangers are “in no rush” to make a commitment to Panarin, who at 34 years old is staring down the possibility that this could be the last big contract of his NHL career. In order for him to maximize that deal, he’ll need to step up his production. Panarin ended the 2023-24 season with 120 points, so he’s shown recently that he can be among the top scorers in the NHL. For him to position himself best for his next contract, he’ll need to find a way to rediscover that form.

Vaakanainen Out, Trocheck In Non-Contact

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  • Peter Baugh of The Athletic provided updates on a pair of injured New York Rangers. Baugh reported that defenseman Urho Vaakanainen is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury and wasn’t on the ice for practice this morning. However, in a positive update, Baugh shared that Vincent Trocheck has returned wearing a non-contact jersey. Although Baugh didn’t comment on a potential return for Trocheck, it at least shows that a return is on the horizon. He’s currently on the team’s long-term injured reserve and hasn’t played since October 9th.

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Rangers Recall Jaroslav Chmelar, Assign Brennan Othmann

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The New York Rangers have swapped rookies on the NHL roster. They have recalled right-winger Jaroslav Chmelar from the AHL, while reassigning left-winger Brennan Othmann back to the minor-leagues.

Othmann has been a healthy scratch for the last three games, after making his NHL season debut last Sunday. He managed no scoring and a minus-one in the outing, and generally failed to impress in his limited 12 minutes of ice time. The match was Othman’s 26th game in the Rangers lineup, dating back to the 2023-24 season. He’s recorded two assists and a plus-six through his early career, but still hasn’t found his first NHL goal. In fact, Othmann is still searching for his first goal of the AHL season as well, so far sitting on one assist in four games with the Hartford Wolf Pack. He was a major piece of the Wolf Pack lineup last season, when he managed 12 goals and 20 points in 27 games.

With the shoot-first Othmann headed back to the minors, New York will bring up the imposing size of Chmelar. The Czechia native has five points through nine games to start Hartford’s season, tying him for third on the team in scoring. He finished fifth on the Wolf Pack in scoring as an AHL rookie last season, netting 12 goals and 29 points in 71 games. Standing at 6-foot-5, 220-pounds, Chmelar offers the hard-nosed physicality that’s become much more accustom to the Rangers’ bottom-six. He could be an interesting addition as New York looks to address a long-term injury to enforcer Matt Rempe. Chmelar would be making his NHL debut if he cracked into the Rangers’ lineup. He has scored 36 points in 87 AHL games, and 28 points in 59 NCAA games, through his young hockey career.

Rangers Not In Rush To Hold Panarin Extension Talks

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At a time when several prominent pending unrestricted free agents have re-signed, one of the notable exceptions is Rangers winger Artemi Panarin.  It doesn’t appear that will be changing anytime soon.  In his latest column for The Athletic (subscription link), Pierre LeBrun reports that the sense is that New York isn’t in a particular hurry to engage in discussions, wanting to better assess how they’re faring under new head coach Mike Sullivan.  Panarin just turned 34 so there’s a good chance this will be his final contract, meaning term will be important.  If the Rangers aren’t willing to offer up a longer-term pact, Panarin could find himself the subject of plenty of trade speculation leading up to the trade deadline in March.

Braden Schneider Generating Trade Interest

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Like most other Rangers, Braden Schneider hasn’t had the start to the 2025-26 season he was hoping for. The right-shot defenseman is averaging career-high ice time but has made a negligible impact offensively and has seen his possession metrics remain underwater. Nevertheless, teams are calling the Rangers to ask if he’s available for trade as their season-opening mire continues, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.

A first-round pick in 2020, Schneider emerged as an NHL regular midway through the 2021-22 campaign and never looked back. In 297 career appearances, he’s logged 18 goals, 53 assists, 71 points, and a +17 rating. He seemed to generate significant forward momentum in his development last year, when the Rangers swapped out Jacob Trouba for William Borgen in separate trades, creating a small opening for him to move up the depth chart. While the Blueshirts missed the playoffs in 2024-25, that didn’t stop Schneider from recording a career-best 6-15–21 scoring line and a +9 rating in 80 games.

This season, Schneider has remained in third-pairing duties behind Borgen on the depth chart but is beginning to see some power-play reps, explaining the bump in ice time to above 18 minutes per game. Nonetheless, he’s been saddled with the underperforming Urho Vaakanainen at even strength, leading to some ugly outputs. His -5 rating is the worst on the team among defensemen, although his 50.5 CF% is higher than Borgen’s and Carson Soucy’s in a more taxing defensive workload. In fact, the Rangers are deploying the Vaakanainen-Schneider pairing almost exclusively as a shutdown unit, starting more than 70% of their shifts in the defensive zone.

That extreme deployment, particularly on a team averaging just 2.18 goals per game, virtually guarantees a low point total and negative rating for Schneider, who’s only logged two assists through 11 games. The Rangers have increasingly saddled the 6’3″ righty with more challenging defensive assignments over the course of his five-year career, but it’s clear they’re pushing him past the point of peak effectiveness, at least early on.

If other teams are catching onto that, Schneider could be a sneaky pickup if given more minutes in more favorable deployment. The Rangers have hesitated to move him in the past when he was still one of their top prospects, but with him now fully aged out of the pool and their championship contention window nearly closed, there could be a willingness to let him go as part of a larger sell-off.

There’s also the matter of Schneider’s contract status. He’s a pending restricted free agent due a qualifying offer of $2.64MM. The Blueshirts or any other team likely wouldn’t have many qualms about committing that cap space to him, but it’s a potential arbitration award that could scare the Rangers off if there’s a large enough gap in extension talks.

Rangers’ Matt Rempe Out Long-Term, Vincent Trocheck Nearing Return

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New York Rangers enforcer Matt Rempe is going to be out “longer-term” after sustaining an upper-body injury in a fight with San Jose Sharks’ winger Ryan Reaves, head coach Mike Sullivan told Vince Mercogliano of The Athletic. Mercogliano later specified that Rempe’s injury isn’t expected to be season-ending, but could span multiple weeks, if not a few months.

Rempe was filling slightly larger shoes than last season through New York’s first nine games. He notched one goal and seven penalty minutes, while averaging a career-high 9:48 in ice time each game. He also recorded 30 hits – putting him on pace to register over 220 hits across a full 82 games.

New York awarded top prospect Brennan Othmann with his season debut in Rempe’s absence. He recorded no points and a minus-one in the outing, and now could be headed for a healthy scratch in favor of Jonny Brodzinski, per Mercogliano. Brodzinski has already played in two games this season, with no scoring and one shot on net.

The Rangers shouldn’t have to spar between depth wingers for too much longer. Top-six centerman Vincent Trocheck returned to skating on Monday, marking a big step in his return from an upper-body injury sustained on October 9th. Trocheck was placed on long-term injured reserve on October 11th, and won’t be eligible to be activated until November 1st. The injury ended an ironman streak that spanned the last three seasons (and all but one game of 2021-22). Trocheck spent all three years of that streak with New York, racking up 200 points in 246 games over the stretch. That’s the fourth-most of any Ranger since 2022. He even managed a career-year in that mix, posting a career-best 77 points in the 2023-24 season.

Trocheck should return to his second-line center role as soon as he’s back from injury. He began the year between wingers Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafrenière, though New York has since broken up that duo in favor of icing Panarin with captain J.T. Miller. No matter who he’s centering, Trocheck should find a quick path back to high-impact minutes within the coming weeks.

Questions Beginning To Mount For Rangers

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In an article published by The Fourth Period earlier today, questions were raised on the New York Rangers, and what may come next if things do not improve. Although not yet even November, as the team works to adjust to new Head Coach Mike Sullivan, there is cause for concern. The Blueshirts are currently dead last in the Metropolitan Division, fresh off a 5-1 defeat at the hands of the 32nd-ranked Flames. 

Few organizations have had as many highs and lows as New York over the last five years, with a revolving door of coaches. David Quinn, Gerard Gallant, and Peter Laviolette all came and went, and now Sullivan is tasked with bringing stability. Gallant and Laviolette both posted win percentages over .600, and made the conference finals, but still found themselves out of jobs a year later. Quinn, on the other hand, has returned to the Rangers’ bench as an assistant on Sullivan’s staff.

Given the massive underachievement last season and overall culture issues, moving on from Laviolette was a no-brainer, but Sullivan has not yet found his footing. And with the way the roster is constructed, the clock is ticking. Not long ago, the Rangers were rebuild-focused, with a dynamic young core. Now, somewhat suddenly, their forward corps is headlined by stars quickly approaching their mid-thirties. Of course, the elephant in the room is superstar Artemi Panarin, soon to be 34, who is a UFA come season’s end.

The likes of J.T. Miller, Mika Zibanejad, and Vincent Trocheck are locked up for the long haul, but there is extra pressure for the team to find answers right now. If New York manages to lose Panarin one way or another, it is hard to imagine the existing core returning to their previous Presidents’ Trophy-winning, Conference Finals level. Zibanejad’s decline has come in the thick of his eight-year deal at a cap hit of $8.5MM, which has four years remaining. Sullivan has to try to get the 32-year-old back on the 70+ point level. Trocheck, a very consistent sidekick, is out week-to-week as the team eagerly awaits his return. 

Two young forwards among the experienced group, Alexis Lafreniere and Will Cuylle, must find their game under Sullivan, as neither has more than 3 points in 10 games. The former first overall pick Lafreniere’s play, which at times has left more to be desired, is well-known. Cuylle, on the other hand, broke out last year with 20 goals, production that likely played a part in GM Chris Drury shipping out Chris Kreider. The 34-year-old played 13 years for the Rangers, and while the move was reasonable considering his decline in 2024-25, Kreider has netted four goals in five games with Anaheim, production difficult to ignore. 

On the back end, as mentioned in the article, Braden Schneider has been thrown around in possible trade scenarios, but at just 24, it is debatable if Drury should be losing more youth, having already sent K’Andre Miller packing last summer in favor of 29-year-old Vladislav Gavrikov, signed through 2029-30 at $7MM. 

There is most certainly still time, but pressure is quickly building in New York. All the pieces are there, with elite talent across the board and a proven coach. However, with such little salary cap space, Drury is in a difficult situation if the Rangers are unable to shake their struggles from last season.

Othmann Making Season Debut Tonight

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The New York Rangers will award winger Brennan Othmann with his season debut in Sunday night’s matchup against the Calgary Flames, per Vince Mercogliano of The Athletic. Othmann recorded one assist and six penalty minutes in the first four games of the Hartford Wolf Pack’s season. He is among the Rangers’ top prospects, and many have criticized his lack of opportunity after posting 12 goals and 20 points in 27 AHL games last season.

Othmann has played through 25 career games in the NHL, effectively spending his rookie eligibility. He recorded two assists and a plus-seven in those appearances. He’s yet to find a break in the Rangers’ system, even after posting 69 points in 94 games across two AHL seasons. Sunday’s matchup will be his next chance to prove he can stick in the NHL. Continued struggles could advance a growing trade market around the former first-round pick, after it was revealed New York was shopping Othmann around earlier this month.

Latest On Vincent Trocheck, Matt Rempe

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  • Injured New York Rangers pivot Vincent Trocheck isn’t a candidate to return any time soon, head coach Mike Sullivan told the media (including the New York Post’s Mollie Walker) yesterday. Trocheck remains on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) with an upper-body injury, isn’t skating yet, and Sullivan directly said his return to play “isn’t imminent.” The Rangers have shifted veteran Mika Zibanejad back to his natural center position in response to Trocheck’s absence, and Zibanejad has started to heat up, scoring two goals and four points in his last three games. For the Rangers to make a serious push to gain ground in the Metropolitan Division early this season, Zibanejad, 32, will need to continue to produce and prove that he can handle some of the responsibilities left behind by Trocheck.
  • Physical forward Matt Rempe will not travel to his hometown of Calgary for the Rangers’ upcoming game as he is still being evaluated for an upper-body injury, relays Newsday’s Colin Stephenson. Rempe appeared to suffer the injury in the process or aftermath of fighting Ryan Reaves during the Rangers’ Oct. 23 loss to the San Jose Sharks. The 6’9″, 261-pounder had played a steady fourth-line role in all of the Rangers’ nine games so far this season, and in response to his injury, the club called up 2021 first-rounder Brennan Othmann, who himself has been the subject of recent trade buzz.

Rangers Recall Brennan Othmann

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The Rangers announced they’ve recalled Brennan Othmann from AHL Hartford. The winger will get his first look of the season on the NHL roster amid reports he’s been made available for trade. They’ve had an open roster spot since sending defenseman Scott Morrow down to Hartford at the beginning of the week, so no corresponding move is required.

While the recall could serve as a showcase to help boost the struggling prospect’s trade value, that’s not its primary purpose. The Rangers are down a forward after Matt Rempe sustained an upper-body injury in his fight Thursday night with the Sharks’ Ryan Reaves. Othmann ensures they continue to have a healthy extra forward in Rempe’s absence, however long that may be.

It’s likely that nothing so far this season has changed the Rangers’ mind that a change of scenery is the best outcome for Othmann, who they selected No. 16 overall in the 2021 draft. In four games with Hartford, he’s been limited to one assist and an even rating. While he hasn’t demonstrated much upside in his NHL call-ups thus far, only managing two assists in 25 games, he’s at least had some productive runs with Hartford, including 12 goals and 20 points in 27 games last year. An AHL scoring slump certainly won’t do good things for his trade value.

Presumably, the Rangers feel Othmann and his 6’0″, 192-lb frame are a better fit for a bottom-six role than late camp cuts like top prospect Gabriel Perreault, who’s managed a goal and an assist in four games for Hartford. They’ve had no prior hesitancy in dropping him into third or fourth-line jobs. He’s only averaged 9:52 of ice time per game in his NHL career while recording a plus-seven rating and 49 hits. While he’s been a semi-effective physical presence, he’s failed to show he can convert the high-end finishing ability he displayed in juniors (and in Hartford, to some extent) into NHL minutes. He’s yet to score on 26 shots on goal.

He’ll now get one of his last chances to change that track record in New York. It could be an extended one depending on the severity of Rempe’s injury. The pending restricted free agent will join a battle for playing time with Jonny Brodzinski and Juuso Pärssinen. Every other active Rangers forward has appeared in all nine games so far this season.

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