Sam Carrick has had a pretty good start to 2025 for a fourth-liner, earning four goals and four assists over 13 appearances.
In the New York Rangers most recent game, the center got the Rangers on the board during a frenetic stretch that saw both Colorado and the Blueshirts score twice in a span of 2:53. Carrick is up to five goals, 15 points, 51 shots on net, 81 hits, 34 PIM and a plus-4 rating over 49 appearances. He's one point shy of matching his total from 77 outings in the 2023-24 regular season and four points back of equaling his career high from 2021-22.
His previously mentioned goal at Madison Square Garden against the Avalanche came from a beautiful wraparound and backhanded assist from teammate Matt Rempe, with Carrick being there to slot it in and get the Rangers back within one at the time.
4th line gets it done again. Sam Carrick scores with a nice play by Rempe #NYR pic.twitter.com/bo0aFnBQGm
— David 🏒 (@DaveyUpper) January 26, 2025
“He’s a heart-and-soul guy for us,” Teammate Braden Schneider previously said of Carrick. “He kills penalties hard. He plays and works in the defensive zone hard. He has the skill to make things happen offensively ... I think he’s been playing amazing and it’s great to see because he brings it every night."
The maple syrup brand owner signed a three-year, $3 million contract with the New York Rangers on July 1, 2024 but was originally chosen by the Carolina Hurricanes in the fourth round (No. 115) of the 2012 NHL Draft.
While only a fourth-liner, it is worth noting that Carrick's statline for the 2024-25 season so far is actually 15 points — combined from five goals and 10 assists. This is only two points less than the Rangers' longest tenured player on the roster — Chris Kreider (17 points).
“He’s a guy that plays the game hard,” head coach Peter Laviolette said on Carrick. “He hits, he competes, he’ll fight for his teammates, he’ll block shots. When you see him score a goal ... everybody’s jazzed up for him. He’s playing really well right now, which is awesome.”
Between his hard-nosed style of play, impact defensively, newly established offensive game and the fact that he's averaging over 13 minutes a game currently, there's really no reason to not pay attention to the 32-year-old.
Clearly, Carrick has stepped into the spotlight amid the Rangers’ push to turn their season around. And clearly, it's worked to a certain extent — the Rangers are now 7-1-3 in their past 11 games.