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Luke Glendening PTO gives Rangers essential faceoff and penalty kill insurance

The offense is in a rut, but bringing in 37-year-old Luke Glendening on a PTO gives the Rangers elite faceoff ability and takes heavy PK minutes off their top stars.
ByJustin Bonhard
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Apr 13, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers center Luke Glendening (41) drives with the puck against Carolina Hurricanes defense Mike Reilly (6) in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Apr 13, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers center Luke Glendening (41) drives with the puck against Carolina Hurricanes defense Mike Reilly (6) in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers have a bit of an issue right now as their high-powered offense has gone silent. After an abysmal showing against the New Jersey Devils on October 15, losing 7-1, and then a complete power outage against the Columbus Blue Jackets, 1-0, it was time for a change.

The change that came was a necessary one, but it is likely not going to solve that particular problem.

Luke Glendening, a 37-year-old center who most recently had a stint with both the Devils and the Philadelphia Flyers in 2025-26, was signed to a professional tryout agreement today. With center depth being an issue since Joe Veleno was placed on injured reserve, and the promotions of Cole Beaudoin and Justin Dowling not working out, Glendening could end up filling a specific role for the Blueshirts. Right now he's essentially part of the practice squad, an NHL contract would need to be signed for him to suit up in a game for the Rangers.

Glendening would be another veteran presence

Glendening has been around the block. He has 13 years of experience, with some Selke Award votes in a couple of those years in Detroit. Overall, this could work out nicely for the Rangers, while the absence of Joe Veleno still has no timetable for return.

He is not going to go out there and score a bunch of goals, which is kinda what this team needs right now. But, he is going to win faceoffs, keep the pressure on the opposition for over 10 minutes a night, and maybe help unlock one of his new wingers, Oliver Bjorkstrand.

Speaking of the faceoff circle, here's how effective he's been over the last few years:

2025–26 (Devils & Flyers): 52.9% (343 wins out of 649 faceoffs)
2024–25 (Tampa Bay): 57.0% (502 wins out of 881 faceoffs)
2023–24 (Tampa Bay): 56.0% (531 wins out of 948 faceoffs)
2022–23 (Dallas): 59.0% (359 wins out of 608 faceoffs

This versatility will make him quite useful in New York, and one can only hope his biggest career strength to date remains with him when he takes the ice for the Rangers.

He's got some wheels

According to NHL EDGE, last season saw Glendening in the 92nd percentile for max speed among forwards at 23.28 miles per hour. That beats any burst of speed seen this season by a current Ranger, with Noah Laba having the fastest burst at 22.99 MPH back on October 13 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Speaking of Laba, team beat reporter Peter Baugh shared a nice photo of Laba and Glendening from several years ago.

This is a nice change to that fourth line, as it brings an element of speed on the dump-in. Veleno was such a perfect fit for that role, but since he has been out of action, the Rangers have had a hard time trying to replicate it. Maybe Glendening can add some spark.

Another area in which Glendening could be crucial is on the penalty kill. J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad have had to cycle back into that role after it became clear before the season that they would try to limit their use in that situation. This might now be fixed, and things can start to revolve back to normal.

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