Which Rangers Skaters Will Have Bigger Roles Next Season?
The New York Rangers may see surprise assets from last season take on more responsibility in 2024-2025.
Adam Edstrom
There was a time when Adam Edstrom looked like he would be in the lineup over his Hartford buddy Matt Rempe. As the season went on he was the healthy scratch as Brodzinski and Rempe drew into the lineup more.
Next season 23-year-old Edstrom, who towers at 6'7, may be a crucial skater for the New York Rangers.
The Swede has a shot at making the roster out of camp next year with changes coming to the Blueshirts forward group. His all-around game is convincing, he doesn't use his size like an enforcer. He possesses the puck well below the circles, uses his frame to his advantage, and has created in-zone offense in 11 games played.
If he skates with the next player on the list, a menacing fourth-line duo that can play solid all-around hockey could be in the works.
Matt Rempe
What seemed like a potentially short-lived tale will likely see a second chapter in 2024-2025. Matt Rempe, the 20-year-old from Calgary, Alberta has become a cult hero in Manhattan, and the rest of the league's nemesis.
That's how New York fans like it. What they also like are results. The 6'7 "Rempire State Building" showed what he can do at his best, and what happens when all eyes are on him.
He took his fair share of penalties in the regular season and post-season, many questionable, a few blatant. He also scored the first goal of the playoffs in the offensive zone.
His TOI against the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers became an area of concern (6:07 AVG), as the team was often shorthanded in tight contests, and Rempe was stapled to the bench.
"I have a big plan, I'm going to work on every single part of my game, "Rempe told the media on Tuesday, the New York Rangers locker clean-out day.
If Rempe dials in on his training he can become a low-cost, effective fourth-line forward next season who plays 12 minutes a night, and could continue to build towards penalty killing as well.
With the chaos of line brawls, heavy-weight tilts, and players trying to get a rise out of him, the flip of the coin is how effective Rempe can be when he plays five-on-five hockey.
Braden Schneider
Alexis Lafreniere drew a lot of attention in recent weeks, but the Rangers second first round pcik in 2020 was equally as impressive in the defensive zone.
Braden Schneider played 16 games with K'Andre Miller in the Rangers top-four during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, taking a major step in his young career.
He was on the ice for 7 goals against when paired with Miller, the Rangers scoring four goals with Schneider on the ice (Natural Stattrick).
With Jacob Trouba's struggles and Ryan Lindgren's contract negotiations on the horizon, comfortably skating Schneider in the top-four was a massive step for the 22-year-old rearguard.
It also is a relief for the organization, which may move on from two of the team's most physical players and veteran defenders. With uncertainty ahead, there is certainty that Schneider can play a bigger role in 2024-2025. About Lafreniere...
Alexis Lafreniere (PP1)
Alexis Lafreniere, the 2020 first-overall pick, has arrived. If we all made decisions in the preseason, Lafreniere would be on the trading block and Kakko would be on the first line.
Ten months later, the 22-year-old forward turned into a star, catalyzing the best five-on-five scoring line in the NHL, and scored eight goals in the playoffs. The Quebec native made the case to earn a position on the first power play unit.
" He's been an impact player for us all season," Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette told the media on Tuesday. "We'd like to see that build next year as he takes on more responsibility and looks to grow from this year,"
Although it was a recurring question all season, it magnified as the Ranger's powerplay crumbled against the Florida Panthers, scoring just 12 power play goals on 50 opportunities in 16 playoff games.
We could see Alexis Lafreniere on the Rangers' first powerplay unit next season. Outside of swapping Ryan Strome for Vincent Trocheck and Erik Gustafsson's quarterbacking amidst Adam Fox's placed on LTIR stint, no change has been made to the unit since 2021.
Who he should replace is a different story, as the fivesome consists of the highest-paid forwards on the roster. That is also the case with the top six, where the next player may slot in the one open position come October.
Filip Chytil
There is no compass on Chytil's future. He had an upper-body injury that sidelined him for six months, returned in the ECSF against the Carolina Hurricanes, then was in and out of the lineup again.
When he dressed, he centered the third line with Kaapo Kakko or played on the flank of Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.
The Rangers still have a hole on the first line and if cap restrictions handcuff Chris Drury from finding a long-term answer this summer, Filip Chytil may hop over the boards as the Rangers 1RW.
He has immense speed off the rush, has size (6'2), tremendous hands and playmaking ability, and a quick release. If the Rangers can't find a legit 1RW, Chytil is the best choice on the roster for that role.
Zac Jones
The Rangers may want to add size to the back end, but as with the last number of players listed, the salary cap ceiling, free agency, trades, or buyouts may affect how the front office can fill out the roster.
Jones is an NHL defenseman and played his best hockey at the end of the regular season with Jacob Trouba sidelined. He put in the extra work to refine his game.
If Jones remains in the organization by the end of the summer, an offseason that could shake up the Rangers' core group, he may have an opportunity to play as a regular next season.
He may play in Erik Gustaffsons' role as the 3RD, but questions loom with defensive roles. Gustaffson (UFA) has played on many one-year deals and may want to settle in New York. He will likely look for a two-year deal elsewhere if an agreement is not reached.
That would mean the organization sees him as expendable, as they may search for a defender with size on the open market or an in-house option- Zac Jones.
Kaapo Kakko (UFA)
If Kakko remains a New York Ranger through the summer, he would likely play the same role this season on the third line knowing the team has a shot at a championship.
The Rangers have to qualify and offer Kakko a contract. He either will stay on a low-cost deal knowing he has a limited role on a championship team, or he will search the open market for a deal where he can play top-six minutes with no pressure.
"Talking to [Peter Laviolette] over the summer, we talked about getting the chance to play with [Zibanejad] and [Kreider], which I felt good about, but all those games we played together it never worked out...I can't say I didn't get the chance with those guys," Kakko told the media on Tuesday.
It sounds like the organization thought he would eventually and convincingly take the 1RW role. There is evidence that supports the Rangers giving Kakko another oppurtunity next season with contract negotations looming, from the General Manager Chris Drury himself.
"We were talking about Laf at this time last year and refuting rumors that I was trying to trade him… Kaapo Kakko is still a young player… We’re going to continue to try and find everything we can do to help him reach his potential," Drury told the media via Zoom on Friday.
That implies that the organization is looking to maximize Kakkos potential. He is 23-years-old after all.
In all of the conversations I had with Kakko, it always surrounded his confidence or position in the lineup. He may want to move on after five years of not reaching his full potential in New York. He may also see this as an opportunity to win a championship.
Jonny Brodzinski
Before Matt Rempe's ultra hype and fanfare, Brodzinski had the heart of Broadway when he earned his first long-term call-up with the Rangers at 30 years old.
The Wolf Pack captain departed for his recall as the AHL's top point scorer. He would stay with the Rangers for the duration of the season.
As with Zac Jones, Brodzinski can be an in-house answer for the Rangers' depth next season. If Barclay Goodrow is moved, and Edstrom or Rempe do not round out their game, Brodzinski is a reliable option. If they want to add muscle, they can at the 2025 trade deadline.