The New York Rangers boast a different lineup heading into the new season compared to last. Gone are the days of New York having players like Will Borgen eating important defensive minutes, and here are the days of a true second pairing. For the Rangers to make the playoffs, though, every player will need to chip in. Much improved, the Blueshirts will need contributions from everyone, but some more than others. So who are the most important Rangers heading into this season?
Please note, this is only about the upcoming season, not at all about the future after that. This is the most important Rangers just for the 2026-2027 season, not beyond and talking sustainability for future success.
20. Jaroslav Chmelar: I have absolutely no idea who the third forward on the opening night fourth line will be, so I plugged Chmelar in here. If Chmelar is an integral part of the upcoming season, he either will have improved mightily, or the team will be a lottery team. Perhaps this is a bit harsh on the kid, but I don’t think he’s one of the most important Rangers this year, then things likely have gone horribly wrong.
19. Matthew Robertson: Similar to Chmelar, I’m plugging Robertson here as an absolute guess at a third pairing defenseman. I hope he is not in the opening lineup, but odds are he’ll have a strong shot at it. Robertson is a fine player who was a nice story last season. There’s nothing more to it. Depth players are critical to success, but like Chmelar, if he’s one of the most important Rangers this season, then things likely went off the rails.
18. Matt Rempe: Like it or not, Rempe isn’t much of a player. If he wasn’t big and didn’t immediately fight everyone when entering the league, he would probably be on waivers by now. He only gets this spot because the fans love him and he’s apparently great in the locker room.
17. Joe Veleno: A former first-round pick, Veleno could provide some defensive prowess in Sam Carrick’s role from the last couple of seasons. If Veleno doesn’t work out, it shouldn’t be too big of a deal for the Rangers.
16. Noah Laba: I know Laba was a pleasant surprise last season, but I urge everyone to breathe a bit. Laba’s absolute ceiling is a third line center, and one that can likely be replaced pretty easily. I’d argue if Laba ends up as the fourth line center, it’s probably a good thing. He’s a fine player who won’t have a huge impact on the season.
15. Tye Kartye: Kartye was awesome for the Rangers to finish out last season, but there’s a reason the Rangers were able to get him off waivers. Kartye will play the role of determining whether the third line is a strength, a weakness, or somewhere in the middle. To be fair, there’s hope he can turn into the Rangers version of Gustav Forsling and be a staple on the third line.
14. Vlad Gavrikov: This may come as a shock, as usually top pairing defensemen would be among the most important Rangers. But hear me out. We all know what Gavrikov provides, and odds are he’ll provide it yet again next season. I’m placing Gavrikov here not because he isn’t important, but because we know the player and we can feel confident in what he will be.
13. Braden Schneider (if he’s still here): The Rangers finally have Schneider in a sheltered role. This is a sink or swim year for Schneider, but for the Rangers, they will be fine in either scenario as long as there aren’t any major injuries. If this ranking was based on importance to players themselves, Schneider might be number one.
12. Dylan Garand: I’m putting Garand in over Joonas Korpisalo out of denial, as the Korpisalo trade remains idiotic. (Note by Dave: Does no one read?) Garand won’t likely get too much action, but after the horrific season Jonathan Quick had last year, the Rangers need to get .500 play from their backup. He’s not the most important Ranger, but he will be a key cog in getting Igor Shesterkin some rest and hopefully keep him healthy for once.
11. Mika Zibanejad: Again, maybe this doesn’t match the spirit of the article, but I feel comfortable with Zibanejad going into the upcoming season. He will have a good season, and the Rangers will reap the rewards. Mika Zibanejad will be one of the most important Rangers, but his stability and consistency–save for that one season–make his success and production more predictable.
The top 10 most important Rangers will feature players with more question marks surrounding their potential performance. Stay tuned.
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