“Well, it’s concerning, obviously,” Sullivan said to the press, per NHL.com‘s Tom Gulitti. “He’s an elite goaltender, and you don’t ever want to see anybody get hurt, but, obviously, he’s an important player for us.”

Shesterkin’s talent has led his own head coach to recognize him as one of the best goaltenders in the NHL, if not the best. His absence is undoubtedly a major blow to the Rangers.

“He’s a big part of this team, without a doubt,” Sullivan added. “I’ve said it on so many different occasions, he’s one of amongst the best goalies in the world, if not the best. He’s that good.”

An injury that raised concerns

Igor Shesterkin gave Rangers fans a massive scare during Friday night’s matchup against the Washington Capitals after suffering a scary right leg/lower-body injury. In the second period, he awkwardly jammed his right skate into the post while sliding back into the crease and stayed down on the ice holding his right knee in pain.

He couldn’t put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off to the locker room and didn’t return to the game.

Shesterkin’s impact on the Rangers

The talented goalie was off to an absolute tear before going down, posting a stellar 3-1-0 record alongside a razor-thin 1.79 GAA and a elite .927 save percentage in the early 2026-27 campaign.

The perennial Vezina Trophy candidate was easily the biggest reason New York surged out to a hot 4-2-0 start before dropping a tough 3-1 contest to the Capitals, proving once again that when he’s locked in between the pipes, the Rangers are a force to be reckoned with.

Key takeaways

• Mike Sullivan called Igor Shesterkin’s injury concerning following the loss to Washington.
• Igor Shesterkin suffered a right leg/lower-body injury against the Washington Capitals.
• Igor Shesterkin posted a 1.79 GAA and .927 save percentage before his injury.

After the opening-night 3-0 loss against the Boston Bruins, Rangers captain J.T. Miller avoided overreacting, and it immediately proved to be the right decision. Since then, the Broadway Blueshirts have won four games in a row, including statement wins at Madison Square Garden, where fans had been treated to disappointing outings last season.

Moreover, the Rangers have also defeated the New York Islanders for the first time since the 2024-25 NHL season, snapping a four-game losing streak against their crosstown rivals. Coming off the 5-2 win at Madison Square Garden, in which Sullivan used the team’s vacant spot to hand an NHL debut, the head coach made a strong statement about the current state of affairs for the Blueshirts.

“I’m proud of the guys,” Sullivan commented, via the New York Post. “You look at the stretch of games, we just went through a tough stretch. Five games in eight nights against some pretty good teams. These guys, they’re competing hard.”

What Sullivan sees on his team

What a difference a year makes. And, of course, the plethora of roster moves that have shaken the team to its core and completely reshaped the lineup in Manhattan. So far, the Blueshirts have met and even exceeded expectations. No one looks at the NHL standings at this point in the season, but anyone who does will find New York alone at the top after five games.

What changed? Basically everything, but Sullivan thinks he knows some of the good habits that are helping the Blueshirts perform consistently on a nightly basis. That’s all fans had been asking for for a very long time.

“They’re just coming out with great energy,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “I think they’re buying in. They’re having fun. They’re competing hard, and they’re having success. It’s fun to watch them. I think their first periods, they’ve brought great energy, the right intentions.

“I think our third periods have been terrific, just as far as our checking game. We’re not sitting back trying to defend leads. We’re playing hard, playing on our toes, but we’re doing it responsibly. I think that’s a great sign for us the way we’re competing in the third periods as well.“

Winds of change for the Rangers

It took New York until March to string together four wins last season. This time around, the Rangers have won four in a row in just five appearances. Clearly, something is working in Manhattan, and Sullivan hopes it stays that way for a very long time. In the meantime, the rest of the league should take cover.

Key takeaways

• Mike Sullivan praised the New York Rangers’ resilience after winning four straight games.
• The Rangers defeated the New York Islanders for the first time since 2024-25.
• New York sits alone at the top of the NHL standings after five games.

As a result, the stage was set for them to make a roster move, sending Robertson down to the AHL and bringing a minor-league player to the NHL lineup. It was all to fill the void left by Joseph Veleno’s IR stint early in the 2026-27 season. With more or less drama, Sullivan and company have cleared their first hurdle of the campaign.

“Cole Beaudoin has been recalled from the Hartford Wolf Pack. Matthew Robertson has been assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack,” the New York Rangers announced on their public relations account on X, @NYR_PR.

“It’ll be Cole Beaudoin coming up to play 4C tonight and make his NHL debut for the Rangers,” Mollie Walker of the New York Post reported on X.

More about Beaudoin

Selected with the 24th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft by the Utah Mammoth, the 20-year-old centerman from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, has yet to make his pro debut in the league. He will now get his first taste of NHL action in a game as vitriol-filled and electric as a battle of New York between the Rangers and Islanders.

As Veleno has been placed on IR with a lower-body injury, Beaudoin will take over as the fourth-line center for Sullivan’s squad. It remains to be seen who will be coming out of the lineup.

When did Beaudoin join the Rangers?

Beaudoin arrived in Manhattan as part of the return package in the Vincent Trocheck trade to Utah. Beaudoin was traded along with Sean Durzi and a 2027 third-round pick.

While speculation surrounded Sullivan before New York announced its centerman call-up to play the Isles, Beaudoin was the obvious candidate. Through his first two games of the AHL season with the Hartford Wolf Pack, Beaudoin was the team’s leading scorer with a goal and four assists (five points).

Thanks to that red-hot start, Beaudoin was also tied for second in points among all skaters in the AHL. Now, his true journey begins, and there is no better place to start than Madison Square Garden in a matchup with the Islanders.

Key takeaways

• The New York Rangers assigned defensemen Matthew Robertson to the AHL.
• Center Cole Beaudoin was recalled from Hartford to make his NHL debut.
• Beaudoin came to New York as part of the Vincent Trocheck trade.

One name that many Rangers fans wondered about was Jaroslav Chmelar, the 23-year-old forward from Czechia. With the Blueshirts suddenly in need of a center call-up, many thought Chmelar could be the odd man out, as he’s waiver-exempt and thus could’ve been sent down to the AHL without risking another NHL franchise claiming him. Asked about his decision to keep Chmelar and instead risk waiver-eligible Robertson, Sullivan gave a firm answer.

“The question is: Do we just put guys in the lineup and send guys down just because they’re waivers exempt? Or do we put the guys in the lineup that we think are going to give us the best chance to win? We chose to make a decision based on the latter,” Sullivan admitted, via Mollie Walker of the New York Post on X. “We think the guys that are in the lineup are deserving to be in the lineup through their performance and their play. [Chmelar] is one of those guys.”

Chmelar’s start to the season

Although he’s yet to record his first point of the season, it looks like Sullivan has liked Chmelar’s performance so far through the first three games of the 2026-27 NHL campaign. He might be in for an even bigger role after Joe Veleno’s injury.

The Rangers have now placed Veleno on Injured Reserve (IR), and until a centerman is called up from the AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack, Chmelar might even fill in for the injured Veleno at 4C. Clearly, Sullivan trusts the 23-year-old pending RFA, so one shouldn’t put it past the head coach to move Chmelar to the middle of the ice.

“Jaro [Chmelar] has certainly made a compelling argument to keep him in the lineup just based on his play,” Sullivan said, per Mollie Walker.

Rangers face salary-cap crunch

As reasonable as Sullivan’s explanation for the Rangers’ decision is, and as great as it might play out, there’s also logic in asking why the Blueshirts even reached the point where they had to auction a young player as the first wave of adversity hit them. Fans in Manhattan believe they know the reason for that.

Less than five games into the season, New York was already hemmed in by the salary cap, and it didn’t take long before the spotlight shifted to the cap-heavy contracts signed or brought in over the summer. Namely, Joonas Korpisalo.

Joonas Korpisalo’s contract

The Rangers raised eyebrows when they traded for the former Boston Bruins netminder, who is carrying a $3 million cap hit in 2026-27. To make matters worse, Dylan Garand has returned to New York as Korpisalo will miss time with an injury.

Essentially, the Broadway Blueshirts had to place Robertson on waivers because of the salary-cap crunch Korpisalo’s deal has put them in, and the veteran goalie hasn’t even played a game at Madison Square Garden this season. Since his arrival, Korpisalo has caused several roster moves before he even put on his pads, blocker, glove, and mask.

A lot can change, and Korpisalo may end up playing a big role in the season. So far, however, he can be added to the long list of costly decisions made by Chris Drury and company. Why did the Blueshirts trade for a $3 million second-string netminder when Garand was right there? Who knows? But Robertson ended up on waivers because of it. Fortunately for the Blueshirts, he cleared. They may not be as lucky in the future, though.

Key takeaways

• Matthew Robertson cleared waivers after Joe Veleno suffered an injury.
• Czech forward Jaroslav Chmelar remained on the NHL roster despite being waiver-exempt.
• Joonas Korpisalo carries a $3 million cap hit while currently sidelined with an injury.

In every NHL locker room, different personalities coexist. That also means there are different ways players and coaches react to losses. Even captains and managers may approach losses differently. While J.T. Miller avoided overreacting after the loss to the Bruins, Sullivan didn’t necessarily overreact, but he did call out errors and put the Rangers on the spot.

“We turned pucks over in the wrong areas of the rink,” Sullivan said after the game, via Mollie Walker of the New York Post. “I thought we were trying to play a little bit too much east-west, instead of simplifying, and playing straight ahead.

“We were standing on pucks instead of moving our feet. When you stand on pucks, the world closes in on you out there. We try to encourage the guys to move our feet. I think that’s a discipline that we’ve got to develop.”

Rangers’ giveaways lead to goals

It was a common trend all night long. The Rangers managed to survive until late in the third period, but eventually, repeatedly shooting themselves in the foot led to disaster. In fact, both of the goals the Bruins scored past Igor Shesterkin (the third goal was on an empty net) came off turnovers by the Rangers in the neutral zone.

Fraser Minten broke the deadlock with 3:46 left in regulation. That play started with a turnover in the neutral zone. Defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov lifted a puck out of the D-zone and into center ice, but it was intercepted, leading to a fast break for Minten, who shot from a distance to beat Shesterkin on the blocker side.

Less than a minute later, Mika Zibanejad turned over the puck at the end of his shift in the neutral zone again. J.J. Peterka embarrassed Braden Schneider with a nifty move, and he beat Shesterkin five-hole. That was all she wrote for the Rangers. Not only did their reckless puck management cost them, but it was their top forward and top-pair defenseman who were responsible for the errors.

The decisive factor

Otherwise, the game had been evenly matched in every aspect. New York finished the night with 24 shots against Boston’s 23. Both sides committed only one minor penalty and went scoreless on their lone power-play attempts. Faceoff wins were split evenly, 50-50, both had four takeaways each, and New York had just a handful fewer blocked shots than Boston.

The main difference aside from the scoreboard? The Rangers gave away the puck 20 times, while the Bruins had only 10 giveaways. That, in turn, explains the 3-0 difference in the final score.

Key takeaways

• Mike Sullivan criticized the NY Rangers for turning over the puck after a 3-0 loss.
• Fraser Minten broke the deadlock with 3:46 left in regulation.
• The Rangers committed 20 giveaways compared to just 10 by the Bruins.

In case Sullivan forgot, he was reminded right away—before the Broadway Blueshirts even took to the ice. As the Rangers‘ forward lines and defensive pairings were reported for opening night against the Boston Bruins, it didn’t take long for fans to share their opinions and debate whether the lineup was correctly assembled.

Sullivan should consider himself lucky the Rangers got away with their risky waivers decision on Dylan Garand; otherwise, the buzz would be even louder. Ahead of the away game against the Bruins, Sullivan made an honest statement, standing by his players and easing some of the pressure off them by reassuring them they will not be on a short leash, at least not to start the season.

“Part of the reason we left [the lineup] that way is because we liked what we saw. So we didn’t feel the need to try to change for the sake of change,” Sullivan admitted before the Rangers’ season opener, via Mollie Walker of the New York Post. “At the end of the day, we don’t think at this point there was a need to try to explore other options. We want to se what we have, and then we’ll evaluate accordingly.“

Fans aren’t convinced about the lineup

Virtually every fan in New York was excited to learn that fifth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, Alberts Smits, will make his pro debut when the Rangers take on the Bruins at TD Garden. However, that was about as far as unanimous opinions went among the fanbase.

Sticking with Smits, not many liked the decision to pair him with Braden Schneider, who is in a contract year and coming off trade rumors over the offseason, on the third D-man pairing. “Poor Smits,” a fan replied to Walker’s report on the team’s lines for the season debut. “I don’t like Smits with Schneider,” another fan wrote.

Sullivan addresses potential lineup changes

Clearly, fans have their doubts about Sullivan’s lineup decision to start the season, but they must first watch the team play before making up their minds. If things turn south, Sullivan made it clear he is open to adjusting, but will also give the lines and pairings time to build chemistry. Otherwise, New York would be shooting itself in the foot.

“There’s always a fine line between allowing groups to build some chemistry, allow them to play through some of the early challenges, and whether or not you think you need to affect some change. I think every circumstance is unique,” Sullivan stated.

“I think it’s more about a coach’s intuition and a coaching staff’s intuition. We’ll evaluate after every game, we’ll evaluate after every day, and we’ll try to make the best decisions for the team.”

NY Rangers’ opening-night lineup

Key takeaways

• Mike Sullivan stood by his lineup for the Rangers’ opener against Boston.
• Alberts Smits will make his pro debut on New York’s third D-pairing.
• Sullivan expressed openness to adjusting lines if the team needs future changes.

“Tough break for Adam Sykora: New York Rangers say he’ll be out 4-5 months with that lower-body injury,” Vince Mercogliano of The Athletic reported on X.

Sykora wasn’t going to start the season in New York’s NHL lineup. Instead, he was set to be a top-six forward for the AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. However, just like he did last year when making his pro debut, Sykora was expected to be called up from time to time to fill in for depth positions on Sullivan‘s team.

Sykora’s injury affects NY Rangers’ depth plans

The latest setback is a tough blow for the Blueshirts, even if its impact isn’t felt immediately. Sykora’s long-term injury also arrives on the heels of the Rangers confirming Sullivan can give up on four players (Urho Vaakanainen, Juuso Parssinen, Justin Dowling and Dennis Cholowski), who were placed on waivers.

Though pending confirmation of the exact timeline, New York could already foresee a long-term injury for Sykora based on how he left the preseason game against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center.

Thus, if Sullivan and company were confident enough to leave the four players on their way to the AHL up for grabs for 24 hours, it might not change now that Sykora’s injury has been confirmed. As reported by insider Elliotte Friedman, all four of the Rangers’ players placed on waivers cleared, meaning there are no hurdles to assigning them to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack.

With the 22-year-old Slovak forward out of the picture for at least four to five months, there will be better opportunities for other players in New York’s system, and maybe one of Parssinen and Dowling benefits from it.

Sykora enters contract year

There is no such thing as a good time to suffer a long-term injury, but Sykora’s timing is heartbreaking for several reasons. First, because it happened in the preseason opener and on his first shift of the game. Second, because Sykora really needed to showcase himself in the preseason to leave a lasting impression on Sullivan and the Rangers’ staff before heading back to the minors.

Lastly, Sykora is entering a contract year, with his three-year, entry-level contract ($2.49 million total value and $831,666 cap hit) expiring after the season, when he will become an RFA.

By the time he returns from injury, Sykora may not have enough opportunities to prove his worth and raise his price tag before free agency. When all three elements are combined, they paint a clear picture of just how crushing the lower-body injury sustained at The Rock was.

Key takeaways

• Adam Sykora out 4-5 months following a lower-body injury in the preseason opener.
• New York recently placed four depth players on waivers before the diagnosis.
• The 22-year-old forward is currently entering a contract year before restricted free agency.

As reported by James Mirtle of The Athletic, the Rangers have placed defensemen Dennis Cholowski and Urho Vaakanainen, and centers Justin Dowling and Juuso Parssinen on waivers.

Over the next 24 hours, their futures in the NHL will be decided. If they clear waivers, then New York can assign the quartet to its AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. None of the four players were waiver-exempt, meaning this was the only way for Sullivan to send them down to the minors.

All four of the players placed on waivers had participated in New York’s preseason opener against the New Jersey Devils on Sept. 21. The game ended in a 3-2 loss to the home Devils side, which featured a veteran NHL lineup.

Risky move from NY Rangers

Sullivan and the Rangers are rolling the dice. As is the case every time a player goes on waivers, another franchise can pick him up. The fact that New York placed the four players on waivers with plenty of time before the active-roster deadline (Sept. 28) may hint that the Rangers don’t want to lose these skaters and are trying to fly them under the radar while teams are too busy minding their own business and making roster cuts.

However, placing them on waivers and trying to send them to the AHL also reveals how Sullivan rates them, as well as the fact that they don’t have a spot on the NHL lineup right now. Neither Vaakanainen, Parssinen, Dowling nor Cholowski are particularly young prospects.

New York may have seen all there is to see with them. If Sullivan isn’t sold on their potential now, he may not be sold later in the season. Indeed, they may provide depth options, but there are countless other players who can do the same. By placing the quartet on waivers, it’s a sign that Sullivan can live without them if they end up being claimed. Still, the odds of all four of the Rangers’ players being claimed off waivers are slim to virtually none.

Contract situations

Cholowski, the former first-round pick in 2016, is the only one of the bunch not entering a contract season in the NHL. He already experienced that last year. This summer, he signed a two-year, $1.75 million contract with the Rangers. His is a two-way deal for the 2026-27 campaign, meaning the 28-year-old blue-liner will earn a $375,000 salary if he clears waivers, rather than his $850,000 salary in the NHL.

As for Vaakanainen, Parssinen and Dowling, they are all in the second season of two-year deals. Dowling is the only one of this trio to have a two-way deal. His NHL salary of $850,000 will go down to $450,000 in the AHL. Vaakanainen carries a $1.55 million cap hit and will make $1.45 million in total salary. As for Parssinen, he signed a two-year, $2.5 million deal in 2025 with a $1.3 million salary in 2026.

Key takeaways

• The Rangers placed four players on waivers before the 2026-27 NHL regular season.
• All four players had appeared in preseason-opening game against the Devils (3-2 loss).
• Dennis Cholowski recently signed a two-year, $1.75 million, two-way contract with New York.

Playing on the road at The Rock, the game was exactly the kind of outing where players like Sykora and Iorio, who are fighting for a starting-lineup job in New York, could showcase what they are capable of. That wasn’t the case, and it was quite the opposite.

In Sykora’s case, he left the game less than two minutes into the first period. The morning after the Rangers’ 3-2 loss to the Devils, Sullivan admitted the team doesn’t know the extent of either player’s injury yet. For the time being, they will be held out of on-ice activities as a precaution going into the NHL regular season.

“No injury updates for Adam Sykora or Vincent Iorio, who both left last night’s exhibition game vs. Devils with injuries. They’re still being evaluated and neither skated [Tuesday], per Mike Sullivan,” Mollie Walker of the New York Post reported on X.

What happened to Sykora and Iorio?

In his first shift of the night, Sykora battled for a puck near a corner in the offensive zone. Sykora didn’t keep his head on a swivel, and before he knew it, Devils defenseman Mikael Diotte landed a big shoulder check between Sykora’s chin and left shoulder.

However, the Rangers’ 22-year-old former second-round pick appeared to injure his right knee, which got tangled up against the boards. Sykora was slow to get back on his feet and needed to be helped off the ice by two teammates. Needless to say, it was a tough way to start—and end—his night.

As for Iorio, it remains unclear what exactly happened to him, but he’s reportedly dealing with a lower-body injury, too.

What’s next for Rangers?

The Rangers have two games left in preseason before the 2026-27 NHL regular season: Sept. 22 against the New York Islanders and Sept. 24 against the Devils, both at Madison Square Garden.

Key takeaways

• Rangers players Adam Sykora and Vincent Iorio exited the preseason opener due to injuries.
• Head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed both players were held out of Tuesday practice.
• New York plays preseason games at MSG on September 22 and September 24.

On that note, Sullivan made something clear about how the Blueshirts plan to use Igor Shesterkin, Joonas Korpisalo, and Dylan Garand going into the new season. Most NHL clubs employ two goalies on their active roster, but the Rangers may not follow suit. In fact, Sullivan all but confirmed New York will resort to a rather uncommon option, at least to start the campaign.

“Sure. Is it ideal? My experience has been, in the long term, no. But… I’ve been in circumstances over the years where (keeping 3 goalies) has been the case. I think it’s very manageable in the short term,” Sullivan said after Day 1 of training camp, via Newsday Sports‘ Colin Stephenson.

Sullivan lets Rangers know right away

One thing Sullivan has clearly learned during his years in the NHL is that speaking candidly and straightforwardly may only hurt at first. In the long run, it’s always better than the alternative: straddling the fence. Thus, right from the get-go, he made the goaltenders at Madison Square Garden aware of what will go down during the 2026-27 season—or at least to start things off.

Things might change, injuries may come up, and no one can tell what the future will bring. For now, though, Sullivan is inclined toward rocking a rare three-man goaltending room. He made that intention clear right away after Day 1 of the Blueshirts’ training camp. Don’t go crying to Sullivan later.

Sullivan (sort of) kept three goalies last season, too

Though in a slightly different context, Sullivan did roll with a three-man goaltending department in the final stretch of the 2025-26 NHL season. Shesterkin and Garand were part of the mix, with Jonathan Quick completing the trio. Following Quick’s retirement late last season, New York went after Korpisalo via trade with the Boston Bruins.

Things were different last season, however. Garand only played three games, too, so it wasn’t as if he was a main part of the rotation. Shesterkin will remain the starter. There’s no doubt about it. As for Korpisalo, he is expected to be the primary backup, filling in to give Shesterkin a rest. But Garand will compete for that role in a bigger capacity in 2026-27.

Contrary to last season, though, when Garand was a wet-behind-the-ears prospect who had yet to debut in the NHL, the 24-year-old netminder will now demand more responsibility, or so the Rangers hope. The former fourth-round pick’s development is a priority for the Broadway Blueshirts, so expect him to get more nods at the crease.

NY Rangers must develop Garand

As confident as they are in Shesterkin and that he’s in the Big Apple to stay, the Rangers must develop a young goaltender at some point. They need someone who can grow into a fringe starter, at least. If Garand doesn’t pan out, Callum Tung is next in line, but New York will first see how much juice it can get out of the Victoria, BC, native before moving on to the Port Moody, fellow British Columbian kid.

“I think the most important thing is, and we have talked about this internally, is that in the big picture, the sooner that Smits becomes part of our roster the better,” Sullivan confessed, via the New York Post’s Mollie Walker.

“But we also have to make sure that we do the right thing for him, both in the short term and in the long term. We’ll see where it goes. His play will tell us where we think he fits and what’s best for him.”

While he acknowledged how valuable getting Smits into the NHL lineup could be for the defense-needy Rangers, Sullivan also made it clear the team can’t rush the 18-year-old and toss him into the fire. After getting burned a couple of times, New York has learned its lesson.

Smits could make NHL debut soon

Just like the Blueshirts did with Perreault, whom Chris Drury recently explained why the Rangers put his extension on hold, and other first-round picks, it seems waiting for them to develop before sending them out for their rookie lap appears to be the safer bet.

However, as much as Sullivan noted the team should preach that same mentality and not repeat past mistakes with the Latvian teenaged blueliner, he also made a confession that may signal otherwise.

“Yes, [Smits] has a chance to make the team,” Sullivan revealed during his first press conference ahead of training camp and the 2026-27 NHL season.

Playing Smits is a double-edged sword

Obviously, if Smits proves himself and is ready to handle the big league’s spotlight, why shouldn’t New York play him right away? There’s a reason the Calder Memorial Trophy has been won by rookie defensemen in back-to-back seasons (Matthew Schaefer and Lane Hutson). However, they play a different style from Smits and have experience playing at least on the continent.

Smits has never played professional hockey in North America, and while he shined in the Olympics with Latvia against the elite, he has yet to get his first taste of NHL hockey. Let alone on a nightly basis, dealing with the highs and lows, and settling into his new life in New York City. In more ways than one, it’s a lot to take in at once, and Sullivan is well aware of that. So should the Rangers.

NY Rangers have made first-round picks wait

Should Smits make the NHL lineup right away to start the 2026-27 season, he would snap a long drought in Manhattan. Alexis Lafreniere was the last of New York’s first-round selections to play right from the jump, and even the last to play in his true rookie year. The Rangers haven’t exactly knocked Lafreniere’s development out of the park.

Since then, every first-rounder — Brennan Othmann, Gabe Perreault, and EJ Emery — has had to wait. Emery hasn’t even made his debut yet. Whether it was only a coincidence, a decision made by the Rangers, or simply that the three prospects needed more time to develop, Smits could be the one that breaks the streak. For better or worse? Only time will tell.