NEW YORK (AP) — Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere got his second career hat trick and Jonathan Quick stopped 21 shots as the New York Rangers defeated the Calgary Flames 4-0 on Tuesday night.
Conor Sheary scored his second goal of the season.
Mika Zibanejad and Gabe Perreault added two assists. Zibanejad's assist on Lafreniere’s first goal gave him 800 career points. Adam Fox’s assist on the goal gave him 400 career points, becoming the fourth Rangers defenseman to hit that milestone.
Lafreniere has eight goals and five assists in his last nine games.
Quick earned his second shutout of the season and the 65th of his career. He passed Henrik Lundqvist for 17th most career shutouts in the NHL and sits one behind Patrick Roy.
Dustin Wolf made 25 saves for the Flames.
The Rangers are in last place in the Eastern Conference. They were coming off a 6-2 win over Philadelphia in which Zibanejad scored twice. Tuesday night was the first time they won two in a row since December.
The Flames have lost six of their last seven.
New York right wing Taylor Raddysh was scratched, missing his second straight game because of the death of his father.
The Calgary Flames came up empty on Tuesday night, dropping a 4–0 decision to the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
It was a night of milestones despite the result. Forward Ryan Strome skated in his 900th NHL game, doing so in a familiar building where he spent four seasons with the Rangers. Meanwhile, Adam Klapka reached the 100-game mark in his NHL career. In goal, Dustin Wolf got the start for Calgary opposite veteran netminder Jonathan Quick, a player Wolf has often cited as a childhood hero.
The Rangers opened the scoring late in the first period during a lengthy two-man advantage. At 17:27, Alexis Lafrenière positioned himself in front of the net and redirected a Mika Zibanejad shot past Wolf for the power-play marker. The assist gave Zibanejad the 800th point of his NHL career and sent the Rangers to the intermission with a 1–0 lead.
New York added to its advantage midway through the second period. After a long dump-in created pressure in the Flames’ zone, Ty Kartye tracked down the puck and fed Conor Sheary trailing into the play. Sheary wasted no time ripping a one-timer past Wolf at 10:28 to double the Rangers’ lead.
The home side kept the momentum rolling later in the frame. At 16:31, a quick passing sequence through the slot set up Lafrenière for his second of the night. Zibanejad picked up his second assist on the play as the Rangers executed a crisp tic-tac-toe passing play that left Wolf with little chance. After 40 minutes, New York held a commanding 3–0 edge.
Lafrenière completed the hat trick in the third period. Gabriel Perreault found him open for a one-timer, and the Rangers forward roofed the puck to extend the lead to 4–0 and seal the win for New York.
Despite generating several chances, Calgary was unable to solve Quick, who turned aside every attempt he faced to secure the shutout.
Ryan Strome reached the 900-game plateau in the same building where he spent four seasons as a Ranger, while Adam Klapka appeared in the 100th game of his NHL career.
Coronato Creating Chances
Matt Coronato remains without a goal in his last 12 games, but the young forward showed signs of progress by generating several quality opportunities and putting six shots on goal.
New Power-Play Look
The Flames debuted a reworked second power-play unit featuring newcomers Ryan Strome and Victor Olofsson, a sign the coaching staff is continuing to experiment with combinations following recent roster changes.
On Friday, the St. Louis Blues traded captain Brayden Schenn to the New York Islanders. On Tuesday night, the 34-year-old veteran and member of the Blues' 2019 Stanley Cup team was back inside Enterprise Arena with his new team, the Islanders, concluding a four-game road trip in the Gateway To The West.
As expected, Schenn received a standing ovation when his name was announced and yet again when they welcomed him back with a tribute video:
Schenn was acquired by St. Louis from the Los Angeles Kings for forward Jori Lehtera, the 27th overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft (used for Morgan Frost), and a conditional 2018 first-round pick.
He suited up for 650 regular-season games in St. Louis over his nine seasons there, recording 181 goals and 284 assists for 284 points.
In those nine seasons, the Blues qualified for the postseason five times. He recorded 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists) in 58 playoff games, including 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 26 games during their Cup-winning season.
Schenn is in year six of an eight-year deal worth $6.5 million annually.
Adam Klapka will reach a significant milestone on Tuesday night, appearing in his 100th NHL game as the Calgary Flames face the New York Rangers.
The Praha, Czechia native is in his third season with the Flames and has recorded 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points, along with 145 penalty minutes, through his first 99 NHL appearances.
Klapka’s path to the league wasn’t a traditional one. After going undrafted, the towering forward signed with the Calgary organization in 2022 and spent time developing with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers before carving out a role at the NHL level.
“It's awesome,” Klapka told Flames TV on Tuesday when asked about appearing in his 100th game. “When I signed with the flames four years ago, I never thought it was going to be that many games, so I’m really appreciative for that, and I hope (I’m going to) add a couple hundred more.”
"I hope it's a couple hundred more."
Adam Klapka reflects on his journey to the NHL, as he gets set to play in his 100th career game tonight. pic.twitter.com/Q8Lvrb4MTy
Standing 6-foot-8 and weighing 235 pounds, Klapka has grown into a formidable physical presence. His physical style of play has been especially noticeable this season, where he currently ranks third in the NHL with 235 hits.
Adam Klapka will reach a significant milestone on Tuesday night, appearing in his 100th NHL game as the Calgary Flames face the New York Rangers.
The Praha, Czechia native is in his third season with the Flames and has recorded 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points, along with 145 penalty minutes, through his first 99 NHL appearances.
Klapka’s path to the league wasn’t a traditional one. After going undrafted, the towering forward signed with the Calgary organization in 2022 and spent time developing with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers before carving out a role at the NHL level.
“It's awesome,” Klapka told Flames TV on Tuesday when asked about appearing in his 100th game. “When I signed with the flames four years ago, I never thought it was going to be that many games, so I’m really appreciative for that, and I hope (I’m going to) add a couple hundred more.”
"I hope it's a couple hundred more."
Adam Klapka reflects on his journey to the NHL, as he gets set to play in his 100th career game tonight. pic.twitter.com/Q8Lvrb4MTy
Standing 6-foot-8 and weighing 235 pounds, Klapka has grown into a formidable physical presence. His physical style of play has been especially noticeable this season, where he currently ranks third in the NHL with 235 hits.
Adam Klapka will reach a significant milestone on Tuesday night, appearing in his 100th NHL game as the Calgary Flames face the New York Rangers.
The Praha, Czechia native is in his third season with the Flames and has recorded 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points, along with 145 penalty minutes, through his first 99 NHL appearances.
Klapka’s path to the league wasn’t a traditional one. After going undrafted, the towering forward signed with the Calgary organization in 2022 and spent time developing with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers before carving out a role at the NHL level.
“It's awesome,” Klapka told Flames TV on Tuesday when asked about appearing in his 100th game. “When I signed with the flames four years ago, I never thought it was going to be that many games, so I’m really appreciative for that, and I hope (I’m going to) add a couple hundred more.”
"I hope it's a couple hundred more."
Adam Klapka reflects on his journey to the NHL, as he gets set to play in his 100th career game tonight. pic.twitter.com/Q8Lvrb4MTy
Standing 6-foot-8 and weighing 235 pounds, Klapka has grown into a formidable physical presence. His physical style of play has been especially noticeable this season, where he currently ranks third in the NHL with 235 hits.
The Kings are coming off a 5-4 overtime win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. That game was a very important one for the Kings, who are now 1 point behind the Seattle Kraken for the final wild card spot. The Kings take on a very good Boston team, which is coming off a 5-4 comeback loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. So they will be looking to bounce back, especially after blowing a 3-0 lead in that game.
Marat Khusnutdinov - Elias Lindholm - David Pastrnak
Casey Mittelstadt - Pavel Zacha - Viktor Arvidsson
Michael Eyssimont - Fraser Minten - Morgan Geekie
Tanner Jeannot - Sean Kuraly - Mark Kastelic
Jonathan Aspirot - Charlie McAvoy
Nikita Zadorov - Andrew Peeke
Hampus Lindholm - Mason Lohrei
Jeremy Swayman
Joonas Korpisalo
Line Changes and Injuries
The Injuries for the Kings have not changed since yesterday, and Mathieu Joseph and Jacob Moverare are again scratches for tonight's matchup. For the Bruins, they have scratched Alex Steeves, Henri Jokiharju, Jordan Harris and have no injuries listed on the roster.
The lines for the Kings are the same as yesterday, with the only change in goal: Kuemper is getting the nod today, as Forsberg made 28 saves in the win against Columbus. The Bruins are likely to start Jeremy Swayman, as Korpisalo started in their last game against the Penguins.
Key Factors
The Kings are on their second night of a back-to-back, and the Bruins have been one of the best home teams in the NHL, posting a 24-8-1 home record this season. The Kings on the road this season have a 16-8-7 record, so while they are a better team away from home, they still lose in overtime.
Artemi Panarin and Adrian Kempe look to continue their impressive play together. In the Blue Jackets game, both had 2 points, with Kempe scoring 2 goals and Panarin adding a goal and an assist.
The Kings will have to be wary of the Bruins' depth offence, but also their physical defence, as the Bruins like to play physical, and the Kings will need an answer for that.
Overall, this game is once again a very important one for the Kings as they look to move back into a playoff spot with a win tonight. My prediction for tonight's matchup is a 3-2 Kings win.
The Kings are coming off a 5-4 overtime win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. That game was a very important one for the Kings, who are now 1 point behind the Seattle Kraken for the final wild card spot. The Kings take on a very good Boston team, which is coming off a 5-4 comeback loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. So they will be looking to bounce back, especially after blowing a 3-0 lead in that game.
Marat Khusnutdinov - Elias Lindholm - David Pastrnak
Casey Mittelstadt - Pavel Zacha - Viktor Arvidsson
Michael Eyssimont - Fraser Minten - Morgan Geekie
Tanner Jeannot - Sean Kuraly - Mark Kastelic
Jonathan Aspirot - Charlie McAvoy
Nikita Zadorov - Andrew Peeke
Hampus Lindholm - Mason Lohrei
Jeremy Swayman
Joonas Korpisalo
Line Changes and Injuries
The Injuries for the Kings have not changed since yesterday, and Mathieu Joseph and Jacob Moverare are again scratches for tonight's matchup. For the Bruins, they have scratched Alex Steeves, Henri Jokiharju, Jordan Harris and have no injuries listed on the roster.
The lines for the Kings are the same as yesterday, with the only change in goal: Kuemper is getting the nod today, as Forsberg made 28 saves in the win against Columbus. The Bruins are likely to start Jeremy Swayman, as Korpisalo started in their last game against the Penguins.
Key Factors
The Kings are on their second night of a back-to-back, and the Bruins have been one of the best home teams in the NHL, posting a 24-8-1 home record this season. The Kings on the road this season have a 16-8-7 record, so while they are a better team away from home, they still lose in overtime.
Artemi Panarin and Adrian Kempe look to continue their impressive play together. In the Blue Jackets game, both had 2 points, with Kempe scoring 2 goals and Panarin adding a goal and an assist.
The Kings will have to be wary of the Bruins' depth offence, but also their physical defence, as the Bruins like to play physical, and the Kings will need an answer for that.
Overall, this game is once again a very important one for the Kings as they look to move back into a playoff spot with a win tonight. My prediction for tonight's matchup is a 3-2 Kings win.
The Kings are coming off a 5-4 overtime win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. That game was a very important one for the Kings, who are now 1 point behind the Seattle Kraken for the final wild card spot. The Kings take on a very good Boston team, which is coming off a 5-4 comeback loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. So they will be looking to bounce back, especially after blowing a 3-0 lead in that game.
Marat Khusnutdinov - Elias Lindholm - David Pastrnak
Casey Mittelstadt - Pavel Zacha - Viktor Arvidsson
Michael Eyssimont - Fraser Minten - Morgan Geekie
Tanner Jeannot - Sean Kuraly - Mark Kastelic
Jonathan Aspirot - Charlie McAvoy
Nikita Zadorov - Andrew Peeke
Hampus Lindholm - Mason Lohrei
Jeremy Swayman
Joonas Korpisalo
Line Changes and Injuries
The Injuries for the Kings have not changed since yesterday, and Mathieu Joseph and Jacob Moverare are again scratches for tonight's matchup. For the Bruins, they have scratched Alex Steeves, Henri Jokiharju, Jordan Harris and have no injuries listed on the roster.
The lines for the Kings are the same as yesterday, with the only change in goal: Kuemper is getting the nod today, as Forsberg made 28 saves in the win against Columbus. The Bruins are likely to start Jeremy Swayman, as Korpisalo started in their last game against the Penguins.
Key Factors
The Kings are on their second night of a back-to-back, and the Bruins have been one of the best home teams in the NHL, posting a 24-8-1 home record this season. The Kings on the road this season have a 16-8-7 record, so while they are a better team away from home, they still lose in overtime.
Artemi Panarin and Adrian Kempe look to continue their impressive play together. In the Blue Jackets game, both had 2 points, with Kempe scoring 2 goals and Panarin adding a goal and an assist.
The Kings will have to be wary of the Bruins' depth offence, but also their physical defence, as the Bruins like to play physical, and the Kings will need an answer for that.
Overall, this game is once again a very important one for the Kings as they look to move back into a playoff spot with a win tonight. My prediction for tonight's matchup is a 3-2 Kings win.
A major career milestone awaits Calgary Flames forward Ryan Strome on Tuesday night as he prepares to skate in the 900th game of his NHL career when the Calgary Flames face the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
The veteran forward is no stranger to the building. Strome spent four seasons with the Rangers from 2018 to 2022 and also played earlier in his career across town with the New York Islanders, giving him nearly a decade of experience playing in New York.
Originally selected fifth overall in the 2011 NHL Draft by the Islanders, Strome has built a long and steady career that has included stops with the Islanders, Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and now the Flames.
Reaching the 900-game mark is something the veteran forward doesn’t take lightly.
“Been lucky to do this for a long time and feel very privileged,” Strome told the FlamesTV media on Tuesday. “Every hundred games seems to have its new challenges and I think it’s a great time to reflect for a quick second and just see where you’re at and look forward to the next hundred.”
"Been lucky to do this for a long time."
Ryan Strome speaks on getting to play in his 900th career game tonight in New York. pic.twitter.com/xMajr68wgT
Playing the milestone game in New York makes the moment even more meaningful given his history in the city.
“Anytime you get to come to New York, it’s a special place, playing for the Islanders and the Rangers I spent almost 10 years here so… anytime you get (to play) a former team it brings that extra joy and excitement and you bring that little extra passion to the game.”
Strome’s start in Calgary has been a strong one. Since joining the Flames, the forward has recorded three points — including a goal and two assists — in his first two games with the club. He made an immediate impact in his debut against the Carolina Hurricanes, finding the back of the net and finishing with a two-point performance.
The opportunity in Calgary also provides Strome with a larger role than he held earlier this season in Anaheim. With the Flames navigating a transition and focusing on a younger roster, the experienced forward has quickly stepped into a leadership role while logging increased minutes.
Now, with game No. 900 on the horizon, Strome will mark the milestone in a city where much of his career unfolded — and against a team that played a major part in his NHL journey.
A major career milestone awaits Calgary Flames forward Ryan Strome on Tuesday night as he prepares to skate in the 900th game of his NHL career when the Calgary Flames face the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
The veteran forward is no stranger to the building. Strome spent four seasons with the Rangers from 2018 to 2022 and also played earlier in his career across town with the New York Islanders, giving him nearly a decade of experience playing in New York.
Originally selected fifth overall in the 2011 NHL Draft by the Islanders, Strome has built a long and steady career that has included stops with the Islanders, Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and now the Flames.
Reaching the 900-game mark is something the veteran forward doesn’t take lightly.
“Been lucky to do this for a long time and feel very privileged,” Strome told the FlamesTV media on Tuesday. “Every hundred games seems to have its new challenges and I think it’s a great time to reflect for a quick second and just see where you’re at and look forward to the next hundred.”
"Been lucky to do this for a long time."
Ryan Strome speaks on getting to play in his 900th career game tonight in New York. pic.twitter.com/xMajr68wgT
Playing the milestone game in New York makes the moment even more meaningful given his history in the city.
“Anytime you get to come to New York, it’s a special place, playing for the Islanders and the Rangers I spent almost 10 years here so… anytime you get (to play) a former team it brings that extra joy and excitement and you bring that little extra passion to the game.”
Strome’s start in Calgary has been a strong one. Since joining the Flames, the forward has recorded three points — including a goal and two assists — in his first two games with the club. He made an immediate impact in his debut against the Carolina Hurricanes, finding the back of the net and finishing with a two-point performance.
The opportunity in Calgary also provides Strome with a larger role than he held earlier this season in Anaheim. With the Flames navigating a transition and focusing on a younger roster, the experienced forward has quickly stepped into a leadership role while logging increased minutes.
Now, with game No. 900 on the horizon, Strome will mark the milestone in a city where much of his career unfolded — and against a team that played a major part in his NHL journey.
A major career milestone awaits Calgary Flames forward Ryan Strome on Tuesday night as he prepares to skate in the 900th game of his NHL career when the Calgary Flames face the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
The veteran forward is no stranger to the building. Strome spent four seasons with the Rangers from 2018 to 2022 and also played earlier in his career across town with the New York Islanders, giving him nearly a decade of experience playing in New York.
Originally selected fifth overall in the 2011 NHL Draft by the Islanders, Strome has built a long and steady career that has included stops with the Islanders, Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and now the Flames.
Reaching the 900-game mark is something the veteran forward doesn’t take lightly.
“Been lucky to do this for a long time and feel very privileged,” Strome told the FlamesTV media on Tuesday. “Every hundred games seems to have its new challenges and I think it’s a great time to reflect for a quick second and just see where you’re at and look forward to the next hundred.”
"Been lucky to do this for a long time."
Ryan Strome speaks on getting to play in his 900th career game tonight in New York. pic.twitter.com/xMajr68wgT
Playing the milestone game in New York makes the moment even more meaningful given his history in the city.
“Anytime you get to come to New York, it’s a special place, playing for the Islanders and the Rangers I spent almost 10 years here so… anytime you get (to play) a former team it brings that extra joy and excitement and you bring that little extra passion to the game.”
Strome’s start in Calgary has been a strong one. Since joining the Flames, the forward has recorded three points — including a goal and two assists — in his first two games with the club. He made an immediate impact in his debut against the Carolina Hurricanes, finding the back of the net and finishing with a two-point performance.
The opportunity in Calgary also provides Strome with a larger role than he held earlier this season in Anaheim. With the Flames navigating a transition and focusing on a younger roster, the experienced forward has quickly stepped into a leadership role while logging increased minutes.
Now, with game No. 900 on the horizon, Strome will mark the milestone in a city where much of his career unfolded — and against a team that played a major part in his NHL journey.
It’s been a whirlwind of a year for Jaroslav Chmelař.
For any fifth-round pick, it’s an uphill battle to eventually crack an NHL roster, and it was no different for Chmelař, who was selected by the New York Rangers with the 144th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Over the years, Chmelař has climbed the Rangers’ prospect rankings, culminating in this season, where he earned some NHL time.
While he may have yet to carve out a permanent role with the Blueshirts, the 22-year-old forward expressed his gratitude for his time in the NHL thus far.
“Really, really special,” Chmelař said of the nine NHL games he’s played in. “If you would have told me that in the summer, I would have told you, ‘I’m going to do my best.’ Now that I've been up here a couple of times, it's a dream come true. Being around the guys, learn from them, see what they do on the ice it’s been awesome.”
Chmelař has been called up a couple of times throughout the 2025-26 campaign, as Mike Sullivan was informed earlier in the season that Chmelař was the Hartford Wolf Pack's best and most consistent player.
Spending most of his time in the American Hockey League over the course of the season, Chmelař has thrived, playing top-six minutes in a prominent role with the Wolf Pack.
In 46 games with the Wolf Pack, the Czech native has recorded eight goals, 17 assists, and 25 points.
It’s taken quite a while for Chmelař to make a name for himself, but he always knew making the NHL was within his reach.
“I think it’s just dedication,” Chmelař said of the strides he’s made. “Everybody has that goal, to come up here and stay. I’ve been doing my best the past few years to achieve that goal.”
Chmelař has been playing a bottom-six role with the Rangers, averaging 8:14 minutes in nine games.
On March 5 in the Rangers’ 6-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chmelař scored his first NHL goal in grand fashion on a breakaway, and the celebration said all you needed to know about the young rookie’s emotions.
“I can't really describe how special it was. It was insane,” Chmelař emphasized. “Scoring the first one at Madison Square Garden, where all the people went crazy, it’s just a feeling I will never forget.”
Given the Rangers’ current situation, in the midst of a “retool” as Chris Drury put it in his Jan. 16 letter to fans, Chmelař, along with other prospects, have a real opportunity to audition for a permanent spot in New York’s lineup moving into the future.
“Every time I step on the ice, I want to put my name up there, and put the best game for everybody to see,” Chmelař said. “I want to be helpful for teammates, so hopefully good things come out of that.”
It’s been a whirlwind of a year for Jaroslav Chmelař.
For any fifth-round pick, it’s an uphill battle to eventually crack an NHL roster, and it was no different for Chmelař, who was selected by the New York Rangers with the 144th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Over the years, Chmelař has climbed the Rangers’ prospect rankings, culminating in this season, where he earned some NHL time.
While he may have yet to carve out a permanent role with the Blueshirts, the 22-year-old forward expressed his gratitude for his time in the NHL thus far.
“Really, really special,” Chmelař said of the nine NHL games he’s played in. “If you would have told me that in the summer, I would have told you, ‘I’m going to do my best.’ Now that I've been up here a couple of times, it's a dream come true. Being around the guys, learn from them, see what they do on the ice it’s been awesome.”
Chmelař has been called up a couple of times throughout the 2025-26 campaign, as Mike Sullivan was informed earlier in the season that Chmelař was the Hartford Wolf Pack's best and most consistent player.
Spending most of his time in the American Hockey League over the course of the season, Chmelař has thrived, playing top-six minutes in a prominent role with the Wolf Pack.
In 46 games with the Wolf Pack, the Czech native has recorded eight goals, 17 assists, and 25 points.
It’s taken quite a while for Chmelař to make a name for himself, but he always knew making the NHL was within his reach.
“I think it’s just dedication,” Chmelař said of the strides he’s made. “Everybody has that goal, to come up here and stay. I’ve been doing my best the past few years to achieve that goal.”
Chmelař has been playing a bottom-six role with the Rangers, averaging 8:14 minutes in nine games.
On March 5 in the Rangers’ 6-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chmelař scored his first NHL goal in grand fashion on a breakaway, and the celebration said all you needed to know about the young rookie’s emotions.
“I can't really describe how special it was. It was insane,” Chmelař emphasized. “Scoring the first one at Madison Square Garden, where all the people went crazy, it’s just a feeling I will never forget.”
Given the Rangers’ current situation, in the midst of a “retool” as Chris Drury put it in his Jan. 16 letter to fans, Chmelař, along with other prospects, have a real opportunity to audition for a permanent spot in New York’s lineup moving into the future.
“Every time I step on the ice, I want to put my name up there, and put the best game for everybody to see,” Chmelař said. “I want to be helpful for teammates, so hopefully good things come out of that.”
It’s been a whirlwind of a year for Jaroslav Chmelař.
For any fifth-round pick, it’s an uphill battle to eventually crack an NHL roster, and it was no different for Chmelař, who was selected by the New York Rangers with the 144th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Over the years, Chmelař has climbed the Rangers’ prospect rankings, culminating in this season, where he earned some NHL time.
While he may have yet to carve out a permanent role with the Blueshirts, the 22-year-old forward expressed his gratitude for his time in the NHL thus far.
“Really, really special,” Chmelař said of the nine NHL games he’s played in. “If you would have told me that in the summer, I would have told you, ‘I’m going to do my best.’ Now that I've been up here a couple of times, it's a dream come true. Being around the guys, learn from them, see what they do on the ice it’s been awesome.”
Chmelař has been called up a couple of times throughout the 2025-26 campaign, as Mike Sullivan was informed earlier in the season that Chmelař was the Hartford Wolf Pack's best and most consistent player.
Spending most of his time in the American Hockey League over the course of the season, Chmelař has thrived, playing top-six minutes in a prominent role with the Wolf Pack.
In 46 games with the Wolf Pack, the Czech native has recorded eight goals, 17 assists, and 25 points.
It’s taken quite a while for Chmelař to make a name for himself, but he always knew making the NHL was within his reach.
“I think it’s just dedication,” Chmelař said of the strides he’s made. “Everybody has that goal, to come up here and stay. I’ve been doing my best the past few years to achieve that goal.”
Chmelař has been playing a bottom-six role with the Rangers, averaging 8:14 minutes in nine games.
On March 5 in the Rangers’ 6-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chmelař scored his first NHL goal in grand fashion on a breakaway, and the celebration said all you needed to know about the young rookie’s emotions.
“I can't really describe how special it was. It was insane,” Chmelař emphasized. “Scoring the first one at Madison Square Garden, where all the people went crazy, it’s just a feeling I will never forget.”
Given the Rangers’ current situation, in the midst of a “retool” as Chris Drury put it in his Jan. 16 letter to fans, Chmelař, along with other prospects, have a real opportunity to audition for a permanent spot in New York’s lineup moving into the future.
“Every time I step on the ice, I want to put my name up there, and put the best game for everybody to see,” Chmelař said. “I want to be helpful for teammates, so hopefully good things come out of that.”
