Jaroslav Chmelar’s path to a Rangers roster spot is getting tougher by the day.
With New York heading into its final preseason tuneup before the 2026-27 NHL regular season against the New York Islanders, several pieces of the opening night roster are still unsettled. Most of the forward group is already spoken for, but the fourth-line right-wing job and the extra-skater role remain open. On the blue line, the third pairing and the seventh defenseman spot are still up in the air too.
A big part of the final decisions could come down to what the Rangers do in goal. The question is whether they keep three goaltenders or waive Dylan Garand, who appears to be the No. 3 behind Igor Shesterkin and Joonas Korpisalo.
Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic is predicting New York will carry all three goalies into opening night, and that would leave Chmelar in a difficult spot.
Chmelar has been battling Matt Rempe and Taylor Raddysh for a forward opening, but the early favorite has not separated himself. In fact, he has been outplayed by both competitors, and head coach Mike Sullivan made it clear Chmelar still has work to do.
“We want him to impose his will out there a little more, and I think he’s capable of doing that,” Sullivan said, via Mercogliano. “But he needs to do it consistently, and that’s been the conversation that we’ve had.”
That’s a meaningful message for a player who appeared in 28 games last season, including a late-season stretch when Raddysh was a healthy scratch. This camp, though, Raddysh has been better, and Rempe has also made a strong impression after returning from multiple thumb surgeries.
For Chmelar, the missed chance could send him to the Hartford Wolf Pack to start the 2026-27 season. That wouldn’t be a punishment so much as a chance to keep playing, because sitting in the press box as the extra skater would not help his development. The Rangers want more consistency from him, and the best way to build that is with real minutes.
Hartford could offer exactly that. A possible No. 1 line role with Cole Beaudoin and Liam Greentree would give Chmelar a chance to settle in and produce.
And if he does that, he may not be there long. The 23-year-old looks positioned to be the first call-up when the Rangers need help.
One advantage working in his favor: Chmelar can pass through waivers freely. That is not the case for Raddysh, Rempe, Garand or defenseman Scott Morrow.
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