The Rangers have steadied themselves again, and one of the quieter reasons for that bounce-back is Tye Kartye.
New York has won three straight after dropping four in a row, and the latest win came Saturday on the West Coast against the Seattle Kraken. That game also marked the debut of Joonas Korpisalo, with the Rangers giving young goalie Dylan Garand a night off and leaning on the veteran to help secure the result.
There are still bigger questions hanging over the season, especially whether the Rangers can stay in the contender mix without Igor Shesterkin. For now, though, they’ve managed to keep moving, and a few players are giving them real reasons to feel better about where things are headed.
Adam Fox is one of them. The veteran defenseman is putting together what looks like one of the best stretches of his career, with a season pace that points toward about 100 points and an assist almost every night. Pavel Dorofeyev, the top offseason addition, is also starting to heat up, which only adds to the sense that New York is finding some traction.
Kartye deserves a spot in that conversation too. The 25-year-old arrived from the Seattle Kraken last year and has quietly become a very useful piece for the Rangers. In 42 games, he has 27 points, with 11 goals and 16 assists.
At the halfway mark of a full season, that production puts him on track for 22 goals and 32 assists, a 50-point pace that would be a major payoff for New York.
His role has grown right along with his production. Kartye started the season on the fourth line, but for most of the year he has been bumped up to the second line. He’s also started seeing time on the second power play unit, another sign that the coaching staff trusts what he’s bringing.
At 25, Kartye is no longer just a depth piece. He’s becoming a real part of the Rangers’ middle-six core, and that makes him look like a building block going forward.
In Other News...
Rangers Defensive Shuffle Suddenly Feels Bigger Than One Call-Up
The Rangers blue line got a little more complicated in the lead-up to their game against the Edmonton Oilers, with Marc Del Gaizo recalled from Hartford and Scott Morrow added to the lineup as the club practiced without much clarity on the full picture. It was the kind of morning that can make a routine roster move feel like more than a routine roster move, especially when the team is trying to sort through its defensive depth on short notice.
The timing matters because the recall came after an injury situation opened the door, and Sean Durzis move to injured reserve only added to the sense that the Rangers are managing more than one issue at once. The team did not offer any further injury updates after practice, leaving the immediate focus on how the defense will hold up while the group waits for a clearer read on who is available and for how long. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Recall Puts Unexpected Pressure On Their Blue Line Plans
The Rangers blue line picture got a little murkier with the recall of Marc Del Gaizo from Hartford, a move that comes as injuries have thinned the group and forced the organization to look deeper down the depth chart. Del Gaizo has been a steady presence for the Wolf Pack, where he serves as captain and leads the defensemen in points, and he has already made an impression on the big club with his physical, smart two-way game.
For a team trying to stabilize its back end, the timing matters. The Rangers are now weighing how quickly to fold Del Gaizo into the mix, and the next stretch of games could give them a chance to do it. With Edmonton looming, the recall is more than just a paper move now, it is a test of whether the organization is ready to lean on a player who has earned the attention but not yet a clear role. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Win Still Exposed A Problem Fans Cant Ignore
The Rangers got the result they needed against Seattle, but the way it unfolded left plenty to chew on. A 4-3 win is the kind of finish that usually feels satisfying in the standings, yet giving up three goals in the third period turned a comfortable night into a test of nerve, with the Kraken suddenly finding life and forcing New York to hang on.
Tye Kartye helped fuel Seattles push with a power-play goal, while Pavel Dorofeyev added another marker that showed why his scoring touch keeps drawing attention. Joonas Korpisalo was the difference in the closing stretch, turning aside a steady stream of shots as the Rangers tried to survive the surge, and the final scoreline only underscored how much work still remains if they want these games to feel secure. [Read more 🡒]