It sure looked like Justin Dowling was making a push to hang around.
With Luke Glendening now in the fold after arriving on a PTO and then signing an NHL contract Thursday, the Rangers’ center picture has shifted again. The expectation is that the 13-year veteran slides into the 4C job, which would bump Dowling out of the lineup after he’d been filling in for Joe Veleno, who has been out with a lower-body injury since Oct. 4 and won’t be back until at least mid-January.
That’s the wrinkle here: Glendening puts New York at the 23-player limit, with 14 forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies. The Rangers could still choose to keep Dowling on the roster since the 36-year-old gives them another center option, but the move likely sends him back to Hartford. For now, though, Dowling has done everything he can with the minutes he’s been given.
He was a factor in Thursday’s 5-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs despite skating just nine shifts and finishing with 6:56 of ice time. Dowling posted an expected goal share of 79.24 percent, according to Natural Stat Trick, and picked up his first point in six games - including last season - with the Rangers.
That point came at 2:37 of the second period, when Dowling drove hard to the net from the right wing. His shot was turned aside by Toronto goalie Sergei Bobrovksy, but Oliver Bjorkstrand buried the rebound, and Dowling came away with the primary assist.
He nearly set up a goal earlier, too. Dowling forced a Maple Leafs turnover with a hard forecheck in the first period, then Bjorkstrand collected the puck and found Taylor Raddysh for a dangerous chance that Bobrovsky stopped.
Thursday’s performance followed another strong showing from Dowling and the fourth line in Monday’s 5-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Bjorkstrand scored twice, Raddysh picked up an assist, and Dowling finished plus-2 in just under nine minutes of ice time.
That was a notable step forward for a unit that had been stuck in neutral. Before Monday, the Rangers’ fourth line had not scored in the first 10 games, including the four Veleno played before getting hurt.
Raddysh’s recall from Hartford has helped, and Bjorkstrand is hardly a typical fourth-liner. Still, Dowling has given the group some stability over the four games he’s played. Whether that buys him more time in the lineup - or even on the roster - is the big question now that Glendening has arrived.
Montreal captain Nick Suzuki will miss 2-4 weeks with an upper-body injury, which ends his streak of 546 straight games played, and Marc Dumont looks at what kind of test that creates for the Canadiens.
On Sportsnet’s trade board, Nick Kypreos reported that the Detroit Red Wings have 3-4 “fair” offers for Dylan Larkin, but the belief is they’re aiming bigger than that if - when - they move their former captain.
TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that Connor Hellebuyck’s suspension is expected to be lifted Friday, though the sides could agree to push back his physical so it doesn’t overshadow the Winnipeg Jets’ outdoor Heritage Classic on Sunday.
In Detroit, Max Smith examined the Red Wings’ goalie situation after John Gibson left Thursday’s win over the Vancouver Canucks with an upper-body injury, while top prospect Michal Postava made his NHL debut in relief.
The Sharks’ Igor Chernyshov suffered an upper-body injury while blocking a shot in San Jose’s 6-2 win over the Ottawa Senators, and the expectation is that he’ll be out for a while.
And in Edmonton, Connor McDavid added five more points in the Oilers’ win over the Carolina Hurricanes, giving him 31 points in 10 games this season. Michael Amato dug into how realistic a 200-point pace really is.
In Other News...
Rangers Keep Finding Painful New Ways To Lose On The Road
The Rangers went into Scotiabank Arena looking to stop a rough road stretch, and for much of the night they at least gave themselves a chance. New York rallied late to tie the game in the third period, turning what had been another frustrating outing into a tense finish against Toronto, only to watch the Maple Leafs seize control in the closing seconds and leave the visitors empty-handed in a 5-4 loss.
For a team that keeps searching for answers away from home, the ending only added to the discomfort. Toronto spent the final minute dictating play after the Rangers had briefly drawn level, and the late swing fit the pattern of a road trip that has offered New York very little margin for error since early October. The Leafs also got a milestone night from Sergei Bobrovsky, whose latest win tied a franchise mark, but the Rangers will be focused on how quickly another tight game slipped away. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Start Has Put One Metro Debate Front And Center
One month into the season, the Metropolitan Division picture has already shifted enough to make the Rangers a central part of the conversation. Carolina has settled into the top spot, Washington has also forced its way into the upper tier, and New York sits right there in the mix as the division starts to take shape. With the Devils, Islanders, Blue Jackets and Flyers trailing in that order, the early returns have made this more than a simple standings check. It is a snapshot of where the race stands and which clubs look built to stay in it.
For the Rangers, the intrigue goes beyond just where they are ranked. Their start has sparked a broader debate about how much of the division hierarchy is real and how much could still change once the schedule gets deeper and the coaching battles, roster strengths and star play start to separate contenders from the pack. New Yorks place near the top is clear, but the more interesting question is how long it can hold if the teams around it keep pressuring from above and below. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Pushed Hard For More In Trocheck Deal For One Clear Reason
Vincent Trochecks move to Utah gave the Rangers a chance to reshape their roster, and the return centered on a familiar priority for New York: finding more long-term help at center. Sean Durzi brings another piece to the blue line, while Cole Beaudoin and a 2027 third-round pick round out the package, a deal that reflects how aggressively the Rangers are trying to balance present value with future planning.
The longer conversation, though, was about how far New York was willing to push to get a higher-end prospect back in the trade. The Rangers had eyes on other Utah youngsters before the deal came together, but the Mammoth werent moving those players, leaving New York to take a different path and settle on Beaudoin as the prospect piece in the return. [Read more 🡒]