When you're in the midst of retooling a team, as Rangers GM Chris Drury is, not every move will make headlines. Sometimes, it's the quieter acquisitions that can make a big difference, like picking up forward Tye Kartye off waivers from Seattle on February 27.
In his January 16 letter to fans, Drury emphasized being "smart and opportunistic" to enhance the roster. Claiming Kartye from Seattle and defenseman Vincent Iorio from San Jose on January 31 fits that bill perfectly.
While neither Kartye nor Iorio is expected to become a first-team All-Star, both bring valuable attributes to the team. Iorio, at 6-4 and 220 pounds, is seen as a promising defensive defenseman.
Kartye, standing 5-11 and weighing 202 pounds, is known for his penalty-killing and forechecking skills. Coach Mike Sullivan has been impressed with the 24-year-old's contributions so far.
“We've really liked Tye's game,” Sullivan remarked after the Rangers' 6-2 victory over the Flyers in Philadelphia, where Kartye netted his first goal for the team. “He can skate, plays a simple north-south game, and checks well.
There's a physical edge to his play. He finishes checks, is abrasive, and isn't afraid to take hits to make plays.
We like how he's fitting in.”
The best part? Drury acquired these players without giving up any assets.
Kartye found out he’d been claimed around 11 a.m. Seattle time on February 27, quickly packed, and caught a 2:45 p.m. flight to New York.
By the next day, he was in the lineup for the Rangers’ game against Pittsburgh. It was a whirlwind transition, but Kartye believes that jumping right into action was beneficial.
“Honestly, sometimes I think it's better,” he said. “Just going out and playing and having fun is almost better than overthinking it.”
Kartye has made a strong start with his new team. He logged 12 minutes and 39 seconds in the Pittsburgh game, took two shots on goal, and led the team with six hits. Entering Tuesday’s home game against Calgary, he averaged 14:31 per game, a noticeable increase from his 10:42 average in 40 games with Seattle.
Sullivan has mostly used Kartye on a third line with Noah Laba and veteran Conor Sheary. On Monday, Kartye assisted on Laba’s goal just over a minute into the first period against the Flyers. Later, he tipped in Vladislav Gavrikov’s shot for the Rangers’ sixth and final goal.
Sullivan is still learning about his young players and paired Kartye with Laba as the first penalty-killing forward duo on Monday. Kartye takes pride in his penalty-killing abilities.
“That’s a huge role on any team,” he said. “If you can prevent the other team from scoring power-play goals, you’re giving yourself a chance to win every night.”
Sullivan praised the Kartye-Laba partnership on the penalty kill. “Labs has been pretty good in the faceoff circle, so winning that first faceoff helps. You get a 200-foot clear, and being stingy on the entry goes a long way to killing penalties.”
It wasn’t just the penalty kill that impressed Sullivan. The Kartye-Laba-Sheary line was strong at even strength against the Flyers.
“They were on pucks,” he said. “They play the right way, win puck battles, make good decisions, and are hard to play against.
They work to get above the attack and hunt pucks in the offensive zone. I thought they had a strong game.”
Kartye, who went undrafted from the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds and signed with Seattle as a free agent, admitted being waived by the Kraken wasn’t pleasant. But now, he’s out to prove himself with the Rangers over the final 19 games of the season.
“You’re just trying to prove that, when you get an opportunity, you can really play and help a team,” he said.
In other notes, J.T. Miller, currently on IR with an upper-body injury, skated with the extras before Tuesday's game. Jonathan Quick will start in goal against Calgary, marking his second start in the last three games.