The New York Rangers had to make a move after losing another center, and Matthew Robertson was the odd man out.
New York placed the defenseman on waivers on Oct. 5 as the club works to carve out a roster spot in the wake of Joe Veleno’s lower-body injury against the Utah Mammoth. The Rangers were already dealing with Joonas Korpisalo’s lower-body ailment, which sent the backup goalie to injured reserve earlier in the season. Dylan Garand filled that opening and made the most of it, posting a shutout in his first game, against the Detroit Red Wings.
Robertson’s placement on waivers is a notable gamble for the Rangers. He arrived at training camp looking like a lock for a top-six role on the blue line, and he showed enough last season to establish himself as a legitimate NHL option. That kind of player can draw attention fast once he hits the wire.
But the move also tells you where he stands right now. Robertson has been a healthy scratch in all four games, and Scott Morrow appears to have passed him in the organizational pecking order since Morrow was not put on waivers.
If Robertson clears, the Rangers would ideally keep him in the organization with the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL. That would at least get him into games, which would be useful with Alberts Smits, the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, already moving ahead of him on the depth chart as part of the No. 3 defenseman pairing with Braden Schneider.
There is a chance New York is not done after this. A corresponding move should be coming soon, and the internal options include Cole Beaudoin, who could be called up for his NHL debut, along with Dylan Roobroek and Justin Dowling from Hartford.
Down the middle, the situation is getting tight. Center was already the position the Rangers could least afford to lose, and now they have to patch things together with Veleno potentially out.
In Other News...
Rangers Are Building Something At MSG And Fans Can Feel It
Madison Square Garden had a little extra edge to it Friday night, and the Rangers fed off it. New York beat the Utah Mammoth 4-2 behind Igor Shesterkin, who stopped 27 shots and even picked up an assist, while the club closed strong with three third-period goals to turn a tight game into another convincing home result. Utah did get a power-play goal, but the Rangers kept their composure and found a way to finish on the right side of a game that felt like more than just another regular-season date on the calendar.
Vincent Trochecks return to the Garden added another layer to the night, with the former Ranger now skating for Utah after the trade that sent him out of New York. The matchup had the kind of familiar faces and late-game urgency that can make a building buzz, and the Rangers looked like a team comfortable playing in that atmosphere. For a club trying to keep building momentum at home, it was the sort of win that gives fans a reason to believe there is something taking shape at MSG. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Suddenly Have A Center Depth Problem They Can't Ignore
Joe Velenos night ended almost as soon as it began against the Utah Mammoth, and the Rangers were left sorting through the fallout of a lower-body injury that came early in the first period. Veleno was hurt while trying to slow down a Mammoth forward and needed help off the ice before being ruled out for the rest of the game, an abrupt exit for a team that has leaned on its center depth to keep things steady.
The concern for New York goes beyond one lost shift because the roster does not currently feature an extra center. If Velenos injury keeps him out longer than just one game, the Rangers may have to look to Hartford for reinforcements, turning a single in-game injury into a depth problem they cant really afford to let linger. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Win At MSG Came With One Immediate Concern
The Rangers got the kind of result they needed at Madison Square Garden, beating the Utah Mammoth 4-2 in a game that had plenty of scoring and just enough pushback to keep the crowd engaged. Vladislav Gavrikov, Gabe Perreault, J.T. Miller and Eeli Tolvanen all found the net for New York, while Nick Schmaltz and Andrew Peeke answered for Utah, giving the home side a win that looked comfortable enough on the surface.
Joe Velenos exit was the immediate concern, though, and it cast a shadow over an otherwise productive night. Veleno was hurt in the first period and had to leave the game, a development the Rangers will be watching closely as they sort through what the result means and what the next lineup decision might have to be. [Read more 🡒]