The New York Rangers’ bottom-six forwards group took a big hit when Filip Chytil missed all but 10 regular season games with a suspected concussion last season. Now that the young center is healthy and the team also has a lot of gritty forwards and some prospects who could contribute in the NHL next season, head coach Peter Laviolette will have to make some tough choices about who he decides to play on the third and fourth lines.
The Rangers’ Third Line
Chytil missed almost the entire 2023-24 campaign but played well as the Rangers’ third-line center in 2022-23 and finished with career-highs in both goals (22) and assists (23.) Young winger Kaapo Kakko also missed extended time last season due to a lower-body injury. He struggled when he got an opportunity on the top line to begin last season but did a nice job on the third line and finished with 13 goals and six assists in 61 games.
Both Chytil and Kakko are likely candidates to play on the third line and have chemistry playing together. Chytil provides speed and offensive skill, while Kakko is reliable defensively and very strong on the puck. Unfortunately, both have been injury prone but if they can stay healthy, they can be big contributors on that line.
Related: Rangers’ Filip Chytil Faces Career-Defining Season
Laviolette has a few options for the third spot on the Rangers’ third line. Brennan Othmann, one of the team’s top prospects and their first-round pick in 2021 could play on the line if he makes the opening-night lineup. The 21-year-old has a combination of skill and grit and he had 21 goals and 28 assists in 67 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) last season.
If the Rangers decide to put Othmann in the AHL to start the season, Will Cuylle could get a shot on the third line. The 22-year-old winger had 13 goals and eight assists in 81 games as a rookie last season and led the team in hits with 249. He plays with physicality, drives hard to the net, and is also a good skater.
The Rangers’ Fourth Line
This offseason, the Rangers lost one of their fourth liners as they waived Barclay Goodrow to free up cap space and the San Jose Sharks claimed him. Winger Jimmy Vesey has one more season remaining on his contract, had 13 goals and 13 assists in 80 games last season, and has established himself as one of the team’s key penalty killers. He will likely get a shot in the lineup to start the season. Cuylle may also end up on the fourth line if he does not play on the third line.
Additionally, the Rangers signed veteran center Sam Carrick to a three-year, $3 million contract this offseason after he spent 2023-24 with the Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers. The 32-year-old adds grit to the lineup and had 167 hits in 77 games last season to go with 10 goals and six assists. He also did a nice job in the dot, winning 53.4 percent of his 785 faceoffs.
The Rangers also have two big young forwards: 6-foot-7 Matt Rempe and 6-foot-7 Adam Edstrom. Rempe is never afraid to drop the gloves or stick up for teammates but he also crossed the line a few times last season and ended up taking multiple major penalties for high hits. He is not a bad skater and forechecked effectively. He was also able to create scoring chances with his screens in front of the net. If he avoids taking bad penalties, he can be an effective winger.
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Edstrom also plays with physicality but avoided taking the unnecessary penalties Rempe took last season. However, he is also not going to step into the role of enforcer and protect the team’s skilled players. Still, he did a nice job in very limited playing time last season (11 games) and did a nice job on the forecheck.
Other options on the fourth line include Jonny Brodzinski, who had six goals and 13 assists in 57 games with the Rangers last season, as well as some of the team’s prospects. Brett Berard and Adam Sykora both played well with the Wolf Pack last season. Berard had 25 goals and 23 assists in 71 games while Sykora had eight goals and 15 assists in 66 games and both are good skaters.
Laviolette Has Tough Decisions To Make Moving Forward
The Rangers have a lot of players who could make up their third and fourth lines so Laviolette will have to make some tough decisions. Unfortunately, Kakko and Chytil, who have both thrived on the third line in the past, have dealt with a lot of injuries over the past few seasons. It will be key for the team for them to stay healthy, but if they do miss time, it could provide a big opportunity for a prospect.
While the Rangers relied heavily on their top two lines last season, the hope is that their bottom-six can play well defensively while providing secondary scoring this season.
