Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the games that are scheduled then offers insight and analysis to help predict who will be victorious in head-to-head matchups. Today we are looking at the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs vs New York Rangers. Be sure to check out more NHL Predictions as the 2024-25 season continues.

NHL Predictions

Florida Panthers vs Columbus Blue Jackets

Head-to-Head: Panthers 2-0 Blue Jackets

Time: 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

TV: Fan Duel Sports Ohio; Scripps Florida; ESPN+

We open up NHL predictions with a pivotal Eastern Conference game between the Florida Panthers and Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky is the projected starter for the Panthers, but always check social media before locking in a daily fantasy starter. Florida is 7-3 in the last 10 games, but have dropped the last two heading into this one. Sam Reinhart has racked up 33 goals and 39 assists for the Panthers.

Elvis Merzlikins is the expected starter for the Blue Jackets, who are 4-6 in the last 10 games. This includes four consecutive losses for a Columbus team trying to keep pace in the Wild Card race in the East. The Jackets are a strong team in Ohio with a 20-9-4 record on their home ice. Mathieu Olivier has been playing well as of late with seven goals and one assist over the past 10 games.

Both teams need a win, but Florida gets the victory.

Prediction: Panthers win 4-2.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs New York Rangers

Head-to-Head: Maple Leafs 1-1 Rangers

Time: 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

TV: SNO; MSG 2; ESPN+

Our featured game of NHL predictions has the Maple Leafs and the Rangers squaring off an Original Six battle. Anthony Stolarz is the expected starter for Toronto, which got a key 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche the night before. The Leafs are 5-4-1 in the last 10 games, but did get two victories heading into this game. William Nylander is chasing the 40-goal mark with 38 goals and 33 assists for the Maple Leafs.

Igor Shesterkin is the probable starter for the Rangers, who are trying to vault back into the Wild Card spots. New York is 4-4-2 in the last 10 and this includes two consecutive losses. The Blueshirts have actually struggled at home with a 16-16-3 mark at Madison Square Garden. Artemi Panarin has provided 30 goals and 42 assists for New York.

Toronto may be coming in off a back-to-back, but it will have the momentum.

Prediction: Maple Leafs win 3-2.

Colorado Avalanche vs Ottawa Senators

Head-to-Head: Avalanche 1-0 Senators

Time: 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

TV: TSN 5; Altitude; ESPN+

The last game of NHL predictions has the Avalanche visiting the Ottawa Senators. Colorado is expected to start Scott Wedgewood in between the pipes for this game. The Avalanche are 8-1-1 in the last 10 games, but did lose to the Maple Leafs last night. Valeri Nichushkin has been averaging a point a game as of late with seven goals with three assists over the last 10 games.

Ottawa is expected to start Linus Ullmark in this game. The Senators are 7-2-1 in the last 10 games, but are coming off a loss prior to this matchup. Ottawa has been great at home with a 20-9-2 record at the Canadian Tire Centre. Brady Tkachuk has produced 27 goals and 24 assists for the Senators.

These two teams are needing points, but Ottawa’s home record gives them the edge.

Prediction: Senators win 3-2.

Prop Bets of the Night

We wrap up NHL predictions with some prop bets of the night. Let’s go to our featured game for some prop bets. For Toronto, go with Auston Matthews to get a power-play point. On the Rangers side of things, take Mika Zibanejad to score a goal in this one.

Main photo by: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The post NHL Predictions: March 20 Toronto Maple Leafs vs New York Rangers appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.

The New York Rangers will be without one of their forwards for the remainder of the season. Arthur Kaliyev, who was injured in last Tuesday’s game, will miss the rest of the season with an upper-body injury.

Kaliyev Done For Year

#NYR say Kaliyev (upper) is done for the year

— Arthur Staple (@StapeAthletic) March 18, 2025

Kaliyev has played in 14 games with the Rangers after being claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings. The 2019 second-round pick has scored three goals and has added an assist. With the Rangers, Kaliyev has played on the bottom-six lines. Injuries have derailed his time in New York, and now he is done for the season, officially putting an end to a disappointing season for Kaliyev.

The forward’s future has some certainty to it. Kaliyev will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season. He will likely remain with the Rangers and look to rebound from a frustrating season. However, that does depend on both sides agreeing to a deal.

Brett Berard has taken Kaliyev’s place in the lineup the last few games. With Kaliyev officially done for the year, it will be interesting to see if Berard continues to fill the spot or if the Rangers will seek additional options to fill the long-term hole.

Rangers Hanging On in the Wild Card Race

The Rangers brought in Kaliyev in an attempt to bolster their roster for a hopeful playoff run. While the Rangers currently hold the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, they are hanging on by a thread. For a team that reached the Eastern Conference Final last season, missing the playoffs all together would be a huge disappointment for anyone associated with the team.

The Rangers will continue their chase for the playoffs on Tuesday night. Furthermore, the team right behind them in the wild card race, the Montreal Canadiens, are also in action.

Main Photo: Brad Penner- Imagn Images

The post New York Rangers Forward Done For Year appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.

Welcome to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey looks at the games happening and gives our predictions for each one, breaking down head-to-head matchups and other factors that may play in. Today, we’re looking at the Calgary Flames against the New York Rangers. Be sure to check out more NHL predictions every day there’s hockey this 2024-25 season.

NHL Predictions

Calgary Flames (30-25-11) vs  New York Rangers (33-29-6) 

Head-to-Head: Flames lead 1-0

Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

TV: NHL Power Play on ESPN+| A SNW | H MSG

The Calgary Flames and New York Rangers find themselves in a similar position heading into tonight’s game. The Rangers currently hold the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, although only by one point. The Rangers are in a grouping of teams all pushing for that final playoff spot. New York is in must-win territory for the rest of the season, and tonight’s game is no different. The Calgary Flames have been bouncing between the final wild card spot in the Western Conference, and just outside of it for the majority of the season. With a group of four teams all within two points of each other, every game is big one for Calgary. Let’s take a deep dive into at how these two desperate teams could play tonight and make a prediction on the outcome.

Calgary Needs to Do More

The Calgary Flames are trying desperately to outlast the Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues, and Utah Hockey Club for the final playoff spot in the west. Calgary wasn’t supposed to be in this position in year two of rebuild. However, they have found ways to win games, and gotten a huge lift from their rookie goaltender. Dustin Wolf has been the backbone of this team all season, and if he can continue his great play and steal a few games he could find himself winning a Calder Trophy and leading the Flames to the playoffs. It doesn’t take long to figure out why the Wolf is so valuable to the Flames. Calgary currently sits last in the NHL in total and per game goals for. A team with such an inept offence should be nowhere near the playoffs.

Calgary comes into tonight’s contest having won just one in their last five games. The Flames are going to need some more players to step up offensively to support veterans Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri who lead the team. With such poor offence, going up against one of the best goalies in the league, Calgary is going to need to be near perfect defensively and hope they can capitalize when they get their chances.

New York Focused on the Playoffs

For this edition of NHL Predictions, the New York Rangers season has been full of drama. Early on the Rangers were in the headlines as negotiations with their Vezina Trophy goaltender Igor Shesterkin leaked into the public. The Rangers also sparked headlines when a supposed email from general manager Chris Drury was sent to all NHL teams letting them know he was interested in trading key players, including captain Jacob Trouba. At the time it was apparent that the New York Rangers and management were not in lock step. The team started struggling and the Rangers eventually made some big moves. The Rangers signed Igor Shesterkin, traded away Trouba, and former second overall Kaapo Kakko. They also made a big deal with the Vacouver Canucks to bring in J.T. Miller. After all these storylines and changes the Rangers, who entered this season with Stanley Cup hopes found themselves outside the playoffs. Now that things have settled down, the Rangers appear to be making a legitimate playoff push.

The Rangers best chance to make the playoffs is if their franchise goaltender Igor Shesterkin can return to his Vezina form. Maybe it was the distraction from contract discussions, but Shesterkin hasn’t been up to his standard of play. If he regains this form the Rangers will become a legitimate threat in the playoffs. New York is seeing a great return on J.T. Miller since acquiring him from Vancouver. Miller has recorded seven goals and 18 points in his 18 games in New York this season. New York should have an advantage against the Flames tonight as they’ll be playing the day after a matchup in Toronto.

NHL Predictions for the Flames vs Rangers

The New York Rangers are coming off a tough 3-1 loss at the hand of the Edmonton Oilers. They’ll be looking to bounce back against Calgary to make sure they stay in front of the surging Montreal Canadians. With the Flames coming in on a back-to-back the Rangers should be in a good position to pick up two points.

The Flames are coming off a tough matchup against the cup contender Maple Leafs. Calgary’s only hope is to come out strong and capitalize early before the Rangers get their legs. Unfortunately, the Flames offence hasn’t proved it can do that very often and a matchup with Shesterkin doesn’t bode well. Expect Calgary to start their eastern road trip 0-2.

Prediction Rangers Win 4-2

Prop Bets of the Night

The Flames have a bad habit of taking too many penalties, and without one of their best penalty killers Mikael Backlund the Rangers are likely to get at least one power play goal. You can find +340 odds for Chris Kreider to score an anytime goal, and with his 6 power play goals on the season, this bet is worth considering.

On the Flames side of things, look to Connor Zary to pick up a point in his return to action. He’ll be hungry to prove himself after his undisciplined play got him suspended.

Main Photo: John E. Sokolowski – Imagn Images

Please play responsibly, check for your local rules and age restrictions, some jurisdictions require ages 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

The post NHL Predictions: March 18th Calgary Flames vs New York Rangers appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.

The New York Rangers are keeping one of their veteran goalies for at least another year. News emerged on Wednesday that the Blueshirts have extended goalie Jonathan Quick for another season. This will be a one-year deal worth $1.55 million for the 2025-26 season. However, the contract has plenty of incentives based on games and performance.

THINK QUICK.#NYR and Jonathan Quick have agreed to terms on a one-year extension.

— New York Rangers (@notnyrangers.bsky.social) 2025-03-12T15:25:10.965Z

Jonathan Quick Extended by New York Rangers

Quick has played for the Los Angeles Kings, Vegas Golden Knights and the Rangers across his 18-year NHL career. The Milford, Conn. native has 9-6-2 record with a 3.14 goals-against-average and a .896 save percentage. He also has three shutouts this season for the Rangers.

The 40-year-old has a career mark of 402-289-88 and a career GAA of 2.49 and save percentage of .911. Los Angeles originally drafted him in third round, 72nd overall of the 2005 NHL Draft. He also had a standout career at the University of Massachusetts in the NCAA.

Quick has represented the United States at the international level. He was on the fourth-place team at the 2014 Winter Olympics and played on the 2017 IIHF World Championships squad. The veteran goalie has had a decorated career with two Stanley Cup and was the Conn Smythe winner in 2012. He’s also a two-time winner of the Jennings Trophy.

What It Means

Quick has been a solid backup behind Igor Shesterkin in the blue paint for the Rangers. There may have been some ups-and-downs this season, but he does have three shutouts so far this season.

He won’t get the bulk of starts with Shesterkin is the clear-cup number one. However, he’s a good backup that can spell Shesterkin when the time calls for it.

Quick is also a lifelong Rangers fan, so this is a great move for both parties. The Blueshirts hope he can keep being a strong number two option in between the pipes.

Main photo by: James Guillory-Imagn Images

The post New York Rangers Extend Veteran Goalie appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.

It’s time for another round of NHL rumours. We’ve past the trade deadline, but general managers are still dealing with the aftermath of what happened. Teams are now having to deal with the what they do next after the deadline. The tone now shifts to July 1 and what happens to teams as we get ready for free agency. We could see some more deals happen and other signings get done. One team that has some choices to make is the New York Rangers. This edition of NHL rumours deals with what they may do in the off-season.

All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.

NHL Rumours

What’s Next for the New York Rangers?

Rumour: Peter Baugh of The Athletic took a look at what the Rangers look like after the trade deadline. He also gives his thoughts on what the Blueshirts may do when the off-season roles around.

Analysis: Rangers General Manager Chris Drury did make some moves at the deadline. He did get Ryan Lindgren‘s $4.5 million cap hit off the books in shipping him to the Colorado Avalanche. Drury also signed Will Borgen and Urho Vaakanainen to contract extensions.

Those deals have given him some defensive clarity heading into the off-season. However, there are still a few moves that need to be taken care of. One of the Rangers more-important blueliners needs a new deal in restricted free agent K’Andre Miller. New York did a good job in clearing out some space. However, there is more work for Drury to do.

He also has to worry about deals for Will Cuylle and Adam Edstrom that are RFAs that need contracts besides Miller. One worries if teams are going to be more aggressive with offer sheets after seeing what the St Louis Blues did in the off-season.

What It Means

According to Baugh, the Rangers will have $12.1 million of cap space going into the off-season. However, those RFA contracts could take a big chunk out of that. Cuylle has played well enough to get a nice pay raise. Miller is also due to get an upgrade from his current $3.872 million salary.

The team wouldn’t have a lot of space to take a big swing in the off-season. This means talks of maybe shipping mainstays like Chris Kreider or Mika Zibanejad out of the Big Apple. Drury already mentioned that he was willing to deal Kreider during an early-season shakeup that saw Jacob Trouba sent to the Anaheim Ducks.

Trading Kreider without cap retention would free up $6.5 million of cap space. However, Kreider’s struggles and cap hit may scare teams off from eating the whole number. Drury has worked magic in freeing up massive hits before, but this could be a difficult thing to do. The Boston-area native also has a 15-team no-trade list that limits where he could be sent to.

Baugh also mentions that Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin could also be moved, but both also have full no-movement clauses. This makes dealing either one of them very difficult and both are in the top three of point production. Trading these players would free up space, but leave a massive hole in the team’s offensive production.

Main photo by: Danny Wild-Imagn Images

The post NHL Rumours: New York Rangers Post Deadline Fallout appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.

Of course welcome back to another edition of NHL Predictions, but this is time for the Sens post-draft analysis. If nothing else, it was a fun ride through the trading season in the NHL in 2024-25. However, both the New York Rangers, and the home side, Ottawa Senators, made plenty of noise at the deadline.

NHL Predictions: New York Rangers at Ottawa Senators, from the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario

Season Series: 2 – 0 Rangers

TV: TVAS, TSN5, ESPN+ at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)

We are quickly going to see our early returns on investments. Conversely, how long can the competitive balance takeover the final outcomes? If that’s not enough, don’t forget the clocks Spring ahead this weekend.

What to Make of the Ottawa Senators Trade Deadline

The Ottawa Senators are a very strong team. They are ahead of the Rangers in the standings.

So, it is very important for the Sens to win. You’ll see.

There is no box to constrain the Senators in. They are a very difficult team to figure out. Having a great development leader in head coach D.J. Smith really helped them out.

To summarize their trade deadline, they added two very important parts. Adding the likes of Dylan Cozens and Fabian Zetterlund is an old school move. Picture the Canucks adding Martin Rucinsky and Geoff Sanderson at the trade deadline. Does anyone remember Marty Havlat?

The current version of the Senators are built to win. They are a young group and have an excellent goaltending situation. In addition, teams do shuffle around their goaltending at the deadline. Ottawa didn’t. That means something.

Cozens and Gilbert will be available tomorrow #Sens

— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) March 7, 2025

In case you’re wondering, and no guarantees they’ll play, but it seems Cozens and Dennis Gilbert will be available. As of publication, no word on confirming Zetterlund’s availability.

What About NYR

The Rangers are trying hard not to miss the 2024-25 playoffs. Igor Shesterkin isn’t far from his usual self, but the team defensively clearly isn’t. The Rangers are 19th in the NHL with a 3.00 goals-against per game.

If the Rangers are to win, one approach is that their best players are better than the Senators. Artemi Panarin, J.T. Miller, and Mika Zibanejad are all very talented.

New York Rangers Extend Defender

NHL Predictions Sens and Sharks

Final Score: 3-2 Sens (regulation)

This one is hard to call. The Rangers need this win for ’25 and the Sens are at home, a place where they have a dominant power play. Look for Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk, and Jake Sanderson to lead the push tonight.

If we take Tim Stutzle, Alexis Lafreniere, and a 3-2 score, it is +30K.

Please play responsibly, check for your local rules and age restrictions, some jurisdictions require ages 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Main Photo Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

The post The Aftermath of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline with the Rangers at Sens appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.

The New York Rangers were active today on the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline day. They completed a transaction with the Buffalo Sabres, in exchange went Nicolas Aube-Kubel. For him, the Blueshirts gave up Erik Brannstrom (the Brannchise, for Sens fans). So, let’s see what transpired.

The #sabres are acquiring Erik Brannstrom from #NYR for Nicolas Aube-Kubel.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 7, 2025

Nicolas Aube-Kubel a Ranger (and Erik Brannstrom a Sabre) after Trade

The trade must begin with the playoff-calibre team, sorry Brannstrom. The New York Rangers are heavily entrenched in the Eastern Conference wild card race. Thus, an addition like this on the trade deadline is noteworthy. Kubel has been between the NHL and AHL this season, but as a NHL player. Therefore, his style is calibrated for the playoff game. In 19 games for the Sabres this year, he has two points in 19 games. He’s a physical player, who four seasons in the NHL has recorded 100 or more hits. Having made trades like the J.T. Miller acquisition and shipping out Ryan Lindgren, it has been an adventurous stretch for the Rangers organization.

Erik Brannstrom Joins the Buffalo Sabres

With the trade of Brannstrom and Aube-Kubel there are some aspects to consider, no doubt. Brannstrom has had a slow development through the Ottawa Senators program. However, it was somewhat a slow development for the 25 year old. Brannstrom is extremely skilled. Furthermore, in his career, he is up to 67 assists and 77 points in 294 career regular season games.

In 2021-22, he was playing nearly 20 minutes a game. He is a nearly elite skater, he could succeed under different circumstances. In addition, he requires power play to thrive. In a little over 330 career minutes on the power play, he was comfortably over three points/60 minutes three times. Also, he was partnered up with Thomas Chabot quite often. It was difficult to think that he was the problem. Therefore, he really wasn’t given opportunity under the former general manager Pierre Dorion regime.

In the end, the Rangers are trying to desperately make the playoffs. That is an unusual perspective for Ranger fans. But adding Miller, Brannstrom, and Carson Soucy at the trade deadline means something. They are, at the very least, trying to retool on the fly. For the Sabres, Brannstrom has the potential to succeed as an offensive-minded, top-four defenceman. He hasn’t thus far, but who knows what opportunity he might get in Buffalo. Let’s give this one to the Rangers.

Main Photo Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

The post New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres Complete Cross-State Deadline Acquisition appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.

There have been a flurry of deals during the trade deadline. However, the New York Rangers have inked Urho Vaakanainen to a two-year contract extension worth $3.1 for the life of the deal. This deal carries an average cap hit of $1.55 million per season and runs until the end of the 2026-27 season.

#NYR and Urho Vaakanainen have agreed to terms on a two-year contract extension. pic.twitter.com/Af8jkSPpfD

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 7, 2025

Urho Vaakanainen Signs Extension with New York Rangers

Vaakanainen has played for the Boston Bruins, Anaheim Ducks and Rangers over his seven-year NHL career. The 26-year-old has two goals and eight assists for 10 points in 35 games this season. He has a Corsi for of 42.4 and a relative Corsi of -9.2.

The Joensuu, Finland native has three goals and 31 assists for 34 points in 171 career games. Boston originally drafted him in the first round, 18th overall of the 2017 NHL Draft. Vaakanainen came over from the Anaheim Ducks as part of the deal that sent former Rangers captain Jacob Trouba out west.

We’ve seen Vaakanainen represent his native Finland at the international level. He was part of the gold-medal winning squad for Finland at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championships. The defender was also on the Finnish squad at the most-recent Four Nations Faceoff.

What It Means

The move is another depth signing for the Rangers and general manager Chris Drury. We’ve already seen the Blueshirts ink Will Borgen to a contract extension before the deadline. New York is trying to take care of the third pairing on its blueline and Vaakanainen can help in that department.

He won’t add a lot of goals, but Vaakanainen has been serviceable for the Rangers. Many thought New York would be a contender for the Stanley Cup, but shaky play has caused them to be fighting for their post-season lives.

It may not be a flashy move, but it’s a decent depth signing for the team. This is also a low-cost deal for the Rangers and a deal that could be moved if needed.

Main photo by: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The post New York Rangers Extend Defender appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.

The Vancouver Canucks traded Carson Soucy today, cutting his planned stay with the team short. The New York Rangers will welcome the defenceman with open arms. In return, the Canucks will receive a 2025 third-round pick. This pick is originally a product of the San Jose Sharks.

Trade

To #NYR
Carson Soucy
30 y/o LD, Yr 2/3 $3.25M Cap Hit

To #Canucks
'25 3rd (SJ)

VAN saves & NYR add $3.25M annual cap hit

1st on trade @DarrenDreger
1st on which pick @frank_seravalli https://t.co/vtYsowvqPO

— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) March 6, 2025

Carson Soucy Traded to the Rangers

Soucy’s time with the Canucks had been a rough ride. Signed to his three-year, $3.25 million per year contract in 2023, he was expected to solidify the team’s top-four. Instead, he finished his first season in Van City fifth in average ice time, while only playing 40 games. Moreover, his two goals and six points didn’t help.

This season hasn’t been better for him, either. Soucy was justifiably a healthy scratch against the Detroit Red Wings on February 2nd. Head coach Rick Tocchet said he “needs a reset.” That’s never a great moment in any player’s career, and it’s even harder for a veteran.

Leading up to his scratch, Soucy had underperformed. At the time of today’s trade, Soucy only has three goals and seven assist on the season. His 18:22 minutes per game was again fifth among Canuck blueliners. Moreover, in a season with suspect defence, he should have taken a more dominant role. He didn’t, and management has decided to move on.

What Does he Bring to the Rangers

The Rangers are certainly a team in flux. Adding Soucy to the mix will help replace what was lost in the Ryan Lindgren departure. Furthermore, if Soucy can use this trade as a reset, perhaps it will work out for both parties. With Adam Fox currently banged up, the Rangers needed action to help the blueline. This trade is all about their post-season push. In addition, the Rangers currently find themselves on the outside looking in, tied in points with the wild card holder Ottawa Senators. However, the Sens have a game in hand.

More on the Impact to the Canucks

Carson Soucy being traded was perhaps foreshadowed by the arrival of Marcus Pettersson and the successful debut of Elias Pettersson. Marcus Pettersson, nickname to be determined later, is a clear step up from Soucy. That “D-Petey” was promoted at the same time was the final nail in the coffin.

The young defenceman made a distinct impression on the team, playing sheltered but effective minutes from late January. Also, Soucy moved down to a third-pair spot, and his cap hit moved him right off the team.

With one season to go on his current contract, Carson Soucy’s trade is about Vancouver’s cap space. Furthermore, anything else coming in return is strictly a bonus. Oliver Ekman-Larsson‘s buyout penalty is increasing by $2.4 million for the next two seasons, and losing Soucy’s hit covers it.

Main Photo: Bob Frid- Imagn Images

The post Carson Soucy Traded to the Eastern Conference appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.