The Rangers are 30-35-9. They’re last in the Metropolitan Division. The season’s been over since February.
But at least Adam Sýkora is fun.
The Athletic wrote Sunday that the Rangers dressed seven rookies for their game against Florida — Sýkora, Jaroslav Chmelař, Noah Laba, Gabe Perreault, Drew Fortescue, Matthew Robertson, and Dylan Garand. That’s the most rookies the Rangers have dressed since May 2021, and it’s the only reason to watch this team right now.
Sýkora scored his first NHL goal on Thursday against Chicago. He scored again on Sunday against the Panthers. The 21-year-old plays like the Energizer Bunny — he’s always moving, always on pucks, always working. He’s a fourth-liner at best, but he’s got the kind of energy that makes losing seasons slightly less miserable.
Chmelař is 6-4, 226 pounds, and learning how to use that frame at the NHL level. Coach Mike Sullivan singled him out after Sunday’s win, saying his skating and execution are improving with every game. That’s what development looks like. It’s not flashy, but it matters.
Adam Sykora scores his first NHL goal! 🚨👏 pic.twitter.com/rJm6TRUYcQ
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) March 28, 2026
Laba’s a center with real speed — his max skating speed ranks in the 87th percentile league-wide. He’s probably a fourth-line guy long-term, but the Rangers believe he could grow into a third-line role. That’s useful.
The Athletic called them “intriguing bottom-six depth,” which is a very polite way of saying “next year’s third and fourth lines are taking shape.” But that’s not nothing. Finding NHL players in March beats tanking with AHL retreads who’ll never sniff the roster again.
The Rangers have bigger problems — they need top-of-the-lineup talent, a top-five draft pick this June, and a couple years of hitting on prospects. But watching Sýkora buzz around the ice and Chmelař figure out how to play big? That’s at least watchable.
This season’s a disaster. Everyone knows it. But if Sýkora, Chmelař, and Laba turn into actual NHL players, at least it wasn’t a total waste.