Rangers vs. Devils: Pregame Notes

The New York Rangers continue a two-game home stretch with a Hudson River matchup against the New Jersey Devils at MSG (7:00 PM ET - TV: MSG Network - Radio: ESPN 880 AM). New York will wear its third jerseys on Thursday night.

RANGERS RUNDOWN

• The Blueshirts have earned points in three of their four games in 2025, combining for 16 goals and at least four in each of their last three games. Their 16 goals since Jan. 1 are the most in the NHL.
• Against the Devils, the Rangers have won four of their last six contests and have points in six of their last nine against them (5-3-1). New York has won three of its last four home games against New Jersey.
• On Wednesday afternoon, the NHL announced that the Rangers will face the Florida Panthers on January 2, 2026 in the Winter Classic at loanDepot Park in Miami. The Blueshirts will be making their sixth appearance in an outdoor game, tying them for the second most among NHL clubs (CHI – 7, PHI & PIT – 6). The Rangers are a perfect 5-0-0 in outdoor events.
• Over the last six games (since Dec. 28), the Rangers have posted a league-high tying 199 shots on goal along with 33.2 shots per game, tied for the second most in that span. On the year, New York’s 30.0 shots per game rank eighth in the NHL.
• New York has six players with 10 or more goals this year, tied for the fourth largest amount in the NHL
• With a 53.8 percent clip, the Blueshirts rank second in the NHL in faceoff percentage and have been 50 percent or better in 28 of 40 games this season (70.0 percent).
• Jonathan Quick is one win away from being the 15th goaltender, and first American-born netminder, to reach 400 career victories.
• When the Blueshirts score four or more goals in a game, they are 11-2-2 and when they allow two or fewer goals, they are 16-2-0. The Rangers have allowed two or fewer goals in 16 of 18 victories this season.
• The Rangers have earned 30 wins decided by a margin of one goal dating back to last season, the most among all teams.
• Since the start of last season, the Rangers have posted a 54-2-0 record in 56 regular season games in which they have allowed two goals or fewer (not counting team goals awarded for shootout win).
• On the year, New York is 12-2-1 when leading after one period and 16-1-0 when leading after the second period.
• It was announced on Wednesday that Hartford Wolf Pack forward Alex Belzile and goaltender Dylan Garand were selected to the AHL All-Star Game.

RANGERS AND DEVILS CONNECTIONS

• Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey played in 68 games with the Devils in 2021-22, recording eight goals and seven assists for 15 points.
• Rangers associate coach Phil Housley played in 22 games for the Devils during the 1995-96 season.

ADAM’S APPLES

Adam Fox has five assists in his last six games and 30 assists on the season, the fifth most among NHL defensemen. Fox is the first defenseman in franchise history to start his career with six consecutive 30-point seasons.

He has logged over 25 minutes of ice time in six of his last 10 games and 24:00+ in 15 of his last 18 contests, including a single-game, season-high 27:34 on Jan. 4 at Washington.

Fox has 59 multi-assist games since his debut season in 2019-20, the fourth most among defenseman over that span. In that time frame, he ranks third among defensemen in the NHL in assists (285) and fifth in points (339).

Fox is six points away from tying Harry Howell for fifth place on the franchise’s all-time points list among defensemen.

PANARIN’S POINTS

Artemi Panarin has a team-leading 16 goals and 43 points while having points in four of his last six games (1G-5A) and 11 of his last 16 games (4G-13A).

He has at least one point in 27 of 38 games this year and dating back to last season, he has points in 94 of 120 games. The only NHL players who have tallied a point in more games over the span are Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon (102) and Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov (98).

Panarin has 144 multi-point games since joining the Rangers in 2019-20. Only Connor McDavid (207), Leon Draisaitl (178), Nathan MacKinnon (171) and David Pastrnak (148) have as many during that span. His 144 multi-point games are the eighth most in franchise history.

Panarin is the franchise’s all-time leader in points per game (1.30) and assists per game (0.87).

Among NHL skaters since his debut in 2015-16, Panarin has the fourth most assists (540) and fifth most points in the NHL (821).

TROCHECK IN THE CIRCLE

Vincent Trocheck has 15 points (7G-8A) in his last 16 games and nine points in his last nine games (5G-4A). On Wednesday against Dallas, Trocheck registered three points for the 14th time since joining the Rangers in 2022-23, which trails only Artemi Panarin (29) and Mika Zibanejad (15) for most on the team in that span.

Trocheck ranks third in the NHL among players with 400 or more faceoffs with a 60.0 FOW% and ranks third in the NHL in faceoffs won (467) this season.

Trocheck has won 234 of 385 faceoffs he has taken over the last 18 games (60.8%); he ranks first in the NHL in faceoffs win over the span (since Nov. 30).

Trocheck ranks fifth among NHL forwards in average ice time (21:36). He is the only NHL forward averaging at least 16:00 of even strength ice time, 3:00 of PP ice time, and 2:00 of SH ice time per game this season.

MIKA’S MISSION

Mika Zibanejad has points in four-straight games (2G-2A) and has recently notched career milestones:

On Sunday afternoon in Chicago, Zibanejad tallied his 400th career assist, becoming the third active Swedish player to reach the mark (Others: E. Karlsson and V. Hedman)

On his goal on January 2 against Boston, he recorded his 700th career point, becoming the 15th Swedish player in NHL history with 700 career points and just the third active (Erik Karlsson and Victor Hedman).

Zibanejad (238) is two goals away from tying Brian Leetch (240) for the 10th most in franchise history. The list is topped by Rod Gilbert (406).

When he scores a goal this year, the Rangers are 7-1-0.

Since Zibanejad joined the Rangers in 2016-17, he ranks sixth in the NHL in power play goals with 103 which is also the sixth most in Rangers history.

TOO COOL

Will Cuylle has established a career-high of 24 points (11G-13A) and on New York ranks tied for fourth in goals, tied for fifth in assists and points, and first in plus/minus (10).

His team-leading 151 hits rank fourth in the NHL.

Cuylle required the fewest games (23 GP) to 20 points in a season by a Rangers player under the age of 23 since Alex Kovalev (20 GP in 1995-96).

KREIDING INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS

Chris Kreider, with 115 career power play goals, sits one power play goal away from tying Camille Henry for the most in franchise history. He has points in a season-long three games and four of his last six games (3G-1A).

He ranks second on the Rangers with 13 goals this season, with four of his 13 goals being game-winning tallies. His career total of 48 GWGs are the second most in Rangers history behind Rod Gilbert’s 52.

Kreider has 100 regular season goals on tips/deflections in his NHL career (92 tipped, 8 deflected). No NHL player has more since Kreider’s first NHL regular season game in 2012-13 (Pavelski is second - 96).

Kreider has 41 career multi-goal games, one shy of tying Camille Henry (42 GP) for the sixth most in Rangers history.

Since 2021-22, Kreider’s 11 shorthanded goals are the most in the NHL. His 11 career shorthanded goals are tied with Walt Tkaczuk and Mika Zibanejad for fifth place on the franchise’s all-time list. In that same span, his 57 power play goals rank for third in the NHL.

BLUESHIRT BULLETS

• Vincent Trocheck and Will Cuylle are two of eight NHL players with 10+ goals and 120+ hits.
• Reilly Smith has recorded a point in three of his last four games (1G-2A) and has 19 points on the year (8G-11A). The Blueshirts are 14-3-0 this season when he notches a point and 7-1-0 when he scores a goal.
• Brett Berard has four points (1G-3A) in his last five games, including his first career multi-point game on Jan. 5 at Chicago.
• The Rangers have posted a 64-11-3 record in the 78 regular season games which Alexis Lafrenière has scored a goal in his NHL career.