Rangers at Blue Jackets: Pregame Notes

The New York Rangers complete their three-game road trip, in Columbus on Saturday night against the Blue Jackets (7:00 PM ET - TV: MSG - Radio: ESPN 1050 AM). This is the fourth and final matchup between the two teams this season.

RANGERS RUNDOWN

• New York has won seven of its last 10 contests against the Blue Jackets, including two of three this year.
• New York is 7-3-3 in its last 13 road games and overall is 16-9-5 in its last 30 games. Since Jan. 2, the Rangers' 37 points are tied for the fourth most in the NHL and since Jan. 5, their 17 road points are the fourth most.
• Since Jan. 2, the Blueshirts rank third in the NHL in goals scored (97) and have scored three or more goals in 20 of their last 30 games, including 14 games with four or more tallies. New York has scored three or more goals in 12 of its last 18 games, including five of its last seven games.
• On the road, New York has led for 695:02, the eighth most in the NHL.
• The Blueshirts lead the NHL in shorthanded goals with 13 and rank fifth in the NHL in penalty kill percentage (82.2).
• The Rangers have had 26 different players score a goal this season, tied for the most in the NHL and 29 unique point getters, tied for the third most in the NHL.
• New York defensemen have accumulated 118 assists this season, tied for the fifth most in the NHL. - The Blueshirts rank fifth in the NHL in total hits (1648).
• The Rangers rank second in the NHL in faceoff percentage (53.5) and have been 50 percent or better in 47 of 66 games this season (71.2 percent), including 17 of their last 22 games.
• When the Blueshirts score four or more goals in a game, they are 20-3-3 and when they allow two or fewer goals, they are 27-3-0. The Rangers have allowed two or fewer goals in 27 of 32 victories this season.
• Since the start of last season, the Rangers have posted a 65-3-0 record in 68 regular season games in which they have allowed two goals or fewer (not counting team goals awarded for shootout win).

RANGERS AND BLUE JACKETS CONNECTIONS

• Rangers forward Artemi Panarin played two seasons with the Blue Jackets (2017-18 and 2018-19).
• Rangers assistant coach Michael Peca finished out his career with the Blue Jackets, playing two seasons with the team (2007-08 – 2008-09).
• Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson played 13 games for the Blueshirts during the 2020-21 season.
• Columbus’ Senior Advisor John Davidson served as the Rangers President for two seasons (2019-2021).
• Director of Hockey Operations for Columbus, Rick Nash, played parts of six seasons with the Rangers (2012-13 – 2017-18).

POINT PER-GAME PANARIN

Artemi Panarin has a point streak of seven games (5G-5A), 19 points in his last 18 games (8G-11A) and 30 points (12G-18A) in his last 27 games. Since March 1, Panarin's 10 points rank tied for the third in the NHL.

With one more point, Panarin would notch his fifth 70-point season with the Rangers, tying Mika Zibanejad and Mark Messier for the fifth most in franchise history.

Panarin has reached the 40-assist mark for the 10th consecutive campaign, the most among active players and tied for the sixth most consecutive by an undrafted player in NHL history.

Most consecutive 40-assist seasons by an undrafted player, NHL history:

• 15 – Adam Oates (1987-88 — 2001-02)
• 15 – Wayne Gretzky (1979-80 —1993-94)
• 15 – Gordie Howe (1955-56 — 1969-70)
• 12 – Phil Esposito (1966-67 — 1977-78)
• 11 – Peter Stastny (1980-81 — 1990-91)
• 10 – Artemi Panarin (2015-16 — 2024-25)
• 10 – Stan Mikita (1961-62 — 1970-71)

Among Rangers skaters, Panarin ranks first in goals (28), points (69), power play goals (8), power play points (22) and shots (197).

Panarin has at least one point in 46 of his 64 games (71.9%) this year. Since 2023-24, he has points in 113 of 148 games, tied for the third most in the NHL.

Since the beginning of last season, his 189 points (77G-112A) rank sixth in the NHL.

Going back further, among NHL skaters since his debut in 2015-16, Panarin has the fourth most assists (557) and fifth most points in the NHL (850).

MILLER TIME

J.T. Miller has points in nine of his last 11 games (5G-8A) and 17 points (7G-10A) in 16 games with the Blueshirts, including six multi-point games. Since his first game with New York, he ranks tied for first on the team in goals and tied for second in points and assists. His 44 hits rank third on the team since his acquisition.

Miller has 23 points (8G-15A) in his last 22 games.

Since the 2021-22 season, Miller is the only player in the NHL to have recorded 300 or more points as well as 600 or more hits. In that same time frame, he is one of 11 skaters to have three or more 50-plus assist seasons, and his 336 points are the 13th most in the NHL.

MIKA MARCH

Mika Zibanejad has points in three of his last four games, nine of his last 12 games (5G-8A), 19 points in his last 16 games (6G-13A) and 21 points in his last 21 games (7G-14A).

Zibanejad ranks fifth in the NHL in points (19) and tied for seventh assists (13) since February 1.
Since the 2019-20 season, in the month of March, Zibanejad ranks tied for third in goals (40) and seventh in points (83).

When he scores a goal this year, the Rangers are 9-4-2 and 9-2-0 when has multiple points.

Zibanejad's 245 goals are the 10th most in franchise history and one shy of tying Steve Vickers for the ninth most. Zibanejad’s 106 power play goals with the Blueshirts rank tied for fourth in franchise history and since 2016-17, the tallies are the sixth most in the league.

TROCHECK IN THE CIRCLE

Vincent Trocheck ranks third in the NHL in faceoff percentage (59.4) and faceoff wins (749). He has been 50 percent or better in draws in 51 of 66 games this season.

He has 11 points in his last 14 games (3G-8A) and 13 points in his last 18 games (4G-9A). Since J.T. Miller's first game with New York this season, he and Trocheck are the only two players in the NHL with 10+ points and 40+ hits.

On the Blueshirts, Trocheck ranks tied for second in goals (18), fourth in points (43) and assists (25). His 168 shots are the second most on the team.

Trocheck ranks eighth among NHL forwards in average ice time (21:16).

KREIDING INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS

Chris Kreider sits one power play goal away from setting the franchise record and surpassing Camille Henry's 116.

He ranks tied for second on the Rangers with 18 goals this season, with six of his 18 goals being game-winning tallies. His career total of 50 GWGs are the second most in Rangers history behind Rod Gilbert’s 52 and he is the eighth active American skater to score 50 career game-winning goals

Since 2021-22, Kreider’s 13 shorthanded goals are the most in the NHL. His 13 career shorthanded goals are fourth place on the franchise’s all-time list. The total is the third-most shorthanded goals among active American players behind Cam Atkinson (19) and Blake Coleman (17).

Also since 2021-22, his 58 power play goals rank tied for fourth in the NHL.

BLUESHIRT BULLETS

• Since 2021-22, Igor Shesterkin ranks fourth in wins (131), third in save percentage (.918) and tied for fourth in GAA (2.49). This season, Shesterkin has allowed one or fewer goals in 11 of 21 wins and two or fewer goals in 19 of 22 wins. Shesterkin has 157 career wins, tied with Dave Kerr for the sixth most in Rangers history.
• Will Cuylle ranks third in the NHL in hits (242). Cuylle has seven multi-point games this season and has eight points over his last 12 games (4G-4A), including five points (2G-3A) in his last eight games. Cuylle ranks fourth on the Rangers in goals (17).
• Vincent Trocheck and Will Cuylle are two of four NHL players with 15+ goals, 30+ points and 150+ hits.
• K’Andre Miller’s 43 takeaways are tied for the fourth most among NHL defensemen. He is the only player in the NHL with 80 or more hits and 40 or more takeaways.
• Braden Schneider is one of six NHL players with 105+ hits and 100+ blocked shots and the only one who averages 18 minutes or less of ice time per game.
• The Rangers have posted a 66-11-4 record in the 81 regular season games where Alexis Lafrenière has scored a goal in his NHL career.