Boilard was the 119th overall pick by the Rangers in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday.
Few could have seen Boilard's breakout season coming. He split time between two BCHL teams two years ago, managing just 10 goals and 22 points in 48 games. He made the jump to the QMJHL this past season and became an immediate impact player, finishing with 22 goals and 62 points in 68 contests. If the production and advancements in his game we saw from Boilard this past year are signs of things to come, the Rangers may have gotten a potential steal.
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Rangers' EJ Emery: Fast defensive rock goes 30th
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Emery was the 30th overall pick by the Rangers in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft on Friday.
As a dual American/Canadian citizen, Emery elected to go to the US NTDP/collegiate route as opposed to the CHL. His time in Ann Arbor highlighted both the strengths and weaknesses of his game. Emery is a terrific athlete. He's a great skater who's particularly explosive in short bursts. His game is similar to Rangers rearguard K'Andre Miller at the same age, but minus any offense. Emery is headed to North Dakota to develop his game. When he hits Madison Square, he'll be the kind of hard-to-play-against, playoff-style defender that every Stanley Cup winning team covets, but Emery won't offer you any fantasy value.
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Rangers' Barclay Goodrow: Hits waivers
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Goodrow was placed on waivers Tuesday, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.
If Goodrow is not claimed by another team, the Rangers could bury his contract in the minors or buy out the final three seasons of his six-year, $21.85 million contract. The 31-year-old forward produced four goals, eight assists, 78 PIM, 86 blocked shots and 170 hits in 80 games during the 2023-24 regular season. He also contributed six goals, eight points, 29 blocks and 41 hits across 16 outings during the 2024 playoffs.
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Rangers' Karl Henriksson: Inks overseas deal
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Henriksson agreed to terms on a three-year contract with the Swedish club Vaxjo Lakers on Thursday.
Henriksson will be a restricted free agent for the Rangers this offseason, so the team could retain his NHL rights by giving him a qualifying offer. Having said that, the fact that Henriksson signed a three-year deal with a Swedish team suggests he won't be making a return to North America any time soon, so the Rangers could simply decide to let him walk. In the minors this year, the 23-year-old center generated 11 goals and 12 assists in 64 games -- that's not the type of productivity New York was hoping for when they selected him in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft.
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Rangers' Kaapo Kakko: Agrees to one-year deal
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Kakko signed a one-year, $2.4 million contract with the Rangers on Thursday, Peter Baugh of The Athletic reports.
Kakko was set to become a restricted free agent in July after completing his two-year, $4.2 million contract. He struggled in 2023-24, recording just 13 goals and 19 points across 61 regular-season contests after setting career highs with 18 goals and 40 points in 82 regular-season outings in 2022-23. The 23-year-old can't be counted out, but he certainly hasn't lived up to his potential after being selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. Look for him to open next season as a part of the Rangers' middle six.
Lindgren said Tuesday that he suffered a cracked rib in the Rangers' May 16 win over the Hurricanes in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports.
Lindgren was held out of a few practices leading up to the Eastern Conference Finals due to the injury, but he proceeded to play in all six of games in the Rangers' eventual 4-2 series loss to the Panthers, tallying two assists while averaging 19:07 in ice time. The 26-year-old will get some extended time to heal up over the offseason and should be fully cleared well in advance of training camp.
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Rangers' Jimmy Vesey: Rehabbing shoulder injury
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Vesey suffered a separated shoulder in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Florida, Dan Rosen of NHL.com reports.
Vesey still hoped to return at some point in the postseason, but now he'll spend a few weeks in New York to continue his rehab following the Rangers' elimination from the playoffs. The 31-year-old forward doesn't expect to need offseason surgery. He notched 13 goals and 26 points in 80 regular-season contests during the 2023-24 campaign.
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Rangers' Adam Fox: Adds late helper
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Fox recorded his eighth assist of the playoffs in Saturday's 2-1 season-ending loss against Florida in Game 6.
Fox had the secondary assist on Artemi Panarin's goal late in the third period, but New York couldn't pull off the comeback. Fox added one shot, three hits, two blocks and a plus-1 rating in 24:11 of ice time. The 26-year-old led New York's blueliners in points this postseason with eight. That is not surprising, but he did not score a goal in 16 contests. There's speculation that the star defenseman could've been battling an injury, but there should be clarification on that front in the coming days.
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Rangers' Vincent Trocheck: Records 20th point of playoffs
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Trocheck supplied a helper in Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Panthers in Game 6.
Trocheck had the primary assist on Artemi Panarin's marker late in the third period, which cut Florida's lead to one. Trocheck did not record a shot on goal Saturday, but he did have a whopping 10 hits and a plus-1 rating in 23:59 of ice time, the most of any Rangers forward. The 30-year-old center had a fantastic postseason, finishing with eight goals and 20 points in 16 appearances. Trocheck doubled up on his previous career high in the playoffs -- he recorded 10 points during the 2021-22 season with Carolina.
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Rangers' Artemi Panarin: Gives Rangers life in final minutes
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Panarin scored his fifth goal of the postseason in Saturday's 2-1 season-ending loss to Florida in Game 6.
Panarin hadn't scored in eight consecutive contests prior to Saturday before cutting Florida's lead to one in the final minutes of Game 6. It was only his fourth point of the series after he produced 11 points in 10 outings across the first two rounds. The 32-year-old concludes the postseason with 15 points (five goals) and a minus-2 rating in 16 appearances. Panarin has two years remaining on his contract with the Rangers heading into the offseason.
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Rangers' Igor Shesterkin: Stellar run comes to end
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Shesterkin made 32 saves on 34 shots in Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Panthers in Game 6.
Shesterkin was peppered again Saturday night, it marked the fourth consecutive outing that the netminder faced at least 34 shots on goal. The Rangers were just two wins away from reaching the Stanley Cup Finals, but they were out-shot in 13 of 16 postseason contests. New York also allowed 524 shots on goal in those 16 games, which highlights just how important Shesterkin was to the team's success. The 28-year-old concludes the 2023-24 postseason at 10-6 with a 2.34 GAA and a .927 save percentage.
Shesterkin will protect the road goal versus the Panthers in Saturday's Game 6, Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports.
Shesterkin will get the nod with the Rangers facing elimination for the first time in these playoffs. After starting the postseason with nine straight wins, Shesterkin has gone 3-5 with a 2.67 GAA and a .915 save percentage over his last eight contests. He's actually been sharper versus the Panthers with a .928 save percentage, but he hasn't gotten enough goal support. If the Rangers win Saturday, Game 7 is Monday at Madison Square Garden.
Rangers' Jimmy Vesey: Practicing in non-contact jersey
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Vesey (upper body) is at practice Saturday in a non-contact jersey, Dan Rosen of NHL.com reports.
Vesey was injured eight days ago in Game 2 against Florida on May 24 and was deemed week-to-week. The 31-year-old winger has a goal and two assists through 12 appearances this postseason.
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Rangers' Blake Wheeler: Not practicing Saturday
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Wheeler (undisclosed) is not at Saturday's morning skate ahead of Game 6 against Florida, Vince Z. Mercogliano of USA Today reports.
According to a source, Wheeler is banged up, leaving his status unclear for Saturday's must-win contest. He has suited up in only one game since Feb. 15 because of a leg injury. Wheeler logged just 9:18 of ice time in Game 4 versus the Panthers on Tuesday before sitting out Thursday's Game 5. Anton Blidh has been filling in for Wheeler during Saturday's practice, but the 29-year-old Blidh probably won't be in the lineup even if Wheeler is unavailable.
