In this latest edition of New York Rangers News & Rumors, Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller will not play in the club’s contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs. In other news, the Rangers have called defenseman Matthew Robertson to their NHL roster. Meanwhile, Erik Gustafsson may have a big opportunity ahead of him against the Maple Leafs.
Let’s discuss all of this and more in today’s (Dec. 12) Rangers News & Rumors column.
Miller Out vs. Maple Leafs
The Rangers will be down one of their key defensemen against the Toronto Maple Leafs, as Miller has been ruled out due to personal reasons, as reported by Newsday Sports’ Colin Stephenson.
Losing Miller against a tough team like the Maple Leafs is less than ideal. The 23-year-old defenseman has had a strong start to the 2023-24 season, posting five goals and 12 points in his first 26 games. With that, he has been a rock defensively for the Blueshirts, so they will be missing him for more reasons than one.
Robertson Called Up to NHL Roster
With Miller being out against the Maple Leafs, the Rangers have called up Robertson to their NHL roster. With this call-up, the Rangers now have two options to insert into the lineup in Miller’s place – Robertson and Zac Jones. However, according to Vince Z. Mercogliano, Jones is expected to play against the Maple Leafs.
Related: Filip Chytil’s Injury Has Galvanized Rangers’ 4th Line
If the Rangers elect to dress Robertson at any point during this call-up, it would be the young defenseman’s NHL debut. The 22-year-old was selected by the Rangers with the 49th overall pick of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, and he has spent each of the last three seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Hartford Wolf Pack. In 22 games this season with the AHL squad, he has eight assists and a minus-2 rating.
It will be interesting to see if the Rangers end up giving Robertson a look at some point during this call-up. At a minimum, he will get to spend some time with the NHL squad, which is never a bad thing.
Gustafsson Expected to Jump Up In Lineup
While speaking with reporters, Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette was asked if Gustafsson would take Miller’s spot and play on a pairing with Jacob Trouba against Toronto. While Laviolette would not confirm that Gustafsson will be jumped up in the lineup, he had this to say: “There’s a good chance that happens. We’re working through it.”
If Gustafsson officially plays on a pairing with Trouba, it will be an excellent opportunity for him to show the Rangers that he can handle top-four minutes. Therefore, he is a player whom fans should watch very closely against the Maple Leafs if given the bigger role.
Gustafsson has been a great addition to the Rangers’ roster this campaign. After inking an affordable one-year pact, he has three goals, 15 points, and a plus-3 rating in 26 games played.
Trocheck Looking to Stay Hot
Vincent Trocheck is another Ranger to watch very closely against the Maple Leafs. The 30-year-old center is playing like a star as of late. After a three-assist night against the Los Angeles Kings on Dec. 10, he now has 10 points over his last eight games. With that, he is currently sitting at six goals and 25 points in 26 games.
It is hard not to like what we have been seeing from Trocheck this season, and he has been a big reason for this success because of his outstanding play. The hope is now that he will continue to be a huge difference-maker for the Blueshirts offensively.