Cole Beaudoin Set For NHL Debut As Rangers Shuffle Roster Following Joe Veleno Injury

The New York Rangers have recalled Cole Beaudoin from the Hartford Wolf Pack after placing Joe Veleno on injured reserve. 

Veleno suffered a lower-body injury during the Rangers’ Sunday night game against the Utah Mammoth, which left the team with just three active centers on the roster. 

Beaudoin is slated to make his NHL debut on Tuesday night against the New York Islanders, likely slotting in as the Rangers’ fourth-line center. 

The Blueshirts acquired Beaudoin as part of the trade that sent Vincent Trocheck to the Mammoth. 

The 20-year-old forward was selected in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft by the Mammoth and he’s spent the past two seasons playing in the Ontario Hockey League for the Barrie Colts. 

Meanwhile, Matthew Robertson will report back to the Wolf Pack after clearing waivers on Tuesday. 

Robertson was held out of practice on Monday due to roster management reasons, as it was quickly revealed that he was waived by the team.

The 25-year-old played in 72 games for the Rangers last season, but 2026 fifth-overall pick Alberts Šmits stood out throughout training camp and took over Robertson’s position as the Rangers’ third-pair left-handed defenseman. 

Robertson made the Rangers’ opening-night roster out of training camp, but he has been scratched for all four of New York’s games to kick off the 2026-27 campaign.

“Robby (Robertson) is a great kid, he made great strides last year,” Mike Sullivan said. “(He’s) a big part of this group of defensemen that we have. Obviously with the lineup decisions that we are making, there have been changes to our blue line. It has had an impact or an effect on playing time for guys like Robby, and those are the difficult decisions that hockey operations has to make.”