Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn ImagesThe addition of Eeli Tolvanen will cause a domino effect on the New York Rangers’ lineup.
The Rangers officially announced the signing of Tolvanen to a one-year, $1.5 million contract on Wednesday.
Given Tolvanen’s NHL experience and goal-scoring track record, he should be a shoo-in to slide right into the lineup out of training camp.
With Tolvanen likely to garner a roster spot, there may be a couple of players who were in play to make the opening-night roster now on the outside looking in.
Offseason addition Oliver Bjorkstrand is slated to play a top-six role for the Blueshirts at right wing, and if Tolvanen presides over that third-line right-wing role, there will be three players vying for the fourth-line right-wing position.
Taylor Raddysh, Matt Rempe, and Jaroslav Chmelař all have different cases as to why they should make the opening-night roster.
First off, Raddysh is the one player out of these three who has the most professional hockey experience, and hence why he may be more reliable in terms of what Mike Sullivan may be looking for in a fourth liner.
The Rangers signed Raddysh to a two-year, $3 million contract last offseason, and the team has invested more into him as opposed to Rempe and Chmelař. The 28-year-old forward played 68 games for the Blueshirts during the 2025-26 campaign, indicating he’s probably the frontrunner to land the fourth-line right wing job.
Rempe, the fan favorite enforcer in New York, had a disappointing 2025-26 season as he missed a slew of games due to a broken thumb that he suffered on Oct. 23 during a fight with Ryan Reaves, which ultimately required two surgeries.
While providing the media with an encouraging update regarding his progression from his thumb injury this summer, it will still be an uphill climb for Rempe to find a role in a crowded forward room.
Chmelař came to the Rangers as a pleasant surprise from the Hartford Wolf Pack late in the 2025-26 campaign, as he showed impressive flashes in his 28-game audition.
There’s a scenario where a 23-year-old forward starts the season in the AHL, but if he could continue building on his success from last season, it would be difficult for Sullivan to deny him an opening-night roster spot.
February waiver addition, Tye Kartye, may be bumped down to playing on the fourth line at left wing despite carving out a third-line role last season.
In this case, Adam Sýkora would be the odd man out of the lineup.
Similar to Chmelař, Sýkora came in late in the season and provided the Rangers with a jolt of energy after spending three seasons with the Wolf Pack.
Even Sýkora’s relentless hustle on the ice may not be enough for him to overcome a clogged forward group with very limited roster spots.
Tolvanen's arrival also hurts Liam Greentree’s chances to make the Rangers’ opening-night roster, which means he’ll likely start the year playing in the AHL.
The Tolvanen signing may have seemed minor at first glance, but it causes a domino effect that impacts the entire makeup of the Rangers’ bottom-six forward unit.
