Kevin Ng-Imagn ImagesThe name Tye Kartye may sound like an anagram to you but it sounds like a part of the – you should excuse the expression to me – part of the grand Rangers tool to me.
Here's why:
In 1946, Conn Smythe's fifth place Maple Leafs needed a rebuild and one of the rookies he imported was an unknown left winger Vic Lynn out of Saskatoon.
Teamed with rookie of the year right wing Howie Meeker and young center Ted Kennedy, they comprised a new "Kid Line,"
I see Kartye as the new "Kid Line" with maybe a reformed Matt Rempe rounded it out, Listen up to what The Maven's Seattle Super-Savant, Glenn Dreyfuss, has to say about it:
Tye Kartye burned brightly to start his Seattle Kraken career, but by this season, it had faded to embers. The 24-year-old 4th line forward, placed on waivers Thursday, was claimed by the New York Rangers Friday morning.
No Kraken fan will forget Kartye’s impact during the first round of the 2023 playoffs against the defending champion Colorado Avalanche. Kartye was called up from AHL Coachella Valley as an injury replacement and scored his first NHL goal. He was also a physical wrecking ball with fierce hits that continued into the 2nd round series against the Dallas Stars. Improbably, he scored two more times, giving him three NHL goals before ever playing a regular season game.
That’s Kartye Hockey, Baby
With the Kraken’s Firebirds farm team in 2022-23, he had scored 28 goals and 57 points in 72 games. Tye rose from undrafted 4th liner in the AHL to that league’s rookie of the year .
The Kartye Party continued in Seattle during the 2023-24 season. He played 77 games, scoring 11 goals. But from there, the offensive production dried up. In 63 games last season, he scored six goals. He was on the same pace this season with three goals in 40 games. Recently, more often than not, he was a healthy scratch.
Coach Lane Lambert decided the 4th line chemistry worked better with Ryan Winterton, Jacob Melanson and Ben Meyers in the mix, so Kartye was placed on waivers. To return to the AHL Firebirds, he needed to go unclaimed by all 31 other NHL clubs. However, the Rangers, who have been a dumpster fire this year and will not make the playoffs, decided they could use the physicality and grit Kartye brings. Interestingly, to make room for Kartye, the Blueshirts demoted 2021 1st round pick Brennan Othman to the AHL.
Here in Seattle, the coaching staff knew what they had in Kartye, and decided the re-constituted 4th line was giving the Kraken more of a spark. Tye was the odd man out. Remember, Winterton and Meyers were just signed to new deals that will keep them part of the Kraken organization through the 27-28 season. Melanson, who will be a restricted free agent at year’s end, isn’t going anywhere, either.
Tye finishes his Kraken career with 180 games played, 20 goals and 21 assists, to go along with 101 penalty minutes. Kartye has one year remaining on a two-year deal with an annual cap hit of $1.25 million.
The Rangers likely will be trade deadline sellers, and will need warm bodies to finish out the season. The real question is where Kartye lands, if he lands, in the off-season.