Rangers Camp at the Halfway Point: Sykora Out Months, Smits Pushing for Opening Night

Rangers Camp at the Halfway Point: Sykora Out Months, Smits Pushing for Opening Night

Author: Forever Blueshirts September 23, 2026 Duration: 57:21
The Rangers are two preseason games into a short camp. Opening night against Boston is next Tuesday, and Jim Cerny runs through who's up and who's down.Adam Sykora will miss 4-5 months with a lower-body injury from Monday's game against the Devils. Jim didn't see a path for Sykora to the opening-night roster, but his energy and leadership will be missed in Hartford. The upside is depth. Eeli Tolvanen joins the bottom six, and Liam Greentree and Cole Beaudoin are pushing from the AHL.Alberts Smits is the story of camp. The No. 5 overall pick has skated with the NHL group and alongside Braden Schneider every day. After his poised preseason debut against the Islanders, Jim thinks he has the inside track. Jim also covers:Where Smits' arrival leaves Matthew Robertson, Drew Fortescue and Scott MorrowWhat Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson change on the second pairThe last fourth-line spot, between Taylor Raddysh, Matt Rempe and Jaroslav ChmelarWhether the Rangers carry three goalies to protect Dylan GarandWhy Pavel Dorofeyev might be the Rangers' first true sniper since Marian Gaborik, and a J.T. Miller who looks energizedPlus updates on former Rangers Brennan Othmann, Jonny Brodzinski, Carson Soucy and Cam Talbot.Coming up: Rink Rap is recording at Mustang Harry's near Madison Square Garden to kick off the season. Watch Forever Blueshirts on X for details, and read more at ForeverBlueshirts.com.

For dedicated fans of the New York Rangers, there's a familiar voice that has been part of the journey for decades. Rink Rap brings you that voice, with host Jim Cerny drawing from three full decades of covering the team and the NHL to offer context you simply won't find elsewhere. This isn't just reaction; it's seasoned perspective that connects today's lineup and last night's game to the broader history and intricate mechanics of professional hockey. Each episode blends that deep insight with top-flight interviews, pulling in voices from around the league to give a comprehensive view of the Blueshirts' world. Produced by Forever Blueshirts, the Rink Rap podcast feels like a conversation with the most knowledgeable person in your section, breaking down strategy, roster moves, and the emotional rollercoaster of a long season. It’s where passion for the team meets an insider's understanding, making every win, loss, and trade deadline dissected with authority and a genuine love for the game. Tune in for the analysis that goes beyond the highlight reel, grounded in thirty years of watching this franchise evolve.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Rink Rap | A New York Rangers Podcast from Forever Blueshirts
Podcast Episodes
Rangers Send Dylan Garand Back to Hartford: Opening Night Roster Set [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:32
Dylan Garand cleared waivers Monday and is headed back to the Hartford Wolfpack for a fifth season. Jim Cerny explains why the decision was made the day Chris Drury traded for Joonas Korpisalo on July 1, and why losing G…
Rangers Rookie Series Breakdown w/Russ Cohen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:27
Jim Cerny is joined by Russ Cohen of Sportsology and NHL Prospects Radio to break down the Rangers' rookie series against the Philadelphia Flyers.They cover Alberts Smits' two-game showing as the Rangers' No. 5 overall p…
Rangers Sign Eeli Tolvanen: Why the 1-Year, $1.5M Deal Makes Sense [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:25
September hockey is finally here. On this edition of the Rink Rap Podcast, Jim Cerny digs into the Rangers' latest offseason move: the one-year, $1.5 million signing of winger Eeli Tolvanen. Jim explains why Chris Drury…
Dan D'Uva Breaks Down What the Rangers Are Getting in Pavel Dorofeyev [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:02
Jim Cerny is back from a week off and welcomes Dan D'Uva, the radio voice of the Vegas Golden Knights, for an in-depth look at the Pavel Dorofeyev trade. D'Uva breaks down why Vegas moved on from their leading goal score…