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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
Rink Rap | A New York Rangers Podcast from Forever Blueshirts
SportsHockey
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

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Rink Rap | A New York Rangers Podcast from Forever Blueshirts
Podcast Episodes
First PWHL Game at Madison Square Garden Was Something Special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:18
Jim Cerny was there for the historic first PWHL game ever played at MSG — 18,000+ fans, Billie Jean King dropping the puck, and a Sirens win in the shootout. He breaks down what made the night unforgettable.
New York Rangers at the Crossroads [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:14
Jim Cerny breaks down what's working in New York's late-season run — young players stepping up, the team's identity shift, and what this stretch means heading into a pivotal offseason. #Rangers
Rangers Big Picture with Jonny Lazarus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:49
Daily Faceoff's Jonny Lazarus joins live from Mustang Harry's for a frank conversation about the Rangers' retool — Lafreniere's evolution, Schneider's uncertain future, and what the front office needs to do this summer.
Historic Night: PWHL Comes to MSG [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:45
NY Sirens beat reporter Lou Orlando joins to preview the first-ever PWHL game at Madison Square Garden — what it means for women's hockey, the Sirens' season, and the electric atmosphere building just steps from where th…

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