The New York Rangers have had a busy and important week. Several key players are in the news, and big decisions are coming up that could affect the team’s future. Mika Zibanejad was injured during international play but kept going. Brett Berard had to miss the World Championship altogether. At the same time, the team has to decide what to do with their No. 12 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Since they don’t have many young centers in their system, this pick could be very important.
Here’s a full look at everything going on with the Rangers this week.
- Mika Zibanejad took a high stick to the mouth but returned to play despite no penalty being called.
- Brett Berard withdrew from the World Championships due to unspecified physical limitations but is expected to be ready for training camp.
- The Rangers are likely to target a center with the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft to strengthen a thin prospect pool at that position.
Zibanejad Takes High Stick to Mouth in Sweden’s Game Against Finland
On Monday, during a World Championship game in Stockholm, Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad was struck in the mouth by a high stick. He was playing for the host country, Sweden, against Finland. The incident happened early in the second period, behind Finland’s net.
Finland’s defenseman Nikolas Matinpalo reached out to stop Zibanejad, whose speed took him deep into the zone. As Matinpalo reached, his stick rose and hit Zibanejad squarely in the mouth. Zibanejad fell to the ice, bleeding. Despite the clear contact, officials did not call a penalty.
There was already a double-minor high-sticking call earlier in the game against Finland, which may explain the officials’ hesitation. Still, the non-call surprised Zibanejad and others. As he skated to the bench, he spat out blood and rinsed his mouth with water.
Even after the hit, Zibanejad returned to the game and played 19 minutes and 41 seconds. He did not score, ending his streak in the tournament. Before this, he had scored one goal in Sweden’s 5-0 win over Slovakia, and two more in a 4-2 win over Austria, including the late game-winner.
In the same game, his Rangers teammate Juuso Parssinen played for Finland. Parssinen had been key in Finland’s previous games, scoring both of their game-winning goals, including an overtime winner against France. But on Monday, he struggled. He lost 13 of 14 face-offs and didn’t get a single shot on goal in over 15 minutes of ice time.
Sweden held on for a 2-1 win, improving to 3-0 in the tournament.
Brett Berard Pulls Out of Team USA With Injury, But Will Train
While Zibanejad returned from injury, Brett Berard did not get a chance to play at all. The 22-year-old winger was expected to play for the United States at the World Championship. However, he missed the first three games, including a 3-0 loss to Switzerland on Monday. It is now confirmed that he will not play in the tournament.
According to a report by Mollie Walker of the New York Post, Berard pulled out due to “physical limitations.” No further details were given, but it is not considered a serious injury. A source told Walker that Berard is still expected to train this offseason and be ready for training camp.
Berard had said during the Rangers’ break-up day that he planned to return to the tristate area in early June. He is expected to train with teammates Chris Kreider, Matt Rempe, and Jonathan Quick at Prentiss Hockey Performance in Connecticut.
In his rookie season with the Rangers, Berard played 35 games. He scored six goals and added four assists for 10 points, playing mostly in the bottom six and averaged 10 minutes and 43 seconds per game. His top moments included two goals against the Islanders on April 10 and two assists against the Blackhawks on January 5.
Rangers Need Centers and Must Choose Carefully With No. 12 Pick
Looking beyond injuries, the Rangers must now focus on the 2025 NHL Draft. They hold the No. 12 overall pick, but it is a conditional selection. The team has until 48 hours before the draft, which starts on June 27, to decide whether to keep the pick or send it to the Pittsburgh Penguins. This condition is tied to a set of trades involving Vancouver and Pittsburgh.
If the Rangers keep the pick, they are expected to draft a center. Right now, their NHL roster includes centers Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck, J.T. Miller, and Sam Carrick. Juuso Parssinen and Jonny Brodzinski are also in the mix. While that may sound like depth, all but Parssinen are over 30. Parssinen, at 24, likely tops out as a third-line center.
The Rangers’ prospect system lacks strong center talent. As of January, The Athletic ranked their pool 19th in the NHL. The top forward prospects—Gabe Perreault, Brennan Othmann, and Brett Berard—are all wingers.
There are only a few center prospects in the system. Noah Laba is the best of the group. Drafted in the fourth round in 2022, he played three seasons at Colorado College. In 2023-24, he scored 20 goals and 37 points. This past season, he led the team in goals again despite being slowed by injury.
Laba signed with the Rangers this spring and joined the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack on a tryout. In 11 games, he scored three goals and five points. He is considered a solid two-way player who could become a third-line center and penalty killer.
Besides Laba, there are a few promising centers. Dylan Roobroeck, who is 6-foot-7, led Hartford with 20 goals this season but is seen as a long-term project. Other big forwards like Matt Rempe and Adam Edstrom also project as bottom-six players.
If the Rangers do use the No. 12 pick, there are several centers who may be available. James Hagens (Boston College) and Michael Misa (Saginaw) are likely to be selected earlier. But Jack Nesbitt (Windsor), Brady Martin (Sault Ste. Marie), and Roger McQueen (Brandon) could be in play.
Nesbitt is 6-foot-4 and plays a strong physical game with skill. Martin scored 72 points this season. McQueen, at 6-foot-5, missed most of the year with a back injury but has plenty of upside.
The Rangers could also try to move up in the draft or package the pick in a trade for an NHL-ready young center. Defenseman Zac Jones is one player whose name has come up as part of a possible package.
Erik Gustafsson Looks Back at Time With Rangers After Injury
As the Rangers look ahead, one former player is reflecting on his time in New York. Defenseman Erik Gustafsson, who played 76 games for the Rangers in the 2023–24 season, signed with the Detroit Red Wings after the season. He recorded six goals and 25 assists for 31 points during his time in New York.
This season, Gustafsson’s year ended early due to a broken foot suffered four weeks before the regular season ended. He had hoped to return for the final games but wasn’t able to recover in time.
Now playing for Sweden at the World Championship, Gustafsson shared his thoughts on New York.
“It’s a hell of a city,” he said. “Always fun to play in The Garden. Obviously, we had a great team, great run. Unfortunately, it ended in the Conference Final, but I have good memories from there. We loved where we lived up in Greenwich, Connecticut. I really loved the time I played there.”
Gustafsson is fully healthy now and joins Zibanejad on Team Sweden.
