2025-26 New York Rangers Report Cards: Taylor Raddysh – Hockey Writers – New York Rangers

Many of the New York Rangers’ top players missed long periods of time due to injuries or poor performance last season. They got some solid play from some of their younger players late in the season, but it wasn’t enough to get the team into the playoff race. Another veteran whose role was diminished by the strong play of several rookie forwards was Taylor Raddysh, who provided a solid game in a six-down role in his first season with New York.

Effective 2025-26

Before the 2025-26 season, the Rangers signed Raddysh to a two-year, $3 million contract. He began his career with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021-22, and his best season came with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2022-23, when he finished with 20 goals and 17 assists in 78 games. He spent the 2024-25 season with the Washington Capitals and finished with seven goals and 20 assists in 80 games.

Raddysh was brought in to help develop Rangers’ back-six squad, and he has had a strong start to the season. The team struggled to produce offensively as many of its top players stepped back, and for the most part, the bottom six couldn’t catch on as Conor Sheary, Matt Rempe, and Sam Carrick also struggled offensively. However, Raddysh came up with a hat trick in a 6-5 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on October 23.

At the start of the season, Raddysh was a bright spot as he scored five goals in his first 12 games. While he continued to provide solid play, he didn’t get as much ice time on the penalty kill or play as physically as the rest of the top six, and his playing time declined. He didn’t play badly, but after his hot start, he slowed down and didn’t look like the rest of the Rangers players below.

Rookies Jaroslav Chmelar and Adam Sykora were called up late in the season, and both played well in the bottom of the sixth. Despite Sheary’s struggles, head coach Mike Sullivan often opted to play him in the top-six and on the penalty kill, which led to fewer opportunities for Raddysh, who finally got healthy late in the season. He finished with nine goals and 10 assists and was a plus-5 in 68 games, while averaging 11:51 of ice time per game.

Role In This Time

This season, Raddysh will once again compete with other Rangers young players for a roster spot. He is experienced and able to provide stable play, but they can choose to play more versatile players like Sykora and Chmelar, who played more physically and appeared on the forehead last season.

Although Raddysh didn’t get much ice time when the team was cut last season, he can help on the penalty kill. The Rangers traded away a few of their best hitters as they traded Carrick to the Buffalo Sabers last season and Vincent Trocheck to the Utah Mammoth this offseason. They also lost Sheary in free agency.

Despite a quiet end to last season, Raddysh was a solid player, and could contribute this season. He is able to provide secondary points while doing a good job defensively and making smart decisions with the puck and off.

Overall Grade

Raddysh gets a C+ for his performance last season. He got off to a tough start offensively when most of the team struggled, but he quieted down as the season progressed. His overall production was solid given his limited playing time and the lack of production from his teammates, and he was a liability defensively. However, he was not as visible on the forehead as the rest of the team’s bottom six players, and was released by several New York players late in the season. Hope to provide a stable two-way game this season.