As the New York Rangers enter their final preseason tuneup ahead of the 2026-27 NHL regular season against the New York Islanders , there are still a few questions about how their opening night roster is going to look.
Right now, barring any unforeseen changes, the Rangers have 11 of their 12 forward spots locked in. The fourth-line right-wing and extra-skater spots look to be up for grabs. The third defenseman pairing and seventh defenseman spots are still unsettled as well.
A lot of that will be determined by what decision New York makes with its goalies. Will they carry three into the regular season or waive Dylan Garand , who looks to be the No. 3 behind Igor Shesterkin and Joonas Korpisalo ?
That decision will have a major impact on the rest of the roster. For now, Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic (subscription required) is predicting that all three goalies will remain on the opening night roster, which is bad news for Jaroslav Chmelar .
Apr 2, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers right wing Jaroslav Chmelar (49) at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
He has been competing with Matt Rempe and Taylor Raddysh for the forward spot. The favorite entering training camp, he has been outperformed by his teammates, with head coach Mike Sullivan hinting that Chmelar has things to work on before securing an NHL roster spot.
"We want him to impose his will out there a little more, and I think he's capable of doing that," Sullivan said, via Mercogliano. "But he needs to do it consistently, and that's been the conversation that we've had."
Chmelar suited up for 28 games during the 2025-26 season, including down the stretch when Raddysh was a healthy scratch. But the veteran has been outperforming Chmelar in camp; the same goes for Rempe, who has looked good in his return from multiple thumb surgeries.
The youngster has failed to take full advantage of the opportunity presented to him, which could result in him starting the 2026-27 campaign in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack. That certainly wouldn't be the worst outcome.
Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers right wing Jaroslav Chmelar (49) warms up before the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Sitting him in the press box as the extra skater would do Chmelar no good. To build the consistency that Sullivan and the team are looking for out of him, he needs to be on the ice gaining experience, not watching from the sidelines.
Being part of a potential No. 1 line grouping with Cole Beaudoin and Liam Greentree at Hartford would benefit him in the long run. And if he performs well, his stay in the AHL won't be long, as Chmelar has positioned himself to be the first call-up when the need arises.
The 23-year-old can also pass through waivers freely. The same cannot be said about Raddysh Rempe or other players on the bubble, such as Garand or defenseman Scott Morrow .
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nhl/rangers/onsi as Jaroslav Chmelar Losing Grip on NY Rangers Roster Spot .
