Rangers vs. Hurricanes: Lineups, storylines final game before Olympic break

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Rangers vs. Hurricanes: Lineups, storylines final game before Olympic break

Rangers vs. Hurricanes: Lineups, storylines final game before Olympic break — Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Jim Cerny · Forever Blueshirts

Thu, Feb 5, 2026 ·

6 min read

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After such a packed schedule over the first four months of the 2025-26 season, things slow considerably for the New York Rangers , who play their only game in a four-week span when they host the Carolina Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden on Thursday.

The Rangers (22-28-6) last played Saturday, Jan. 31, a wild 6-5 road loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins . After Thursday, they don't play again until Feb. 26, when they host the Philadelphia Flyers after the Olympic break.

They just completed three consecutive days of practice, something completely unheard of during this condensed NHL schedule due to the three=week break for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. The Rangers are represented at the Winter Games by Mika Zibanejad (Sweden), J.T. Miller (United States), and Vincent Trocheck (United States). Mike Sullivan is Team USA's coach, and David Quinn heads to Italy as his assistant behind the bench.

The rest of the Rangers get the chance to have a mid-season vacation, a chance to get away from a massively disappointing campaign, that includes the trade of their leading scorer Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday.

"For the guys who have an opportunity to get away from it for a little bit, sometimes it can be a good opportunity to re-charge, re-energize, get some rest," Sullivan explained Wednesday after practice. "Sometimes, just getting away from it gives you a little bit more hunger to get back it because you miss it a little bit."

Though Miller is headed to Milan after the game Thursday, the Rangers captain sees the value of this break for his teammates.

"I think it's much needed physically, emotionally, mentally. It comes at a good time," he said . "But we can't get to the break yet. We have a really tough opponent [Thursday] and it's going to be a good test for us."

Indeed. the last-place Rangers close out this pre-Olympic portion of their schedule against the Metropolitan Division leaders. It really is a game pitting teams heading in opposite directions. The Rangers lost three in a row and are 2-10-1 since Jan. 5; the Hurricanes (35-15-6) bring a nine-game point streak (7-0-2) into this one and are 11-1-3 since Jan. 4.

The Hurricanes won six of their past seven games against the Rangers (6-1-0) and two of three this season, including 3-2 in overtime down in Raleigh on Jackson Blake 's game-winner Dec. 29.

3 storylines when Rangers host Hurricanes

NHL: Carolina Hurricanes at New York Rangers — Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

1. Vincent Iorio likely gets opportunity

Based on the optional morning skate, it appears that Vincent Iorio makes his Rangers debut Thursday. The 23-year-old defenseman exited the ice with the regulars, and fellow defenseman Scott Morrow remained on late.

The Rangers claimed Iorio off waivers from the San Jose Sharks this past Saturday, taking a flyer on the former second-round pick by the Washington Capitals , who's yet to establish himself in the NHL with his two previous teams. Iorio stands 6-foot-4, weighs 220 pounds, and has 30 games of NHL experience (four assists). The right-shot defenseman slots in on third pairing alongside Urho Vaakanainen .

While a good opportunity for Iorio, it's a bad look for Morrow. The 23-year-old has underwhelmed in his first season with the Rangers. He has six assists in 28 games this season, and being scratched against his former team Thursday is suboptimal.

It appears another young player joins Morrow in the press box Thursday. Brennan Othmann also stayed on late at the morning skate, and it appears Anton Blidh replaces him on the fourth line against the Hurricanes.

2. Hurricane force includes former Blueshirt

NHL: Dallas Stars at Carolina Hurricanes — James Guillory-Imagn Images

Former Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller plays his first game at MSG after he was traded to the Hurricanes last summer. Miller missed Carolina's 3-0 win at The Garden on Nov. 4 due to an injury. He has one assist in two games against the Rangers in Raleigh this season. Overall in 48 games, Miller has 23 points (four goals, 19 assists) and averages a career-high 22:35 TOI per game.

The 26-year-old defenseman, the headliner in the trade which brought Morrow to New York, played 368 regular-season games over five seasons with the Rangers.

Long Island native Brandon Bussi starts in goal for the Hurricanes, against Jonathan Quick for the Rangers. The rookie whose childhood idol was Henrik Lundqvist is 22-3-1, and reached 22 wins quicker (26 games) than any goalie in NHL history. He's won six straight decisions, his second six-game winning streak this season.

Carolina captain Jordan Staal has a four-game point streak (three goals, one assist), and star winger Sebastian Aho has goals in three straight. Aho (20) is one of three Hurricanes forwards to score 20 goals this season, along with Seth Jarvis (25) and Andrei Svechnikov (20).

3. Rangers 'optimistic' that reinforcements on way after break

Adam Fox won't play Thursday, even though he's practiced all week and took part in the morning skate, albeit in a no-contact jersey. The top-pair defenseman misses his 13th straight game due to a lower-body injury, but should be back in the lineup when the Rangers resume play after the Olympic break later this month. The same holds true for No. 1 goalie Igor Shesterkin , who also remains out for now with a lower-body injury.

"I'm optimistic. I think they're getting they're getting closer. They're both skating," Sullivan said Thursday . "'Shesty' hasn't officially joined the team yet, but he's been skating. 'Foxy' has had a number of skates with the team and is knocking on the door, so I would anticipate them a whole lot closer."

Forward Adam Edstrom , out since Dec. 2 with a lower-body injury, resumed skating on his own, and also could be an option for the Rangers after the break.