What’s next for Rangers after signing Luke Glendening to PTO

October 19, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers ever-changing fourth-line appears headed for another shakeup. The Rangers signed veteran Luke Glendening to a PTO on Monday, with an eye on getting him to join the fourth-line mix.

The 37-year-old center agreed to the professional tryout with the Rangers after failing to land a contract as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. If he earns a spot on the Rangers roster, this would be his 14th NHL season.

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Glendening split 2025-26 with two of New York’s rivals in the Metropolitan Division, the New Jersey Devils (52 games) and Philadelphia Flyers (18 games). He’s also played for the Detroit Red Wings, Dallas Stars, and Tampa Bay Lightning, and has 934 games of NHL experience, plus another 60 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“Luke Glendening is fine in the neutral and defensive zones. He’s not the feistiest on the walls and in the dirty areas, but he can prevent transitions over his team’s blue line,” New Jersey Hockey Now beat reporter James Nichols told Forever Blueshirts.

“He’s the simplistic defensive forward — win the puck battle, chip it out of the zone, and get back to the bench for a change.”

Glendening is also solid in the face-off circle. He won 57.2 percent of his draws over 18 games with the Flyers last season, taking most of his face-offs in the defensive and neutral zones, both at even strength and on the penalty kill. In his career, Glendening won 55.6 percent of his face-offs.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder isn’t known for his offensive game, however. He has 85 goals and 90 assists in his career.

“That’s not his game,” Nichols offered.

Why Rangers brought in Luke Glendening on PTO, and what’s next for all involved

The Rangerw cycled through three centers on the fourth line to begin the season — not including when Noah Laba and Mika Zibanejad took shifts there Oct. 4 against the Utah Mammoth after Joe Veleno sustained a lower-body injury.

Veleno currently is on LTIR and out three months, and it’s that injury which caused such a kerfuffle on the fourth line. The 26-year-old was off to a solid start over the first three games, adding speed and physicality to the Rangers lineup, not to mention a really good penalty killer.

After his injury, 20-year-old rookie Cole Beaudoin played four games as the 4C; and most recently veteran Justin Dowling played two straight in the middle of the fourth line. The Rangers believe Beaudoin needs seasoning and quality minutes in his first pro season with Hartford of the American Hockey League, and Dowling is a place-holder — more of an AHL player than an NHL one.

Kyle Ross-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Enter Glendening, who’s clearly not the sexiest option, but fits the bill as a trusted and reliable veteran. Not only did he help the Flyers reach the playoffs for the first time in six years last season, but he averaged 13:56 TOI, scored a goal, and was plus-3 playing all 10 postseason games.

If he can stabilize that 4C spot until Veleno returns in mid-January or so, that’s a major win for New York.

The Rangers recalled Taylor Raddysh from Hartford, where he had a team-high three goals in five games, to play on the right wing of the fourth line, swapping spots in New York with 23-year-old Jaroslav Chmelar.

Veteran Oliver Bjorkstrand plays the other fourth-line wing. The Rangers have a conundrum with Bjorkstrand, who’s a six-time 20-goal scorer that has the second-best expected goal share 5v5 on the team (56.12 percent), per Natural Stat Trick, but isn’t in the top-six forward group.

Matt Rempe played two games this season and is the 13th (extra) forward.

Bjorkstrand, Dowling, and Raddysh remained together at the morning skate Monday ahead of the Rangers game later that night against the Anaheim Ducks at Madison Square Garden. Glendening was on the ice, too, skating as an extra and wearing No. 43.

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