New York Rangers’ 2025-26 Report Cards: Tye Kartye

The New York Rangers were disappointing in 2025-26 and finished with the worst record in the Eastern Conference, but there were some bright spots. Mika Zibanejad had a bounce-back season, Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin were excellent when they were healthy, and many of the team’s bottom-six forwards, including Tye Kartye, provided a spark in the second half of the season.

Performance in 2025-26

Kartye was undrafted but earned a spot in the lineup with the Seattle Kraken in 2023-24, finishing with 11 goals and nine assists in 77 games. He had six goals and seven assists in 63 games with them in 2024-25, and then had three goals and five assists in 40 games with them last season. Seattle waived him in February, and the Rangers claimed him and inserted him into their lineup.

The Rangers had a few veterans in their bottom-six who did not play with a lot of physicality in Conor Sheary and Taylor Raddysh. Kartye was noticeable right away as he never passed up an opportunity to throw a hit and was able to get in on the forecheck and force some turnovers. He also came up with some key blocked shots in the defensive zone and was strong on the penalty kill, using his strength to win battles for the puck.

While Kartye is known as a grinder, he also produced offensively once he joined the Rangers last season. He showed patience with the puck and had a few beautiful assists and consistently drove to the front of the net and looked to score on deflections or rebounds. His first goal with New York came on a deflection, and he also had an assist in a 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on March 9.

Kartye’s strong play earned him consistent ice time on the Rangers’ third line, and he made the most of his opportunities. He had a five-game point streak in March and finished with five goals, nine assists, 75 hits, and 17 blocked shots in 24 games with New York, while averaging 14:04 in ice time per game.

Role This Season

Though Kartye spent most of his time with the Rangers on their third line in 2025-26, he will most likely begin this season on the fourth line as they have added a few talented wingers this offseason. They acquired Pavel Dorofeyev in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights and then signed him to a long-term extension, and they also signed free agent Oliver Bjorkstrand to a one-year deal.

The Rangers also got strong play from rookie wingers Jaroslav Chmelar and Adam Sykora late last season, so Kartye may have to compete with them for playing time. However, he was excellent in his 24 games with New York and should continue to get ice time as long as he continues to make smart decisions while playing with physicality.

In order to compete for a playoff spot, the Rangers will need their stars to produce, and they also need their role players to contribute. The entire team slumped offensively early last season, and the hope is the players who provided a spark for their bottom-six late in the season, including Kartye, will continue to play well this season.

Overall Grade

Though Kartye was a late addition for the Rangers last season, he played very well in his 24 games with them and earned a B+. He would provide a big boost if he continues to provide secondary scoring this season, but even if he produces less offensively, his physicality and steady defensive play can make him a valuable player for New York.