Tye Kartye, claimed off waivers by the Rangers late last season, is making the most of his expanded ice time and contributing significantly to the team’s performance. The 25-year-old winger logged a career-high 20:06 of ice time and scored the go-ahead goal with less than five minutes remaining in the Rangers' recent 3-2 victory over the Flyers.
“I couldn’t be happier for him. He’s a great kid, and he loves hockey,” Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. “He competes hard. He works at his game every day. He’s a relentless worker. He’s just a great teammate, I think. Ever since we picked him up and he joined our team, he’s just fit in with our group. I think he’s getting better and better.”
Sullivan highlighted Kartye's contributions beyond scoring, noting his effectiveness on the penalty kill, his puck-pursuit game, skating, and defensive conscientiousness. “He brings so many intangibles, he’s good on the penalty kill, his puck-pursuit game, he skates, he hunts pucks. And he’s conscientious defensively. He’s been a great fit for our group. I think he thrives in the game that we’re trying to play,” the coach added.
Since being claimed from the Kraken on February 27, Kartye has recorded 10 goals and 26 points in 41 appearances for the Blueshirts. This season, he has accumulated 5 goals, 7 assists, and 12 points in the Rangers' 9-7-1 start. This production surpasses his previous career high of 22 points in over three seasons with Seattle.
Kartye, who signed with Seattle in 2022 after going undrafted out of junior hockey, is currently playing on the left side of the Rangers' second line with captain J.T. Miller and Gabe Perreault. He is also a regular on the team’s penalty kill and has recently been promoted to the second power-play unit.
“I can’t say enough about him, he’s making contributions in a ton of different ways,” Miller said. “I feel like he made his way by being a good forechecker, and now he’s a heck of a hockey player, and he’s getting rewarded.”
Kartye's recent increased ice time, exceeding 20 minutes in each of the past two games, marks a career first. Sullivan believes Kartye’s high motor and ability to recover well allow him to handle increased minutes, though he noted that playing over 20 minutes consistently might not be the long-term plan.
Sullivan also commented on the chemistry between Kartye and Miller, noting that Kartye’s speed and forechecking ability create turnovers and loose pucks that benefit their line. He praised Miller’s puck-possession game below the hash marks and at the net front, adding that their line often plays against opposing teams' top players and controls play.
