Rangers Face Familiar Adversary in Jack Hughes as Season Starts

The New York Rangers, having started the season with a strong home record and a key divisional win, now turn their attention to another early-season challenge: the New Jersey Devils and their dynamic star, Jack Hughes.

Thursday's matchup presents an opportunity for the Rangers to address a persistent issue that has plagued them in recent seasons. Hughes, selected one pick before the Rangers drafted Kaapo Kakko in 2019, has been a significant offensive threat against New York, accumulating 35 points in 26 regular-season games. His speed and playmaking ability are particularly dangerous, according to Rangers coach Mike Sullivan, who coached Hughes previously with Team USA.

"His speed, his puck-handling ability, his playmaking ability — he’s a guy that plays in motion a lot," Sullivan said. "If Jack has the ability to play three-quarters of the ice, he’s really dangerous, and so I think we’ve gotta do our best to force him to play goal line to goal line and have to go through numbers to get through the scoring area because he’s a unique player in how he plays the game."

The Rangers have already demonstrated improvement this season, securing five consecutive home victories at Madison Square Garden after a difficult home campaign last year. They also secured a decisive win against the Islanders, reversing a trend from the previous season. As of Wednesday, the Rangers held 12 points, placing them second in the Eastern Conference, a notable improvement from recent struggles. In contrast, the Devils, despite having Hughes already tallying eight points in six games, were in 13th place in the conference.

The rivalry has seen its share of on-ice battles and off-ice taunts, with the Devils notably posting a social media message in December 2024 that included a GIF of a dumpster fire after a victory over the Rangers. Hughes, who also played a pivotal role in Team USA's Olympic gold medal victory, represents a significant hurdle for the Rangers as they aim to solidify their standing.

In other team news, the Rangers are continuing to evaluate their power-play unit, with Pavel Dorofeyev being moved to the bumper spot. Dorofeyev, acquired from the Golden Knights and signed to a substantial contract, has only one goal through the team's first eight games. Sullivan expressed confidence in Dorofeyev's scoring ability, stating the staff's goal is to maximize his talent.

The team also recalled Justin Dowling to center the fourth line, while assigning 20-year-old Cole Beaudoin to AHL Hartford for increased playing time. Beaudoin logged limited ice time in a recent game and is expected to see more minutes with the Wolf Pack.