From New York Rangers On SI · · 2m
Why Luke Glendening Fits NY Rangers
Rangers sign Luke Glendening to fill center depth gap after Veleno injury.
In brief
Rangers sign Luke Glendening to fill center depth gap after Veleno injury. New York Rangers signed Luke Glendening to a professional tryout contract to replace injured Joe Veleno, who missed three months with a lower-body injury. Originally reported by New York Rangers On SI.
Rangers facing injury challenges
The New York Rangers have been dealing with a lot of injuries this season, with their depth being challenged in several areas.
Goaltending depth issues
Igor Shesterkin and Joonas Korpisalo, their No.1 and No.2 goalies coming into the season, are both on the IR.Korpisalo is expected back in a few weeks, but Shesterkin will miss the remainder of the season.
Joe Veleno's injury
The Rangers lost their No. 4 center Joe Veleno to a lower-body injury on Oct. 4, expected to sideline him for about three months.
Coaching response to injury
Head coach Mike Sullivan has been cycling through three lines since Veleno went down, using Cole Beaudoin and Justin Dowling as the No. 4 center.
Luke Glendening signed
The team brought in Luke Glendening, who agreed to a professional tryout contract, to fill the center depth gap.
Glendening's skill set
Glendening has a perfect skill set for the Rangers lineup, including reliable penalty killing, faceoff wins, and skating speed.
Glendening's faceoff success
In his career, Glendening has won 55.6% of faceoffs, making him a strong option for the Rangers' penalty killing.
Glendening's speed
Glendening ranks in the 92nd percentile for max skating speed, helping replicate the speed element Veleno provided.
Glendening's scoring
Glendening has a career-high of only 23 points from the 2018-19 campaign, with single-digit scoring seasons in three out of the last four seasons.
Coach Sullivan's view
Sullivan said Glendening is a reliable, conscientious player with a significant body of work in the league.
Glendening's role
Glendening fills the role of a No. 4 center, providing the team with the speed and reliability needed for the bottom-six lineup.
The takeaway
New York Rangers signed Luke Glendening to a professional tryout contract to replace injured Joe Veleno, who missed three months with a lower-body injury.
