Taylor Raddysh will miss the next two Rangers games after his father Dwayne died of pancreatic cancer, and the team continues to struggle with special teams while making roster adjustments.
The New York Rangers will be without forward Taylor Raddysh for the next two contests as he attends his father’s funeral. Dwayne Raddysh, 64, passed away on Tuesday after a battle with pancreatic cancer, the same day the Rangers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4‑2.
Raddysh’s situation carries extra weight because he spoke openly about his father’s health just months ago. In December, he told reporters that Dwayne had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in May and received a grim prognosis of four to six months to live.NY Post “He’s meant everything to me and my brother,” Raddysh said, describing a father who never played organized hockey but worked tirelessly to drive his sons to practices that often lasted until 9 p.m.
Darren Raddysh, Taylor’s older brother, is a defenseman for the Tampa Bay Lightning, linking the family to another NHL franchise. The elder Raddysh previously spent parts of three seasons with AHL Hartford, but it was their father’s self‑less dedication—holding a 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. job while shuttling both boys to hockey—that enabled both sons to reach the highest level of the sport.
In a moving show ofteam unity, defenseman Adam Fox awarded Raddysh the “Broadway Hat” in the locker room after Tuesday’s win. The Broadway Hat is a Rangers tradition in which the player who makes the most memorable play receives a distinctive fedora. “Obviously the last couple days have not been easy for me and my family,” Raddysh said in a video posted by the team, “but just want to thank you guys for all the help over the last couple days and I know my dad’s proud of that one tonight.”
While the franchise rallied around Raddysh, the loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday exposed severe special‑team deficiencies. Head coach Mike Sullivan did not mince words in his post‑game news conference, stating that the penalty kill (ranked 21st in the league at 78 percent) and an anemic power play (0‑for‑4) squandered momentum.
“I thought we lost a lot of juice with our special teams—both the power play and the penalty kill,” Sullivan said. “The power play was slow, deliberate. We refused to shoot the puck. We wanted to pass it in the net, and our penalty kill didn’t get the job done. They gained a ton of momentum from both their penalty kill and their power play.… A big part of the game is momentum, and we didn’t get any juice from our special teams today. For me, that was the difference.”
- The Rangers’ penalty kill ranks 21st out of 32 teams at 78 percent, well below the league average.
- The power play’s hesitancy to shoot has led to missed opportunities and stalled offensive flow.
- Sullivan’s public criticism signals an urgent need for corrections ahead of the playoff push.
To reinforce depth during Raddysh’s absence, the Rangers recalled forward Brendan Brisson from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. Additionally, Tye Kartye, claimed off waivers last month, recorded his first point as a Ranger by assisting on Vladislav Gavrikov’s goal against the Devils. Aidan Thompson, a 24‑year‑old forward acquired from Chicago in exchange for AHL defenseman Derrick Pouliot, tallied two assists in his Wolf Pack debut.
Raddysh has appeared in 59 games during his first season with New York, providing steady depth on the third line. His two‑game hiatus will test the team’s resilience both emotionally and on the ice, particularly as the Rangers continue battling for a playoff spot.
The Road Ahead for New York
Balancing empathy with performance is a classic challenge in professional sports. The Broadway Hat tribute and Sullivan’s candid remarks illustrate a franchise that recognizes both the human and competitive sides of the game. However, without swift improvement in special teams—especially a penalty kill that has proven porous—the Rangers risk forfeiting the momentum they’ll need in the final stretch.
The next two games without Taylor Raddysh will force other depth players to step up. Whether Brendan Brisson or Tye Kartye can fill the void remains to be seen, but the Rangers’ response to adversity will define their season’s conclusion.
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