New York Rangers rookie right winger Jaroslav Chmelař is set to make his NHL debut on Friday night against the Detroit Red Wings, according to head coach Mike Sullivan.
The 22-year-old Chmelař was drafted by the Rangers in the fifth round, 144th overall in 2021.
Chmelař, a Czech native, played college hockey for the Providence Friars, and spent the last couple of seasons with the AHL's Hartford Wolfpack, New York's affiliate. In 87 AHL appearances, Chmelař put up 16 goals and 20 assists.
Internationally, Chmelař represented Czech at the World Junior Hockey Championships in 2022 and 2023.
Chmelař and the Rangers will look to make ground in the Metropolitan Division, where they are in a three-way tie for last.
32 Thoughts: The Podcast
Hockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.
Latest episode
