Jonny Brodzinski’s Rangers career is likely coming to an end, and though he wasn’t a spectacular Ranger, he was a good soldier who did his job well. Brodzinski’s 6 goals and 16 points in 55 games last season was surprisingly solid given how poor the Rangers were at generating offense and Brodzinski’s role as a fourth line forward. The former captain of the Hartford Wolf Pack, Jonny Brodzinski had a greater impact off the ice than on the ice, as any kid coming through the system can tell you.
On the ice, Jonny Brodzinski played 100+ minutes with a whopping 11 Rangers skaters, five of them forwards (Noah Laba, Sam Carrick, Taylor Raddysh, Vincent Trocheck, and Will Cuylle). Brodzinski did everything asked of him, playing up in the lineup and not drowning, playing down in the lineup and leading by example, or simply being a healthy scratch and keeping a good attitude. He did everything the Rangers asked, and more.
That said, it’s clear Brodzinski’s best days are behind him. The now 33 year old center isn’t necessarily declining, but he’s becoming more of a 13F/14F after strong 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 campaigns. That’s just how it goes with most NHL players. Given the dearth of centers in free agency, some team is going to give Brodzinski a decent contract, something the Rangers simply don’t need and shouldn’t pay. That’s fine, again that’s how things go.
Brodzinski’s best work was off the ice as a mentor to all the kids from Hartford coming through the system. Almost every prospect that came through the system with him as their captain had nothing but great things to say about their former captain. His role was simple: Help the kids adjust to pro hockey life while being a net-neutral player on the ice. The latter part faded this past season, but he still helped the kids adjust. He’s a big reason why players like Adam Sykora, Dylan Garand, and Jaro Chmelar were able to step in almost seamlessly at the end of last season.
2025-2026 Jonny Brodzinski report card grade: B-
More About:Players