When the New York Rangers claimed winger Tye Kartye off the waiver wire last season, it was not expected to be a significant acquisition.

Kartye, 25, had played 180 games for the Seattle Kraken, contributing a modest 20 goals and 21 assists while averaging a modest 10:50 of ice time per game.

A Fresh Start With the Blueshirts

Once Kartye was claimed on waivers, he landed in a better opportunity with a Rangers team lacking forward depth.

In 24 games with the Rangers, Kartye played 14:04 per game and contribute five goals and nine assists. Ultimately, he finished with a career-high 22 points in 64 games.

That didn’t automatically pencil him into a prominent role for the 2026-2027 season. However, it was an indication that Tye Kartye could be more on Broadway than he was in Seattle.

Mike Sullivan Believes in Kartye

During training camp this season, Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan expressed his admiration for Kartye’s attitude. “He’s a great kid. He loves hockey and brings great energy to the rink. He’s an enthusiastic learner” Sullivan began. “I think all of those things are contagious.”

Sullivan continued, “For me, you can’t have enough of those guys, that love hockey, love to be here, that want to play, that want to get better. He just brings great energy.”

When the guy deciding on ice time has a favorable opinion of a player, it’s a good bet that he will play more.

Tye Kartye Takes the Next Step

Through 11 games this season, Tye Kartye is averaging 15:10 of ice time per game, contributing two goals and five assists.

As a player who has had to battle for everything in his career, Kartye is about more than points. His 26 hits rank second on the Rangers and he keeps the puck tends to move the right way when he’s on the ice.

While Kartye’s Corsi percentage is 48.7 this season, that ranks third among Rangers forwards. His most common linemates are J.T. Miller and newcomer Pavel Dorofeyev. That trio has controlled 66.1 percent of shot attempts and 69.6 percent of expected goals during 5-on-5 play.

That’s the kind of territorial dominance that a coach can’t afford to break up, which is good news for Kartye. He’s a player with a blue collar work ethic who is making the most of this opportunity.

Can it continue? Tye Kartye is a relative late bloomer who signed as an undrafted free agent out of the Ontario Hockey League. He steadily improved in his time with the Soo Greyhounds and after one season in the American Hockey League, Kartye joined the Kraken.

The Kraken didn’t see him as being more than a depth forward, but maybe the Rangers have discovered that Kartye has more to give. Kartye has earned this spot with his performance and deserves the opportunity to show what he can accomplish.