NY Rangers Place Injured Center Joe Veleno on IR

Sep 24, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers forward Joe Veleno (90) during the game against the New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

NY Rangers Place Injured Center Joe Veleno on IR

Originally posted on New York Rangers On SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Oct 6, 2026 12:48 PM ET

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The New York Rangers are off to a great start to the season, but recent news regarding an injured player is not ideal.

Through four games, the Rangers have gotten off to a nice start with a 3-1 record. This was a team that really struggled to start the campaign last year, and getting off to a good beginning to the season was important.

As the team prepares to face the New York Islanders on Tuesday, they have a three-game winning streak and have also won both of their games at home.

The new additions for the Rangers have really made a positive impact for the team, and some of the players on the team last year have seemingly gelled with them nicely. On all cylinders, the Rangers are playing good hockey.

However, in their recent win, they did see center Joe Veleno leave the game early and not return. As the fourth-line center, he plays an important role on the team, and the recent update is not ideal.

Per Mollie Walker, the Rangers have placed Veleno on the IR, and this is a major blow for the team.

Center Depth is Lacking

#NYR Joe Veleno has been placed on IR, per NHL media site.
— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) October 6, 2026

Coming into the year, the Rangers knew that the center position was not a strength of the organization. Veleno was a nice signing this offseason to provide them with a solid fourth-line player, and the results have been good.

However, very early on in the game against the Utah Mammoth on Sunday, Veleno suffered a lower-body injury and had a hard time making it back to the bench.

During the first break, he had to be helped off the bench and into the dressing room. This was a clear indication that he was in a ton of pain, and as expected, he did not return.

Joe Veleno in a ton of pain and being helped back to the locker room #NYR
— Nick Ziegler (@NickZiegler20) October 4, 2026

Now, it will be interesting to see what the plan is going to be for the Rangers. Cole Beaudoin, who has looked good in the AHL so far, could be an option for the team. He was part of the Vincent Trocheck deal and is arguably the best prospect for the team at the position.

Other options that the team could use are Dylan Roobroeck, Justin Dowling, Glenn Gawdin and Juuso Pärssinen.

Head coach Mike Sullivan did a great job making the early adjustments in the game against the Mammoth after losing Veleno. Now, he will be tasked with trying to find out the best option to replace him for the time being.

This article first appeared on New York Rangers On SI and was syndicated with permission.

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