New York Rangers Place Players on Waivers Ahead of Season Opener

The New York Rangers are gearing up for their season opener against the Boston Bruins. In preparation, they have placed several players on waivers, a necessary move for adjusting their roster.

PuckPedia reports that Urho Vaakanainen, Juuso Parssinen, Dennis Cholowski, and Justin Dowling are now on waivers. Among these, Urho Vaakanainen stands out. Last season, the 27-year-old defenseman appeared in 34 games for the Rangers, contributing six assists. Prior to that, in the 2024-25 season, he accumulated two goals, 16 points, and maintained a plus-8 rating over 51 games split between the Anaheim Ducks and the Rangers.

Juuso Parssinen played in 20 games for the Rangers last season, recording two goals, an assist, and a plus-4 rating. In the AHL, with the Hartford Wolf Pack, he scored five goals and seven points across 15 games during the 2025-26 season.

Dennis Cholowski, who had stints with the New Jersey Devils and the AHL’s Utica Comets last season, managed two assists in 17 games with the Devils. While with Utica, he achieved five assists.

Justin Dowling registered zero points in two NHL games last season with the Rangers, spending a majority of the season with the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL. There, he posted nine goals and 29 points in 46 games.

The waiver process now makes the future of these players with the Rangers uncertain. Observers will be keen to see if any of them will be claimed by other teams.