Rangers’ Jaroslav Chmelar drops the gloves in thrilling NHL debut

DETROIT — Jaroslav Chmelar has had a week he will never forget. 

After earning his first recall to the Rangers on Sunday, the 22-year-old Czech forward practiced with the team before serving as a healthy scratch in the club’s shutout loss to the Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. 

During intermission at MSG, Chmelar was introduced to his childhood idol and compatriot, Jaromir Jagr. 

And on Friday night against the Red Wings, the 144th pick in 2021 not only made his NHL debut, but also dropped the gloves for his first NHL fight. 

“I don’t even know what to say,” Chmelar said with an outstretched smile before the Rangers beat the Red Wings 4-1 at Little Caesars Arena. “It’s unbelievable. I did not expect it. It’s just like, I try to put everything on the line every game, and now, I’m here. Looking around at the guys I’m in a locker room with it’s just — I can’t express it.” 

Chmelar was on the phone with his girlfriend when assistant general manager Ryan Martin called him with the news. At first he was shaking, but then the excitement set in and he immediately called his family. 

The Rangers were impressed with Chmelar’s start to the season, over which he worked his way up from the fourth line to the top unit. Chmelar said he just tried to buy into his identity as a 6-foot-4, 226-pound skater, being a heavy body on the forecheck and getting pucks to the net. 

It all earned Chmelar a recall, which landed the young wing in the Garden on the same night as the player he grew up watching. 

“That was probably the best hockey talk I have had in my life,” he said of the exchange with Jagr. “So it was pretty cool.” 

With two goals and three assists for five points in nine games for the Wolf Pack, Chmelar is projected to skate on the right wing of the Rangers’ fourth line next to Juuso Parssinen and Sam Carrick. 

Dropping the gloves with Travis Hamonic in the third period, Chmelar finished with 6:27 of ice time in the victory. 

“He really looked like he knew what he was doing, I’ll tell you that,” Sullivan said of Chmelar after the game. “He’s a great kid, first and foremost. His enthusiasm was awesome. The team was feeding off it. He’s a really likable kid. I think his energy is so great. I believe his parents are here, which is awesome, to see his first NHL game. And then to get in a fight like he did in his first NHL game, he’ll remember that for a long time.” 

As a result of Chmelar making his NHL debut, Adam Edstrom was the odd man out of the Rangers lineup Friday. 

“The biggest thing with Eddie is he’s dealing with some bumps and bruises right now,” Sullivan said. “And I just think, given the circumstance that we’re in, might give Eddie an opportunity to recover. But also a guy like Jaro that’s played extremely well in Hartford, we’ll give him an opportunity to see if he can help us.” 

Urho Vaakanainen is still day to day with a lower-body injury and missed his second straight game. Matthew Robertson remained in the lineup in the Finn’s place. 

Vincent Trocheck, who is still on long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury, continues to skate with the team as he nears a return to the lineup.