The Rangers’ third line has emerged as one of their most consistent units across their eight-game winning streak, and that led to some stability for third-line center Jonny Brodzinski.
The 30-year-old center — who has compiled four goals and 15 points since getting called up in late November — and the Blueshirts agreed to a two-year extension Wednesday that has an average annual value of $787,500 and is a one-way deal, The Post’s Mollie Walker reported.
It’s the fourth deal that Brodzinski has signed since joining the Blueshirts, which started with a pair of one-year deals in 2020 and 2021-22 before a two-year contract carried him through this season.
It didn’t lead to consistent ice time in the NHL at first, as he played in just 44 games with the Rangers across his first three seasons with the team, but Brodzinski became a key part of the Hartford Wolf Pack’s top lines and power-play unit, adding to an AHL career that has featured 331 games.
When the Rangers needed an extra forward, though, he became the name in the transaction log that consistently shuttled back and forth.
“You leave playing in the NHL, which sucks, but you go down [to the AHL] and you’re playing a full game,” Brodzinski told The Post after a practice earlier this month.
Recently, Brodzinski has skated alongside Kaapo Kakko and Will Cuylle on a third line that has produced 21 high-danger chances across their nine games together, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Brodzinski and Kakko both assisted on the Rangers’ first goal in their Stadium Series win Sunday, and Brodzinski has recorded six points — three goals, three assists — across the Rangers’ past eight games entering Thursday’s matchup with the Devils.
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Entering the trade deadline, center has emerged as a position of need for the Rangers, especially after Filip Chytil tried to return from a suspected concussion, suffered a setback and was ruled out for the rest of the season.
That led to consistent ice time for Brodzinski.
The third-line center job is his until an acquisition from general manager Chris Drury determined otherwise.
It doesn’t necessarily mean the Rangers still won’t look to add before their push for the postseason, but at the very least, Brodzinski turned that opportunity into a new contract.