The Rangers have already begun making cuts prior to the start of last nights game, sending the following to Hartford or their respective junior teams:
Jayden Grubbe
Ryder Korczak
Evan Vierling
Dylan Garand
Talyn Boyko
Alex Whelan
Michael O’Leary
Jake Elmer
Patrick Khodorenko
James Sanchez
Zach Berzolla
Hunter Skinner
Zach Giuttari
Not many surprises there.. Vierling is a guy I would’ve liked to see get a game in, however he did get banged up early in camp which certainly played a role in that decision. I would’ve liked to see Hunter Skinner get a game as well but it’s pretty clear what defensemen are going to make the team and he would’ve been a long shot regardless. As far as everyone else is concerned, Whelan, O’Leary, Erlmer, Khodorenko, Sanchez, Berzolla and Giuttari were all expected in Hartford this season. Ryder Korczak will benefit strongly from another year in juniors, as will Jayden Grubbe. Dylan Garand and Talyn Boyko looked solid in net and will look to have good seasons in junior.
Preseason Game 1 Recap
The New York Rangers fell to the New York Islanders in game one of preseason by a score of 4-0. Even in preseason, the Islanders picked right back up from where they left off as a defensive powerhouse and a team that’s going to give the Rangers for lack of a better word, hell this season. Nevertheless, it’s a preseason game. The first one at that, no reason to overreact or cause worry. For the Rangers, the sole highlight came in the performance of one of the lesser known offseason additions, Dryden Hunt. In an overall lackluster performance from the team, Hunt found a way to stand out and looked pretty darn good throughout the night. With him and his linemates from last night essentially competing for one or two spots potentially on the fourth line but likely as an extra forward, he gave the coaching staff a strong reason to consider him.
Nils Lundkvist looked as good as he could for the way the game went. Not a perfect showing but he definitely played like he could hang with the big guys in the NHL. I wouldn’t say that one game was enough to earn him a spot on the third pairing but as long as he continues to perform throughout preseason, he’s likely to land his spot on the third pairing with Nemeth. As for other rookies, Will Cuylee looked pretty solid as well. Had a couple chances with the puck, was able to hold his own, playing the body and as a result, earned another look.
Prior to today’s skate, the Rangers announced they were sending Matthew Rempe back to junior and Karl Henriksson back to the Swedish league. I thought Rempe had a pretty good game against the Isles, his size is no question enough for him to stand out but it’s clear he still has plenty of developing to do. Karl Henriksson had moments in yesterday’s game, however will benefit from another season in the SHL.
Game 2 Preview
Tomorrow, the Rangers will host the Boston Bruins and it’s likely we’ll see twenty different players take the ice. As far as line combinations go, this is what they were looking like in practice today so expect the first four forward lines, as well as top six defenders listed below:
Panarin - Strome - Kakko
Blais - Rooney - Reaves
Othmann - McKegg - Pajuniemi
Gettinger - Richards - Brodzinski
Geertsen - Fritz - Rueschhoff
Miller - Trouba
Jones - Schneider
Reunanen - Hajek
Robertson
Sheshterkin - Wall
Lots to break down here, The Panarin/Strome/Kakko line will certainly be the most exciting one to keep an eye on. The chemistry Strome and Panarin have is quite obvious and it’ll be interesting to see what a stronger, more developed Kaapo Kakko looks like on that line. As for the second line, Blais/Rooney/Reaves are the favorite for the fourth line right now. However, they’re going to have to earn their keep as guys like Dryden Hunt are already working hard trying to take their job. Brennan Othmann, who was drafted earlier than projected by the Rangers, will get his first crack at competing in an NHL caliber game and will be a guy to keep your eye on. Lauri Pajuniemi is another highly praised prospect who will be one to look for and it’ll be interesting to see how the two young wingers do with the gritty veteran Greg McKegg in the middle.
Lastly, Gettinger/Richards/Brodzinski were all call up options for the Rangers last season. Gettinger is no stranger to Rangers development camps, as he’s been around for a couple of seasons now. This could very likely be his last chance to prove himself to the organization so look for him to play with some urgency. Richards and Brodzinski are both guys the Rangers like, Richards was praised a lot last season and Brodzinski played well enough to earn an extension. While all three are longshots to make the team, they’re likely playing to prove themselves deserving of that first call up when injuries come around.
As for the defenders, Trouba and Miller are a given, likely the top pair behind Fox and Lindgren. Schneider/Jones have the potential to be one of the best D pairs in the AHL next season unless of course one of them impresses enough to take the third pair role over Nils Lundkvist. Tarmo Reunanen who was once upon a time a real promising defense prospect is starting to get pushed further and further down the depth charts by the likes of Jones, Lundkvist, Schenider and several others. He played a game or two in the NHL last season but will have to really impress during preseason if he wants to keep his name in the discussion. Same could be said for Libor Hajek who was brought back on a one year deal and is approaching what could be his make or break year. Not just with the Rangers, but for his career.
There’s a chance the Rangers swap one of those guys out for Matthew Robertson, however he was also battling injury heading into camp so I wouldn’t be surprised if they hold him out for another night or two. Expect Sheshterkin and Wall to split the night similarly to how Georgiev and Huska split Sunday night. Hopefully the Rangers can find the net in this one and we can get some excitement from guys like Ryan Reaves to spark some life following the disappointment effort against the Isles.
Chris Feldman
Comments