Edstrom Makes Rangers Roster

Posted on October 7, 2024 by Derek

Nothing is official yet. But it looks like Adam Edstrom will start the year with the New York Rangers.

A 2019 sixth round pick, the 23-year-old forward had a strong training camp. Most notably, he scored a few goals while fitting in well on the fourth line. Last season, Edstrom appeared in 11 games for the Rangers, recording the first two goals of his NHL career.

A good skater for his size, the six-foot seven, 234-pound center was featured with Matt Rempe on the fourth line. They meshed well with former Blueshirt Barclay Goodrow to create an effective energy line. Now, it appears that Edstrom is ready to become a full-time player. His unique combination of size, skating, and touch should be an asset for a team that doesn’t have many skaters who bring that element. It was Edstrom who stood out most among the new young faces.

Blueshirts Make Cap Moves

On Monday, the Blueshirts made cap moves. In an effort to get an extra day of accrual, they assigned Edstrom, Will Cuylle, Brett Berard, and Victor Mancini to the Hartford Wolf Pack. The majority will be back on Wednesday for the season opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Only Berard is expected to remain in Hartford.

As USA Today Sports reporter Vince Mercogliano noted in a previous tweet, the Rangers placed Jimmy Vesey on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). That means he will miss at least the first 10 games of the season. In doing so, it allows them to carry 13 forwards and seven defensemen.

Ryan Lindgren was put on regular injured reserve. He will miss at least seven days and still count against the cap. After they visit Pittsburgh, the Rangers will host the Utah Hockey Club and Detroit Red Wings. Lindgren won’t play any of the the first three. He’ll become eligible for the Rangers’ fourth game when they take on the Red Wings on Oct. 17.

Mancini Will Debut on Blue Line

As he displayed throughout preseason, Mancini proved that he belongs with the Rangers. With Lindgren out, a spot opened up on the back end. It was the steady play of the 2022 fifth round pick that stood out. He outplayed veterans Ben Harpur and Connor Mackey to earn it.

Mancini will make his NHL debut on the Rangers blue line. During a recent practice, he took rushes with Zac Jones. That’s how they could line up on Wednesday, Oct. 9. If they do, the 22-year-old from Saginaw, Michigan will play on the third pair. That was a long shot when camp opened.

Chad Ruhwedel would be the extra defenseman. A role he handled well following coming over from the Penguins. He’s a solid depth player who brings experience.

Panarin Declares Himself Ready

Artemi Panarin declared himself ready. Despite the Rangers pulling him from two preseason games due to a lower-body injury, Panarin will be in the lineup for their first game against the Pens.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Rangers’ top offensive player looks. Will there be any rust? Coming off an MVP caliber season in which he set personal bests in goals (49), assists (71), points (120), power-play goals (11), and shots-on-goal (303), what can the 32-year-old Russian dynamo do for an encore?

Panarin will be in his usual spot on the left wing with line mates Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere. They had terrific chemistry last season – carrying the offense at five-on-five. One of the league’s best scoring lines, it’s Year 2. Panarin is the straw that stirs the drink. But both Trocheck and Lafreniere are coming off career years. They’ll be the focus.

Miller on Second Power Play Unit

At practice, K’Andre Miller was on the second power play unit. It’s a role he doesn’t have a lot of experience in. One-half of the Rangers’ shutdown defensive pair, Miller usually logs a ton of shifts at even strength against opponents’ best lines. He also doubles on the penalty kill.

Now, he’s being asked by Rangers coach Peter Laviolette to man the point on the second power play. At least for now, it’ll feature Miller, Lafreniere, Filip Chytil, Reilly Smith, and Kaapo Kakko. The hope is that they’ll contribute enough to become a good option. In recent memory, the Blueshirts have relied heavily on the top unit that includes Panarin, Adam Fox, Chris Kreider, Trocheck, and Mika Zibanejad.

If Miller struggles, Jones could replace him. He’s a player with good wheels and offensive instincts.

Othmann Assigned to Hartford

As expected, Brennan Othmann was assigned to Hartford over the weekend. He played in all six exhibition games. However, he never showed enough consistency to seriously be considered.

Had he performed well, where would he have played? They brought in Smith for the first line. Kakko was brought back on a one-year deal worth $2.4 million. There wasn’t a top nine role available. At 21, Othmann is still learning. There’s still a lot of room for growth. It’s better for his development to play top line minutes with the Wolf Pack.

Is it disappointing that he’s not further along? No. Not every first round pick is ready right away. Things can always change. Much depends on how Kakko starts. However, Othmann won’t be the first player recalled. Instead, it’ll be Berard, who impressed Laviolette during camp.

Berard will be someone to follow during the season. He brings a lot of energy and can play in any role, including the penalty kill. He’s a year older than Othmann. Having experience at Providence College helped prepare him for the pro style.

Games Return on Tuesday

On Tuesday, games return. Unlike the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres, who already started their seasons with a two-game series in Prague over last weekend, the rest of the league will finally get going this week.

There will be six teams in action tomorrow. The Seattle Kraken will host the Saint Louis Blues at 4:30 EST. The Chicago Blackhawks begin their season by visiting the Utah Hockey Club at 10 EST. That should be exciting. Connor Bedard begins his second year. Utah has a promising roster full of young talent capable of reaching the playoffs.

The Boston Bruins are supposed to visit the defending champion Florida Panthers at 7 EST. However, it’s likely to be postponed due to Hurricane Milton. It’s expected to be a category 5. Please keep all the Florida residents in your thoughts.

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Devils take both overseas games with back-to-back dominant performances

Posted on October 6, 2024 by hasan4978

Ever since this cross-continent beginning of the season was announced, with the fact Lindy Ruff was named coach of the Sabres just days after the 2023-24 season, I was a bit anxious about having to play two games with them right off the bat. Clearly the nightmare scenario was to lose them both and get trolled with the fans (including me) being restless at the home opener on Thursday, while the boring scenario would have been a split – and of course the dream scenario was obviously to win both and take a big step toward burying the disappointment and bad feelings from last season.

Thankfully for my sanity, it was the latter – and to be honest neither game was really that stressful. True, the Devils fell behind in the second period of the Saturday game and were still tied after two before breaking loose with two third-period goals to cement the sweep, but a bit of the pressure had been taken off after the 4-1 romp in the Friday opener anyway. Perhaps the best sign from the weekend was the fact the Devils themselves certainly weren’t satisfied with a split though.

Certainly this team lacked a business-like approach last year when they lost to bad teams frequently and couldn’t put any sustained winning streaks together. And while they didn’t win by as many Saturday, they did play better from start to finish – but let’s start with Friday’s game first. One of the main themes of opening…afternoon was the fact a lot of the new guys made immediate contributions. Start with Jacob Markstrom in goal, as he made 30 saves including some key ones in the first period, including this highlight-reel one on Nicholas Aube-Kubel:

While anyone can make a highlight reel save, sometimes it’s about just not allowing the back-breaking soft goals to get past which was more the problem with our goaltending last season – and really throughout the whole Tom Fitzgerald era other than 2022-23 where they magically got good goaltending from a now-journeyman vet (Vitek Vanecek) and a raw rookie (Akira Schmid). Markstrom couldn’t be faulted on the only goal he allowed to Owen Power in the third period after a rebound and quick feed by Jason Zucker from behind the net, and he kept the door shut after that.

Of course, Markstrom was far from the only newcomer to make his mark on the opener – although you wouldn’t entirely call Stefan Noesen a newcomer, it was his first game back in a Devils uniform since 2019 – either way Noesen certainly made his presence felt by doing what he does, getting to the net and scoring off a feed from actual newcomer Johnathan Kovacevic, who also made a nice play to keep the puck in and find a wide open Noesen to open the scoring at 8:39. Kovacevic, not known for his scoring touch kept up a breakout first period by firing a seeing-eye wrister through traffic and getting his first goal as a Devil at 15:38, with assists going to d-partner Jonas Siegenthaler and Dawson Mercer. While he’s only been here a short time, clearly the kid is well-liked in the locker room as evidenced by his quasi-tongue in cheek nickname of Kovechkin in the first video clip above. At least for one period he did play up to that amalgamation.

After playing a fairly good opening twenty minutes, the Devils pressed their advantage – and it paid off with an early second-period goal to extend the lead with an unlikely line combination. Another fellow newcomer, Paul Cotter took a hard shot from the point that was saved, but Nathan Bastian corraled the loose puck and found a wide-open Nico Hischier in front at 3:29 of the second to give the Devils what proved to be an insurmountable 3-0 lead.

Admittedly some of that feeling was colored by the fact that while I had DVR’ed this game and stayed away from the result, I couldn’t resist the temptation to look up the final score once it got to this point in the game, wanting to immediately know if I was now going to be in for angst. Thankfully the answer was no, but from about that point on in the game really the action tapered off as the Devils played more conservatively – not allowing great chances but certainly not taking the play as much to Buffalo. Power’s goal at 10:07 of the third spoiled the shutout and I’m sure would have raised my eyebrows had I been watching without knowledge of how the game ended up, but to be fair there wasn’t much in the Devils’ play that would have made me too nervous anyway. Sure enough, they would seal the result for good when Bastian and Cotter shockingly combined for another goal at 17:28, albeit an empty netter that gave Cotter his first in a Devil uniform.

If you’re counting, that’s three new additions who scored three of the four goals, along with Markstrom being the winning goalie with thirty saves. Despite the Sabres outshooting the Devils 31-23, you never really felt too ill at ease after the first period. Sometimes the xG and ‘deserve to win meter’ which is popular among the kids doesn’t really tell the whole story. We did dominate both in the second game yesterday morning though, outshooting Buffalo 37-18 in more of a command performance despite not having forward Ondrej Palat who missed the latter game due to his wife giving birth to their second child. Our faceoff percentage even improved dramatically from 42.4% on Friday to 64.7% yesterday.

And yet…after a scoreless first period it was the Sabres who struck first in Game 2, literally moments after Jack Hughes was stopped on a two-on-one, it was Tage Thompson who scored on the other end after a net-mouth scramble for a loose puck at 8:18. As annoying as that was, like I said some of the pressure had been taken off winning the first game, and with the way they were playing I figured the game wasn’t going to end 1-0 or even 2-0. Sure enough just three minutes later we answered back with another quasi-new acquisition doing the honors. Obviously rookie Seamus Casey has been in our system since being drafted, but he’d only made his NHL debut the afternoon before and it only took him two games to score his first NHL goal, firing a pinpoint shot through traffic on a power play at 11:59, with Noesen and Erik Haula getting the assists on the rook’s milestone goal.

If there was one concern throughout the first five periods of the season, it was the lack of offense from key forwards Hughes, Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier with all starting on a line together. When the game was on the line in the third period though, that changed quickly – albeit with some help from an ‘outside’ source, as Jack double-shifted on the fourth line and found an open Cotter, who beat goaltender Devon Levi with a nice move to give the Devils the lead at 7:18, and himself a second goal in two games. For the coup de grace, it was the whole first line that got into the act with Jack springing Bratt on an outlet, and Bratt’s wraparound attempt got Levi completely out of position for the rebound, which Meier banged home at 14:14.

Oh and while he didn’t have as much to do as Markstrom did the day before, Jake Allen also gave the Devils what they needed out of him – a solid backup performance with seventeen saves and also not allowing any shady goals. Solid goaltending, solid D, role players and stars all contributing? You really couldn’t have asked much more out of this weekend with two statement games and almost everyone getting in the act with no real injuries to speak of, in fact the Devils expect to have another newcomer join the lineup Thursday with Brett Pesce likely drawing in on defense. For who remains a question since everyone, especially the two likely #6 and #7 options in Kovacevic and Casey both played very well in Prague. Of course, as talented as the Sabres can be it’ll be a step up in class when we play the Leafs on Thursday for the real home opener.

Speaking of newcomers I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the ‘impact’ Brendan Dillon had early in the second game, laying out the kind of hit you haven’t really seen from a Devils defenseman since maybe Anton Volchenkov? I don’t even remember Volchenkov doing this a lot as a Devil tbh:

Not that it had any real tangible impact in the game (other than the borderline two minute penalty Dillon got for interference), but it’s the intangible impact that’s key here. For too long our defense has been quick but small, with no real physical presence at all. Bringing in the veteran Dillon was one of the new instruments Fitzy brought in to make this group closer to an orchestra than they’ve been in recent years.

Still, it’s early and bigger tests remain. At least they took a couple of steps toward putting last year in the rear view mirror now…sorry Lindy?

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Rangers Defense Gets Exposed Without Lindgren In Preseason Finale

Posted on October 4, 2024 by Derek

In what amounted to the final tuneup before the regular season, the New York Rangers were outclassed by the New York Islanders in an ugly 5-2 preseason loss in Elmont, New York.

Facing a full Islanders lineup, the Rangers were outplayed by a significant margin. The only player who showed up was Igor Shesterkin. If not for his goaltending in the first two periods, things could’ve been even worse. He made some great saves to keep his team in it headed to the third. But it didn’t matter. Eventually, the Islanders got two more goals to win handily. They erased an early two-goal deficit.

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette inserted forgotten defenseman Matthew Robertson for the preseason finale. An injury early in training camp limited him to one full game. He got hurt in a previous appearance, which didn’t help his chances of making the roster. In 19 shifts that totaled 14:18 of ice time, he was up and down like the rest of the defense, which got exposed without injured starter Ryan Lindgren.

In desperate search for an answer to finding a suitable partner for Adam Fox, Laviolette tried both K’Andre Miller and then Braden Schneider. At least Miller looked like he’d played with Fox before. In the third, Schneider looked lost playing a different side. It was a failed experiment. Fortunately, we won’t have to see that pair from hell again. Speaking of which, Miller was back with Jacob Trouba for the last 20 minutes. He looked better with Fox, helping set up the Rangers’ only two goals.

With less than a week until the opening game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, it doesn’t look like Laviolette has a solution to the Lindgren problem. If he’s out for a while, there isn’t an ideal fit to play with Fox. If he wants to go with skill, then Miller can work. They certainly play well off one another and control play in the offensive zone. Defensively, that could be an adventure. Fox needs a more physical partner to be consistent in his end. Unless they decide to stick Connor Mackey on the first pair, that’s out. The only other option is veteran Chad Ruhwedel. But he’s better suited for a third pair role. He’s basically a depth defenseman who can fill in.

Both Mackey and Victor Mancini sat out. The organization will make a decision soon. If they wanted to get an idea of how weak the defense is, it was on full display on Friday night. Nobody played well. The Islanders skated circles around them. That included the forwards, who didn’t establish much at even strength. They were busy turning over pucks and being spectators.

Brodzinski and Fox Get On The Board

Despite the Islanders dictating play, they couldn’t beat Shesterkin early on. He made a lunging save from the seat of his pants to take away a sure goal. With the Rangers’ goalie taking care of business on one end, that allowed them to surprise Semyon Varlamov with two fluky goals.

Matt Rempe helped create the first one. While Fox and Miller combined to find Johnny Brodzinski for an innocent looking shot in the slot, Rempe was parked directly in front of Varlamov. He couldn’t see a thing. Brodzinski’s shot took a crazy hop in the air and somehow went in to give the Rangers the lead.

A couple of minutes later, Fox took a Miller feed up up top and threw the puck towards the net for Filip Chytil. Instead, it banked in off Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Offensively, Fox had a goal and assist. It was a rough go defensively later in the contest.

Horvat Scores on Power Play

With less than three minutes left in the first, Sam Carrick was called for cross-checking Noah Dobson. That put the Islanders on the power play. Bo Horvat scored a power play goal.

On the play, KHL import Maxim Tsyplakov made a good read after moving the puck down low to Mat Barzal. He immediately drove to the net to screen Shesterkin. Barzal found Horvat open for a one-timer in the slot that cut it to 2-1.

Strong Isles’ Second Ties it Up

In the first part of the second period, the play was pretty even. However, Robertson cross-checked Oliver Wahlstrom. The Rangers had a strong penalty kill. Following it, the Islanders grabbed the momentum from the power play. It became lopsided in their favor. A strong second allowed them to tie it up.

While the Blueshirts had all kinds of problems holding onto pucks, the Islanders swarmed them with a relentless attack. In particular, Barzal and Horvat dominated shifts at five-on-five. Playing alongside Anthony Duclair, they were dangerous throughout the game.

On some extended time in the offensive zone, Barzal used his speed to turn around Miller and Matt Rempe. When he got behind the net, the Rangers were running around. Barzal patiently waited to make a nice pass for an easy Horvat one-timer into an open net with Shesterkin out of position. That evened the score.

It was Rempe’s responsibility to stick with Horvat. Initially, he made a good switch. However, he allowed Horvat to drift into open space for the easy finish. Both Miller and Trouba were on for the goal against.

With less than a minute remaining in the period, Will Cuylle held Noah Dobson. That gave the Islanders another power play. Once again, Barzal made them pay. Duclair and he worked the puck behind the net to Tsyplakov. He wisely sent the puck off Miller and past Shesterkin to give the Islanders their first lead.

Barzal Caps A Big Night

Barzal capped a big night late in the third period. He scored on a breakaway and then set up Duclair. He recorded a goal and four assists for a five-point night. He and Duclair look to have good chemistry with Horvat. That could be a potent scoring line.

If Tsyplakov looks as capable as he does, then the Islanders could have an improved offense. Especially with Brock Nelson centering the second line. If you had one takeaway, they looked ready for the start of the season.

Disappointing Finish

The Rangers didn’t. They looked disjointed. There was hardly any sustained pressure. No line looked good. Rempe had a bad game. He looked slow and was sloppy defensively. Zibanejad did absolutely nothing. Has anyone seen Reilly Smith? Brennan Othmann played in place of Artemi Panarin. Even that line with Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere didn’t establish much.

Laviolette never tried anything different with the power play, either. Othmann couldn’t even get a shift on a five-on-four. Was it that important to play Brodzinski on the second unit? Even Cuylle would’ve been better.

It would be nice if there was some creativity. But we know there isn’t any room for Othmann or Brett Berard. Mancini is the best option to start in the top six. He won’t. He’ll be sent down. This is how the organization operates.

Having seen how out of sorts they looked without three regulars, maybe they won’t be great. We’ll see what happens once things get rolling.

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Mancini Makes A Case To Stay

Posted on October 2, 2024 by Derek

In the second game of a home and home preseason series between Hudson rivals, the New York Rangers defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-4 at The Garden. After falling to the Devils 3-1 due in large part to Jeremy Brodeur (29 saves), the Rangers iced more of their starting lineup at home.

That included Victor Mancini and Connor Mackey. Both defensemen are fighting for a spot on the roster. Each made a case to stay on Tuesday night. In the win, Mancini and Mackey scored goals to improve their chances of making it.

Late in the second period, with the game tied, Mancini took a feed from Bo Grouix at the top and then skated into open space and fired a wrist shot from the right circle that beat Devils goalie Isaac Poulter to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead.

In 18:25 of ice time, Mancini had a goal and finished with a plus-2 rating. For a player who doesn’t have much pro experience, he’s continued to look good during training camp. He looks very poised and under control. His skating certainly is an asset. Maybe the Rangers might have something in the 22-year-old 2022 second round pick. At the very least, he’s making it hard on the organization. If they decide to send him down to the Hartford Wolf Pack, it’ll be so he can get more acclimated with the pro style game.

Mackey Helps Himself

A player who’s also competing for a roster spot on the Rangers blue line is Mackey. An older defenseman with valuable experience, he’s been busy during preseason. He had his third fight last night when he dropped the gloves with Nathan Legare early in the second period.

Aside from showing the physicality and toughness he brings, Mackey scored a goal to increase the Rangers’ lead to 4-2. On a play started by Brett Berard on the forecheck, he moved the puck over to Brennan Othmann. Othmann then found an open Mackey for a good wrist shot that went off the crossbar and in. The goal came 28 seconds after Mancini’s goal.

The 28-year-old Mackey isn’t known for his offense. Listed at six-foot three and 205 pounds, he brings some size and plays with an edge. In one appearance for the Blueshirts last season, he fought Brady Tkachuk in a game against the Ottawa Senators. That fight sparked the Rangers to a comeback win on Jan. 27.

At the time, they trailed 2-0. Following the bout with one of the game’s toughest players, the Rangers erupted for five goals. They scored seven unanswered to take the game 7-2. They were a different team following that victory.

Looking back on it, the Rangers weren’t playing well at the time. They’d gone through a tough time in January. They’d lost nine of 13 games. It was the final contest before the All-Star break. Mackey’s scrap against Tkachuk was a turning point. In his only game as a Blueshirt, he took some punches to wake up his teammates. It worked. When they returned from vacation, the Rangers were a different team. They’d go onto win the Presidents’ Trophy, advancing to the Eastern Conference Final before falling to the Florida Panthers in a hard fought six-game series.

Whether or not Mackey makes the current roster depends on how Rangers coach Peter Laviolette and the coaching staff view him. He isn’t the fastest skater. But he’s a left defenseman who capable of filling in on the third pair. With Ryan Lindgren unavailable for next week’s season opener versus the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 9, the organization knows that they’ll need someone to help fill the void. Along with Mancini, Mackey is a good candidate to make the team.

Jones Keeps Rolling Along

If there’s been on constant during camp, it’s been the consistency of Zac Jones. The 23-year-old defenseman has looked good throughout the preseason. A key depth player on the back end in 2023-24, he got into a career high 31 games. That included establishing career bests in goals (2), assists (7), and points (9). Although he didn’t see any action last postseason, Jones’ impressive play was good enough for the organization to let Erik Gustafsson sign with the Detroit Red Wings. Now, he’ll finally get the chance to become a regular.

An extremely smooth skater with good speed, Jones can quickly transition up the ice. A skilled player who isn’t shy about jumping into the rush, the former University of Massachusetts product has demonstrated that in three appearances during exhibition. Playing with confidence, he’s scored and set up goals. That continued against the Devils last night.

With the game scoreless over six minutes into the first period, it was Jones who had his shot from the left point tipped in by Kaapo Kakko for a goal. He made a good read and then got his shot through for Kakko to redirect past Poulter. He picked up the only assist on the scoring play.

With the game knotted at two in the second, Jones picked up a secondary assist on the go-ahead tally from Mancini. He recorded two assists and finished plus-3 in 20:18. That included over two minutes on the power play. At the moment, the coaching staff is looking at K’Andre Miller on the five-on-four. However, don’t expect that to continue once the season begins. Jones is a better offensive weapon, who’s better suited for that role. Figure him to eventually replace Miller on one power play unit.

Othmann Notches a Pair of Assists

In the victory, Othmann notched a pair of assists. Both were primary helpers that set up goals. He made two excellent reads to help create offense.

With the game tied at one in the second, Othmann was in transition with Adam Edstrom. Able to lead Edstrom with a good feed, he allowed the 23-year-old Swede to move in and put in his own rebound for a 2-1 lead. It was all created by Othmann, who is a promising offensive player.

Later in the period, he found an isolated Mackey at the left point for a goal that made it 4-2. Othmann isn’t shy about getting dirty. He’s got some grit to his game along with his skill. That should make him a good player once he reaches the NHL.

If there’s an area he can still improve on, it’s defensively. On a Devils goal scored by Kevin Labanc, he got caught puck watching. For Othmann, he’s likely to start his second pro season with the Hartford Wolf Pack. Without a top nine role, due to Reilly Smith and Kakko filling out the first and third lines, it’s better for his development to play more minutes in the American Hockey League (AHL).

As the year moves along, the organization can assess whether or not he’s ready to make the jump. Much could depend on Kakko. He needs to get off to a good start. Maybe the goal he scored will give him a confidence boost.

Edstrom All But Seals a Spot

By scoring yet another goal, Edstrom all but sealed a spot. He’s continued to use his size well. He also moves well for a big man. That was evident on the goal he scored to give the Rangers a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. He has soft hands.

Without Jimmy Vesey, the Blueshirts will start the season with a fourth line that features Sam Carrick and Matt Rempe. Jonny Brodzinski can shift over to play the left side. However, Edstrom’s unique combination of size and skill make him a good fit. There’ll be games when Brodzinski is inserted into the lineup for Rempe. Edstrom looks like a more capable player at this stage. It’ll be worth watching to see how things develop.

Panarin Leaves with Injury

Artemi Panarin made his first appearance since suffering a lower-body injury in a game last week. He didn’t last long. After taking four shifts for 2:25 of ice time, he left the game with an injury.

The Rangers haven’t indicated that it’s anything serious. However, it’s a bit of a concern that twice Panarin’s played in exhibitions and had to leave early. Even more puzzling is why they had to play him in the penultimate game of preseason. The Rangers had more starters in against a Devils B squad that was mostly made up of minor leaguers. It didn’t make much sense for them to play their best player.

With eight days to go before they begin the season in Pittsburgh, it would be wise for the Blueshirts to hold Panarin out of the final preseason match against the Islanders. There’s no point. It’s more important for him to recover and be ready for Game 1 of 82.

Labanc Pots Two for Devils

In a losing cause, Labanc potted two for the Devils. The former San Jose Shark is in on a pro tryout (PTO). A player who once recorded a career best 17 goals and 39 assists for 56 points, the 28-year-old Brooklyn, New York native has shown that he still has the skill that made him a top nine forward.

Labanc added a helper in the defeat for a three-point night. With the Devils main roster already preparing for two games against the Buffalo Sabres in Prague, it remains to be seen if they’ll keep him. However, he still looks like a very capable player who can contribute offensively. Perhaps his strong showing will earn him a contract with an NHL team.

The Devils can always keep him around if they feel Labanc is worth having as an extra on the roster. They improved their depth by adding Paul Cotter and bringing back Tomas Tatar and Stefan Noesen. There might not be room for Labanc. He doesn’t belong in the AHL. If he doesn’t get a contract with the Devils, hopefully he signs elsewhere.

Preseason Concludes on Friday

The preseason concludes on Friday. As usual, it’ll be the Rangers and Islanders. Unlike previous years, it’ll be at UBS Arena in Elmont. They used to have the final game between the teams in Bridgeport where the Sound Tigers play. I liked that as it gave other fans a chance to see NHL talent.

Considering that the Rangers don’t play any games at AHL affiliate Hartford despite it being the former arena of the Hartford Whalers, I would’ve preferred the final tuneup be at Bridgeport. Oh well. The days of the little fan getting anything are over. It’s sad.

If you root for our team and attend games at Madison Square Garden, you know how bad it’s gotten. The escalating prices for tickets and food and beverages sums it up. It should be called the World’s Most Expensive Arena. Ever since the renovation, it’s gone downhill. I still enjoy going to games. But they’re becoming a rarity. Especially considering the current state of New York City traffic these days.

At least the much too long preseason is coming to an end. Where else can you find a sport that sees too many star players suffer serious injuries before it even starts? The NFL is on par with the NHL when it comes to that. They at least don’t play all the regulars more than a single game. Patrik Laine won’t even make his debut with the Montreal Canadiens until the winter. He has horrible luck.

If you’re in a fantasy hockey league, which I’m in three, you have to hold your breath. I’m sure Hasan gets the point. Nobody wants to draft players only to see them wind up on the injured list for an extended period. If teams want to prevent such scenarios, limit the amount of games played in September. Most regulars don’t need too many reps to get ready. It’s something to consider moving forward.

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Devils getting set to begin anew in Prague

Posted on October 2, 2024 by hasan4978

We’re now approximately almost two days away from the official beginning of hockey season – at least for the Devils and Sabres – and while I don’t remember there being any official roster announcement, you can pretty much tell what the final roster will or should be based on the twenty-six players who traveled to Prague. I assume there’s a bigger taxi squad because of the nature of this being an overseas trip and being next to impossible to ‘call anyone up’ if guys get injured this week. If you were going to boil this down to the likely 23-man roster for the home opener next week it likely wouldn’t include third goalie Nico Daws, either Nolan Foote or Shane Bowers on the fifth line, and either Colton White or Nick DeSimone on the fourth pairing.

Among the rest, there really are no surprises although at least there’s promising news per GM Tom Fitzgerald’s latest update on the status of Brett Pesce, indicating he would likely be ready for the home opener next Thursday. He didn’t make the trip overseas to focus on his rehab but at least he should be in the lineup when the team returns to the States, unlike Luke Hughes – who Fitz indicated was still approximately 5-7 weeks away. Hughes’ absence has at least opened the door for rookie preseason standout Seamus Casey to get a long look to begin the season.

Might as well segue into the defense portion of the season preview – it’s certainly a vastly different defense than the one we ended last season with given the additions of Casey, Brenden Dillon in free agency, Jonathan Kovacevic in trade and the return to action of Dougie Hamilton after missing the majority of the 2023-24 season with a torn pectoral muscle. Dillon should add some size and physical presence we’ve clearly lacked on the blueline for years. Kovacevic is also a big boy but is probably more of a stay-at-home type who analytics seem to have pegged as a good buy-low opportunity. Pesce is also a stay-at-home type who should help on the PK once he settles in the lineup. Casey will hopefully add more of the speed and quickness we will miss without Luke early in the season.

Not counting Dougie, our only returning starters from last year are Jonas Siegenthaler (who hopefully will rebound from a poor year) and second-year standout Simon Nemec, who should take on more responsibility in all phases of the game. Clearly though, Dougie’s the man to watch and the one we most need this year. For all our other issues last season – and god knows I’ve harped on them all – it’s not an accident the power play looked toothless last year once he went on the shelf, and the offense as a whole suffered. You can’t take a 22-goal, 74-point defenseman out of the lineup and not feel any impact, and the domino effect of his loss probably didn’t help everyone else who was still here. After all, where would the Devils have been in the 2023 playoffs without inarguably the most important goal of that postseason, with the team down 2-0 in their first-round series with the Rangers?

Of course, even an improved defense won’t matter as much if the goaltending doesn’t also improve. Other than 2022-23 where we got miraculous surges from Vitek Vanecek in the regular season and Akira Schmid in the playoffs, the goaltending throughout Fitz’s tenure has been consistently poor and/or injury prone, to be blunt. Both Vitek and Schmid imploded last year, and other than a brief spurt by Daws the Devils never really found any consistent goaltending from anywhere until it was too late. Sadly, last year has been more the norm in between the pipes than the exception.

Clearly feeling the heat after a disappointing 2023-24, Fitz overhauled the goaltending position up and down the roster. After bringing in Jake Allen via trade late last season to be a short-term backup, he finally reeled in long-rumored target Jacob Markstrom to be the primary goaltender for the next two seasons. Vanecek was offloaded late last season, followed by Schmid in the offseason as the organization – at least in the nearer term – is probably hoping for one of Daws or fellow AHL goalie Isaac Poulter to take the reins after the current vets leave. For now though, obviously Markstrom’s the man to watch and there’ll be pressure on him to produce.

Sidenote: I get a kick out of Cory being the one doing analysis of this trade on the NHL Network (the irony not being lost on me that the last truly reliable long-term goalie the Devils had was Cory himself, before his own injuries), and his comments were more than fair although clearly Fitz wanted a stopgap and not an expensive solution to begin with. For better or worse, they do believe in the young goalies in their system long-term and hope to have cheaper solutions going forward, not just with Daws or Poulter but also potentially with both kids they drafted this year, who granted are a ways off themselves. Clearly those two will get the first crack at the backup job next year when Allen’s contract runs out and perhaps more when Markstrom’s deal is up in two years. All that said – if Markstrom doesn’t produce now, Fitz isn’t gonna be the one potentially reaping the benefits of whatever Daws or Poulter give the organization going forward.

In theory, the forwards were always going to be the spot that had the least turnover this offseason with all the remaking Fitz was doing on the blueline, in net – and also with the coaching, which I’ll get to in a moment. That doesn’t mean there were no changes up front though. With the necessitated exile of Mike McLeod midway though last season, dealing off Tyler Toffoli at the deadline and binning off Alex Holtz this offseason, there were at least a couple of spots available for newcomers. He brought back former Devils Stefan Noesen and Tomas Tatar to be role players in the top nine and brought in Paul Cotter from Vegas to solidify the fourth line, if not play higher in the lineup. Clearly Fitz’s comments after trading for the latter indicate he might be looked at in that capacity but until I actually see it, I’ll just consider it over the top hype. For the moment, at least it seems like he’s a good locker room guy if nothing else.

Unlike with imports who’ve never played here, you pretty much know what you’re getting from Tatar (only a year removed from being a nice little role player on the Devils’ 2022-23 record-setting team) and Noesen – who was a feel good reclamation story on the Devils’ surprise 2017-2018 playoff team before bouncing around the league a while, then resurfacing in Carolina the last two years where he solidified his place back in the NHL as a solid bottom six player. You also know what you’re getting from guys like Curtis Lazar and Nathan Bastian, though the latter clearly isn’t the physical force he used to be and perhaps it’s time for a younger, cheaper option there. Maybe a guy like Nolan Foote finally emerges? His career’s been a bit derailed by injuries but hopefully he stays healthy long enough to get a real shot this time around. He’s likely to start the season as the 13th forward with Kurtis MacDermid also hanging around for goon/locker room purposes. Camp tryout Kevin Labanc might also factor into the final roster when it’s all said and done, but without a deal he wasn’t taken overseas.

Overall, we do need more from our back six this year than we got last year, and that includes returning guys like Ondrej Palat and Erik Haula, particularly Palat who struggled last year on the ice with just eleven goals and 31 points in 71 games and in a season where the team looked like they needed more leadership, those two should have been a big part of providing that and seemingly weren’t. Fitz also clearly tried to remake the back six around the edges, getting rid of guys like Holtz who didn’t fit that mold for Cotter who does fit his vision of a back six with more grit.

All that said, the season’s ultimately going to hinge a lot more on our key four forwards up front plus hopefully a return to form from Dawson Mercer, who suffered an odd junior slump last year. People usually call struggling in the second year of your career a sophomore slump, but in Mercer’s case his sophomore year he put up 27 goals and 56 points with a +22, before plummeting to 33 points and a -26 last year in his de facto junior season. With his RFA contract situation out of the way, that could help facilitate a bounceback to something closer to his first two seasons, when he looked like a potential core piece going forward.

While Mercer having a personal resurgence could be a key to an overall team resurgence, they’re clearly going to need their big four up front to stay healthy and produce. After a first full season in New Jersey where he was injured and out of position on the third line, hopefully Timo Meier plays like a fish back in water this season. Health shouldn’t be an issue for the moment, and he’s back on the right side in the top six where he should be. Even with all of that, you saw some signs of the old Timo resurfacing in New Jersey late last season, mostly after Toffoli’s trade opened up a RW spot in the top six that Timo could slide back into.

Health is also key for our two franchise centers…Jack Hughes was playing hurt (and seemingly distracted) last year – though he still put up 74 points in 62 games during his so-called off year. While fellow former #1 overall pivot Nico Hischier has for the most part managed to avoid the injury bug lately, he’s also missed his share of games in the past and doesn’t exactly shy away from contact so to a degree you’d like to see him pick his spots better…but of course he wouldn’t be Nico if he did. Maybe Nico can take some heart from fellow core piece Jesper Bratt, who’s played in all 82 games the last two seasons while improving his numbers every year – including 83 points last year – and bulking up enough to not completely shy away from contact.

Finally, we get to arguably the biggest change of all this season – the coaching staff. Out are both Lindy Ruff and Travis Green, who’ve both landed on their feet getting other jobs, the former we’ll see in two days as he’s returned to the Sabres’ bench with his career seemingly coming full circle. Whatever you may think of both men, changes were clearly needed after the team stagnated and went backwards last season. New coach Sheldon Keefe brings a proven track record of getting the most out of his roster and winning in Toronto, albeit almost entirely in the regular season. It’s still early in his career so time will tell if he’s the next Bruce Boudreau or if he and the Devils both take that next step in the postseason together. At least Keefe should bring some more structure to the team on the ice, as it seemed like the previous system here was either too complicated or too flawed to ever work long-term, especially after teams figured us out following our breakout 2022-23.

Early returns aren’t overly promising after the team concluded a sloppy 1-5 preseason – with the only win coming when Utica played Hartford in our next to last preseason game with the Rangers on Monday. Not that preseason record means jack after last year when we went undefeated in the exhibition season, but it does seem like there’s a long way to go in terms of team chemistry with the new system. That, combined with our defensive injuries in camp could lead to a rocky start.

Beyond that, I’m not really making any predictions on this season. I hope we’re at least back in the playoffs, by virtue of talent we should at least be in the playoff hunt more this year than we were last year but if that doesn’t pan out, then likely even more changes will be made this offseason that could be even more seismic than this offseason’s bucket list of changes were. It would be nice not to go 0-2 overseas though, especially in a potential troll moment against our fired coach. That’s my micro concern…my macro concern being at least let’s see a team that competes on a more game-to-game basis with discipline and organization, which we clearly did not see last year. Hopefully Friday will be the start of putting to bed all wounds from one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history and moving forward.

In case you were wondering about the times for the first two games, Friday’s opener will be at 1 PM EST, and Saturday’s second game will be 10 AM EST (as if it were overseas soccer!). Both games should be on the NHL Network if you have that. If not, then I guess you’re stuck with Devils Network Radio – not that being compelled to listen to Matt and Chico is a bad thing though!

https://www.nhl.com/devils/team/devils-hockey-network

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Vesey To Miss Time Due To Injury

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Derek

A day later, the news on Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey isn’t good. According to coach Peter Laviolette, he’ll miss some time due to the lower-body injury he suffered during Sunday’s practice.

With Vesey expected to be out a few weeks, that opens the door for Adam Edstrom. The 23-year-old forward has played well in the preseason. He’s scored twice and added an assist. His unique combination of size and skating makes him a likely candidate to start the season with the New York Rangers. He got into 11 games last season scoring a pair of goals.

If Laviolette decides to play Edstrom when the season opens on Oct. 9 at the Pittsburgh Penguins, he’d be featured on the fourth line. Jonny Brodzinski is the other option who’ll be on the roster. The veteran is a solid depth forward who can take faceoffs if needed. By adding Sam Carrick, he’ll play the center position and take most of the draws. They also have Matt Rempe, who also can shift to center and fill in on faceoffs.

Blueshirts Lineup at Practice

At today’s morning skate, the Blueshirts had an interesting lineup at practice. It included Brodzinski with Carrick and Rempe on the checking line. K’Andre Miller was paired with Adam Fox. Zac Jones worked with Jacob Trouba. Chad Ruhwedel was with Braden Schneider.

As Vince Mercogliano of USA Today noted, none of the players will play in tonight’s preseason match versus the New Jersey Devils. Considering that the Devils have their big squad over in Europe for the 2024 NHL Global Series, it makes sense. They’ll field a different lineup for the first of back-to-back exhibition games against the Devils B squad.

Edstrom will take part in Monday night’s game. He’ll be joined by Brennan Othmann, Brett Berard, Victor Mancini, Connor Mackey, and Jonathan Quick. It’ll be a very inexperienced roster for the first game against the Devils. Blake Hillman and Blade Jenkins were recalled from the Hartford Wolf Pack on PTOs. Expect them to both be in the lineup.

As far as the lineup the team practiced with, it could be similar to what they use for the first game of the 2024-25 season. Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider will start with Reilly Smith. Vincent Trocheck will center the top scoring line that boasts top scorer Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. Filip Chytil has looked good so far in camp. He’s expected to center Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko. Carrick and Rempe will be on the fourth line. The other spot depends on Laviolette. He has the experienced Brodzinski and the promising Edstrom.

Without Ryan Lindgren (upper-body), the blue line could have a similar look to open the season. Miller with Fox has been used before. It’s better than keeping him with Trouba. He needs a faster skating partner. Jones definitely qualifies. He might be the quickest defenseman they have. The way he can transition up the ice can help the less mobile Trouba at getting out of their zone. It remains to be seen if the coaching staff will have Ruhwedel in the lineup with Schneider. He’s serviceable. They’ll continue to take a look at Mancini and Mackey. Both are battling hard for a spot.

Kids Look to Leave Lasting Impression

With things wrapping up over the next week, it’s the last chance for the kids to leave a lasting impression. It was a year ago that Othmann gave the organization plenty to think about. He was the final player cut. It was better for his development to play for the Wolf Pack.

Now, the 21-year-old forward is hoping to crack the roster. But with the Rangers set on Kakko playing with Chytil and Cuylle, it doesn’t look realistic. Othmann is better off continuing to play a more defined role in Hartford. He still needs some work defensively. There’s no rush.

Berard also looks ticketed for Hartford. You notice his hustle during shifts. It looks like he needs to get stronger. He likely will be a better candidate to be called up to play on the fourth line. The energy he brings is noticeable. With it looking like the big club is set with Carrick, Rempe, Brodzinski, and Edstrom, expect Berard to begin his second pro season in the American Hockey League (AHL).

Of the young players that remain, Edstrom looks like he can lock up a spot. He’s done enough to stay. Especially with Vesey headed to the injured list.

Mancini is an intriguing player. For someone without much pro experience, he plays with poise. His skating and ability to play a challenging position are positives. If he doesn’t make the Opening Night roster, it won’t be for anything negative. They could send him down to get more seasoning. Mackey is a solid player who adds physicality. It’ll be interesting to see what the organization decides.

Dylan Garand is still with the Rangers. He should get into another game. If Quick is starting tonight, maybe Garand comes in at the halfway mark. Or perhaps Garand gets a look tomorrow night. He enters his third pro season. It’s important to remain patient when developing young goalies. Quick gives the Blueshirts insurance behind Igor Shesterkin. Garand is only 22. It’s an important year.

The Rangers have two straight games against the Devils this week. Then. They play their final exhibition this Friday, Oct. 4 against the New York Islanders. Afterward, the organization will have some decisions to make with the roster. We’ll see what happens.

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Laviolette Experiments with Power Play

Posted on September 29, 2024 by Derek

With no games over the weekend, the New York Rangers got back to work. One of the key areas of focus is the power play. A team strength last season due in large part to the vaunted top unit, it became a weakness against the Florida Panthers in a disappointing six-game series loss in the Eastern Conference Final.

They relied heavily on the five-man unit of Adam Fox, Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Mika Zibanejad. When they weren’t successful against the more aggressive Panthers’ penalty killing unit, it contributed to their downfall. In six games, they only scored one power-play goal. Instead, it was the Panthers who won the special teams battle by converting five times on the man-advantage. The Rangers had two shorthanded goals. But it wasn’t enough to make up for a power play that never was in sync.

One of the issues that again rared its ugly head was the lack of a second power play unit. While Rangers coach Peter Laviolette established a unit that featured Erik Gustafsson, Kaapo Kakko, Alexis Lafreniere, Jack Roslovic, and Alex Wennberg, they weren’t trusted enough. Part of the problem was that he stuck with the first unit due to its firepower. While understandable, they never adjusted to what the Panthers did. Despite a less than 100 percent Fox, who at times was replaced by Gustafsson, they got the bulk of the time. That left the second unit with little chance to make an impact.

Laviolette Considering Changes

With a little bit of a different roster, Laviolette is considering making changes to the power play. He decided to split up the top unit for a more balanced attack. That included splitting up Panarin and Zibanejad. Both are primary right-handed shooters who can light the lamp. In doing so, each unit had a different look.

On one unit, they had Zibanejad with Fox, Kreider, Filip Chytil, and Reilly Smith. If they decide to stick with it, it wouldn’t be so predictable. Chytil and Smith provide left-handed options. Previously, Kreider was the only lefty shooter. His job remains to camp out in front and tip shot passes past opposing goalies. He’s the best at it for a reason. Chytil would give the Blueshirts another shooter from the opposite side. Something to keep opponents honest. It would throw a different wrinkle.

The second unit (1B) would feature Panarin, Trocheck, Lafreniere, Kakko, and K’Andre Miller. If there’s a theme, it’s the idea to keep the top two lines together for the power play. There’s great chemistry between Lafreniere and Panarin. Along with Trocheck, they were the team’s most effective players at five-on-five. Keeping Lafreniere with his line mates would give him the opportunity to produce more up a man. He hasn’t gotten that chance before. Kakko remains a player the Blueshirts need to perform. He would also get some more time on the man-advantage. Miller isn’t a true quarterback. He doesn’t have the best shot. It remains to be seen if he’s the right fit.

Jones Should Get Power Play Time

If there’s one thing you can conclude from preseason, it’s that Zac Jones is capable of contributing on offense from the blue line. He tallied twice in a win over the Islanders last week. A very fast skater who shows confidence at jumping into the play, he looks like a player who should get power play time.

Unlike Miller, who at times looked shaky when used on the point last season, Jones makes quicker decisions in the offensive zone. He isn’t hesitant to fire the puck when he’s open. His game-breaking speed makes him an offensive threat. It makes better sense to have him man one of the power play units. That way Miller can focus on his defensive assignments at even strength. That also includes the penalty kill. An area he excels at due to his size, reach, and instincts. He already plays a lot of minutes. Adding power play time seems like overkill.

It’s also worth noting that Jones will likely play on the third pair. However, with Ryan Lindgren out to start the season, he could see increased duty. Considering that the Blueshirts should still have Fox, Miller, Jacob Trouba, and Braden Schneider, Jones’ minutes will be sheltered at five-on-five. It’s likely that Laviolette will prefer to keep Jones with Schneider. A player he’s familiar with. Especially with him entering his first full season.

If they manage Jones’ even strength minutes, that should give him enough time to be utilized on the power play. Even without Lindgren, Fox, Miller, Schneider, and Trouba will get most of the minutes while shorthanded. They’re more trusted defensively. Jones’ best asset is his speed and skill. That’s why he’s better suited for a role on the man-advantage.

Better Balance Could Pay Off

If the coaching staff decides to keep the power play units intact headed into next week’s season opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins, better balance could pay off. Opponents would no longer be able to key on one or two players. They’d have to prepare for two units that would pose threats. It would be a major difference from the past few seasons.

They even had Lafreniere on the left side and Panarin on the right side. That would take away the one-timer option. It remains to be seen if that’s how they’ll line up when the Rangers play. However, the different look should be considered a way to a way to keep opponents honest.

If they rolled with these two units, there aren’t many weaknesses. Each would have multiple scoring options. They both could be sent out without any hesitation. This would be a huge contrast to how reliant the Blueshirts were on the top unit. Opponents knew that if they could game plan and stop it, they were going to be successful. Having two units capable of contributing could make the Rangers more formidable. A scary proposition for opponents.

It’ll be interesting to see if Laviolette sticks with it long enough to find out what they’re capable of.

Vesey Leaves Practice with Injury

During Sunday’s practice, Jimmy Vesey went down. He limped off the ice back to the locker room. Without him, the fourth line featured Sam Carrick, Adam Edstrom, and Matt Rempe taking reps.

Laviolette indicated that it was a lower-body injury. He didn’t think it was that serious. Vesey was still being evaluated.

Vesey is expected to be penciled in the lineup on the checking line. If he misses any time, Edstrom is the most likely candidate to replace him. Jonny Brodzinski also remains a possibility.

Rangers and Devils Collide

On Monday night, the Hudson rivalry will be renewed. At least in exhibition. The Rangers will visit the New Jersey Devils in Newark. It’ll be the fourth of sixth preseason matches. The Devils will then visit Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night. Both games can be seen on MSG. Start time is 7 EST for each.

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Edstrom Remains in Rangers’ Camp

Posted on September 28, 2024 by Derek

It’s already been a week since training camp opened. Like most teams, the New York Rangers are starting to make some decisions with their roster. As they get down to the nitty-gritty, the organization has kept three prospects in for a further look.

One of those young players is Adam Edstrom. A 2019 sixth round pick, the 23-year-old from Sweden has continued to look capable of making the team. It was during last season that he was called up by the Blueshirts. In 11 games, Edstrom demonstrated the size and skating that make him intriguing. Listed at six-foot-seven, 234 pounds, he moves well for his stature. Along with Matt Rempe, they played together with Barclay Goodrow. The big line had some success due to their ability to get pucks in and forecheck.

After notching a pair of goals in his introduction to the NHL, Edstrom is back pushing for a roster spot. So far, he’s appeared in two of the Rangers’ three preseason games. It was against the Islanders that he scored the game decider late in regulation. He also set up a goal. In a 5-2 win over the Bruins on Thursday night, he was on late to seal things up with an empty netter. The coaching staff has shown confidence in him. He’s given them no reason not to.

With three games remaining in the preseason, he’ll get another chance to make a strong case to stay. He isn’t the only one that’s giving the organization something to consider.

Othmann Responds with Strong Showing

A day after critiquing his own performance against the Islanders, Brennan Othmann responded with a strong showing. In his third straight appearance, the 21-year-old 2021 first round pick scored his first goal of the preseason. He converted on a breakaway unassisted late in the second period.

Retrieving a loose puck in the neutral zone, Othmann broke in and beat Bruins goalie Brandon Bussi with a wrist shot high blocker. That gave the Blueshirts a 3-1 lead before the second expired.

In the third period, Othmann took an Adam Erne pass behind the net and found Jonny Brodzinski for a goal that made it 4-1. He finished the game with a goal and assist in 12:40 of ice time.

Mancini Sticking Around

Victor Mancini is sticking around. In his second exhibition game, he had a strong overall night. In fact, it was his defensive play that led directly to the Rangers’ fourth goal. On the opposite end, Mancini stopped a Bruin in front of his net with an active stick. That allowed things to develop.

In over 20 minutes, Mancini finished with two shots and two penalty minutes, while teamed with Zac Jones. It’s possible that the 22-year-old has put himself on the radar with two good showings. He doesn’t have a lot of pro experience. However, he looks really polished.

One thing is certain. With the Rangers placing defenseman Ben Harpur on waivers, along with forwards Jake Leschyshyn, and Alex Belzile, they’re still looking at Mancini for one of the remaining spots on the blue line. The competition will come from Connor Mackey, who has more experience. Chad Ruhwedel is signed as the extra defenseman. He did a nice job filling in for Jacob Trouba after he was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins last season.

In yesterday’s practice, Mancini lined up on the left side with Adam Fox. Coach Peter Laviolette indicated that it’s something they’re looking at. Mancini has played there before. K’Andre Miller was with Trouba. Jones worked with Braden Schneider. Mackey and Ruhwedel skated as the extra pair.

A Look Into Opening Night?

The forward group during Friday’s practice featured players that can be the starting lineup for Opening Night. Group A featured the projected lines some have speculated on.

The first line featured Reilly Smith with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. The second line consisted of Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Alexis Lafreniere. Filip Chytil was between Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko on the third unit. Sam Carrick was at center with Jimmy Vesey and Matt Rempe on the fourth line. Brodzinski and Othmann rotated in.

Without Ryan Lindgren (upper-body ), the defense might look similar for the first game on Oct. 9 at the Penguins. That’ll depend on how things go. It sounds like Mancini has the inside track at landing a starting role. It would be a good story to start the season.

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Devils’ worldwide preseason nears split before next week’s overseas openers

Posted on September 26, 2024 by hasan4978

As each year runs into the next it gets harder for me to get into preseason games – really of any sport. Whether it’s spring training in baseball where most of the games take place during the daytime, or NFL preseason which has been completely de-emphasized due to fewer preseason games and more emphasis on controlled scrimmages for your key players as opposed to playing them when fans are in the stands, I’ve just never gotten into the camp battles for the back end roster spots and first callups. NHL preseason to me is the closest of the three to the real thing, and in most cases you’ll at least have some knowledge of a majority of the players in the game with any roster spot having the potential to be a pivotal choice.

This year has a new element though, with the Devils’ overseas trip to Prague before their opening two games against the Sabres next Friday and Saturday it’s led to a bit of a condensed preseason – at least for the players who matter at the moment. Oh the Devils still have six games for sure, but instead of having the camp fodder and prospects play the early games in camp with the key players getting more of a tuneup late, it’s pretty much been reversed this year with the key players getting in the early preseason games since that’ll be their only action before the trip and there’ll be no preseason games overseas (I can’t fathom why, there was at least one the other time we started a season overseas in 2018), while camp fodder that won’t be a part of the trip will be playing in the last 2-3 games.

Admittedly I’ve watched exactly one period of the first three preseason games and will likely not watch that much of the last three, so if you’re coming here for a recap of those look elsewhere. Our team website has put up streams of the last couple of games – as well as all of the Prospects Challenge last week though, true junkie material right there. I did wind up going to the Prudential Center last night but found a spot on the street so I didn’t have to waste any money on the parking lot (which is now up to $15 at least, from $7 a few years ago hah). With free parking I felt less compelled to stay at last night’s game with the Caps beyond the first intermission, it was more of an in and out trip to get re-used to the drive and see if there was anything new in and around the Prudential Center – short answer seems to be not all that much. So I saw a goal from one of the newest Devils in Brendan Dillon and heard the goal horn, yippidie doo dah.

Thankfully I left before the roof fell in the last two periods in a 5-3 loss, dropping us to 0-3 in the preseason. Which is about as relevant as last year’s undefeated preseason was. For fans, we only care about three things from preseason – the stars’ health, any potential holdouts and what prospects make the team. At least the middle concern got alleviated when Dawson Mercer signed a three-year RFA deal a couple days into camp. I wasn’t truly worried about a holdout, but it was kind of annoying to have negotiations stretch into camp given the odd nature of it. Even the prospect battles don’t usually hold my attention (after all, there is a difference between guys lighting it up in the preseason and doing it when it counts) but this year there is at least one younger player turning heads who could matter, rookie defenseman Seamus Casey, a second-round pick in 2022 who played two seasons at Michigan – one with fellow alum Luke Hughes.

Ironically, Casey is only getting more of an opportunity than anticipated in camp because of Hughes injuring his shoulder during offseason workouts, and he’ll be likely to miss the first few weeks of the season. Also, recent FA signing Brett Pesce has just started skating from his leg injury late last season and he’ll also probably miss the first few games at least. With at least two potential spots to fill on the starting blueline early in the season, players like Casey and fellow rookie defenseman Santeri Hatakka (who played twelve games with the Devils late last season) along with offseason trade acquisition Johnathan Kovacevic are all looking at this camp as an opportunity to stake their claims for playing time.

Early on by all accounts, it seems as if Casey is the leader in the clubhouse to supplement a blueline with vets Dougie Hamilton, Jonas Siegenthaler and Dillon along with second-year young gun Simon Nemec. Especially with Hatakka’s own undisclosed injury sustained earlier this preseason, along with Casey’s strong performances in camp and his first couple of preseason games.

Ironically the rehab for Luke and Pesce takes away some of the intrigue over what coach Sheldon Keefe and GM Tom Fitzgerald might decide, if we had a fully healthy blueline odds are Casey would be this year’s Nemec – sent down to the AHL despite everyone knowing and feeling he was NHL ready because of a logjam. It looks like he’ll definitely get to play in the early season games overseas at this point and likely the actual home opener on October 10th as well. Maybe I’ll get more into the season by then enough to write a proper preview. Admittedly part of my ambivalence to hockey being around the corner is due to the Mets playing huge games this week (and hopefully beyond!) and the Jets actually being relevant for the moment.

Part of it is also my lingering annoyance over last season for the Devils being inarguably one of the most disappointing in franchise history. Where you want to rank last year in comparison to 1995-96 when the Devils missed the playoffs on the back of their first Cup, or 2010-11 which the best team a $60 million cap could buy for $65 million was a grand flop before bringing back Jacques Lemaire at least salvaged some pride in the team’s performance the second half of that season is irrelevant at this point. Now we’re in the show-me stage.

And the first three games couldn’t have been scheduled any worse if you were a Devils hater looking for an excuse to mock us…two games against Lindy Ruff’s Sabres overseas followed by the Leafs coming to town in the Sheldon Keefe invitational (since he just got fired by them months ago). While I’ll probably be able to actually watch both overseas games, I might have a prior commitment I can’t get out of for the home opener. Our second home game is also a weird one – a one PM Monday game against expansion Utah – I haven’t had Columbus Day or whatever it’s being called now off since I was in school, it’ll be interesting to see what kind of crowd that gets. Hopefully we won’t be 0-3 by then…I’d even take 1-2 tbh, a split with Buffalo and ideally no worse than a competitive loss to the Leafs with a blueline in flux trying to learn a new system with an odd camp.

I suppose once the entire preseason is over assuming there are no surprises among roster moves or choices, that’s when I’ll post again and attempt to do more of a season preview since I doubt I’ll be paying much attention to the rest of preseason. Although on second thought, I might watch a little of tomorrow’s game against the Islanders just to see what’s new with the MSG broadcasts this year apart from the obvious in Rachel Herzog replacing the beloved Erika Wachter as studio host. We know what’s different with the team itself by now (plenty) although having not really been dialed in for the last couple of months since free agency, seeing guys like Tomas Tatar and Stefan Noesen play last night was an ‘oh yeah, almost forgot he was back’ type of acid trip.

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Rangers’ Jones Opens Eyes In Preseason Win Over Islanders

Posted on September 25, 2024 by Derek

On Tuesday night, the Rangers played their second game of the preseason. After falling behind 3-0 due to a dismal second period, they came back to defeat the Islanders 6-4 at Madison Square Garden.

In his first appearance, Zac Jones opened eyes to highlight the win. He scored twice in the third period. That included a key goal to make it 4-3 with the goalie pulled. Following Alexis Lafreniere setting up Chris Kreider’s tying goal, Jones picked up his third point with a secondary assist on Adam Edstrom’s game-winner that came with 37.9 seconds left in regulation. Kreider added an empty netter to seal the victory.

Vying for a starting job on the blue line, Jones took a significant step last night. He logged 24:57 while paired up with Jacob Trouba. Rangers coach Peter Laviolette used him on both the power play and penalty kill. If Jones can play like that, he should be a lock for the sixth defenseman on the roster. His skating makes him a threat in transition. If there’s an area that can improve from last season, it’s having another defenseman who can jump into the rush. Jones’ speed is an asset. He should see power play time on the second unit – replacing Erik Gustafsson, who signed with the Red Wings.

Chytil Returns With a Bang

Early in the first period, Filip Chytil collided with Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield at center ice. Mayfield’s knee caught Chytil’s leg, sending him to the ice in pain. It looked worse than it turned out. After being helped off the ice by teammates, Chytil returned to the bench with over three minutes remaining in the period. He took one shift and looked okay.

In the third, with the Rangers trailing the Islanders 4-1, Chytil scored a power-play goal to cut the deficit to two with over six minutes left. It was his second straight game that he connected on the man-advantage. He also lit the lamp against the Bruins on Sunday.

Most importantly, he was alright. Chytil remains a key player for the Blueshirts. They’re counting on him to produce on the third line. They can ill afford to lose him for a stretch. Center depth isn’t a team strength. While Sam Carrick or Jonny Brodzinski could fill in, they aren’t close to the skill level Chytil possesses. It would be a huge downgrade.

Coaches and teammates have to be breathing a sigh of relief. Chytil has looked good so far in camp. He still must do a better job at avoiding big hits. The Mayfield one was a hockey play. They came together. Fortunately, Chytil returned with a bang.

Lindgren Suffers an Upper-Body Injury

When Chytil was knocked down to the ice by Mayfield, Ryan Lindgren responded immediately. He challenged Mayfield to a fight. It didn’t go well. He took an uppercut at the conclusion of the bout that buckled him. For his part, he received 17 penalty minutes, including a two-minute minor for instigating and a misconduct.

Lindgren was supposed to return early in the second period. Instead, he remained in the locker room. Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti reported that he wouldn’t be back. He suffered an upper-body injury.

A day later, the Rangers provided an update. Lindgren is expected to miss a few weeks due to the injury he sustained. That likely means he suffered a concussion. An unfortunate result of defending Chytil. The first pair defenseman made a decision that proved costly. It’s understandable why he fought Mayfield. He assumed the worst. You can’t fault him for stepping up for a prone teammate with an injury history. Unfortunately, he won’t start the season.

The Lindgren news opens the door for Ben Harpur and Connor Mackey to compete for a roster spot. Harpur was injured most of last season. Mackey played in one game for the Rangers. The 28-year-old veteran looked better than Harpur in the first two exhibitions. Harpur got turned around by Mat Barzal, who was denied by Igor Shesterkin.

With Lindgren out, it also means that Chad Ruhwedel should be in the Rangers’ lineup for the season opener versus the Penguins on Oct. 9. He’s a serviceable player who can step in when needed. Ruhwedel appeared in five games last season. That number should increase in 2024-25.

Laviolette also left the door open for Victor Mancini. He impressed in his first preseason game by recording a goal and assist last Sunday. It would be interesting to see if Mancini can follow up that performance with another one. The Rangers next play on Thursday against the Bruins.

That means there are four players vying for two spots. Ruhwedel should have the inside track on one. That leaves Mancini to compete with Harpur and Mackey for the other. At the very least, it looks like there’s enough depth on the back end to survive without Lindgren for the short-term.

Panarin Leaves with Lower-Body Injury

In the third period, Artemi Panarin left the game with a lower-body injury. Fortunately, it doesn’t sound serious. The news is better on Panarin.

Panarin didn’t participate in practice today. At least he should be ready for the regular season. If he’s good enough, the Rangers will likely try to get him in one more tuneup. Their final preseason game is on Oct. 4 against the Islanders. That should be enough time for him to recover.

Rangers Lines for This Afternoon

For this afternoon, the Rangers had these lines together.

The top line remains intact, with Reilly Smith penciled in on the right side. He played with Mika Zibanejad and Kreider last night. They’re expected to begin the season together.

Without Panarin, Jimmy Vesey slotted up. He will practice with Vincent Trocheck and Lafreniere, who has looked good so far. Once Panarin returns, the Blueshirts’ best scoring line will be reunited.

The third line remains the same. It’s Chytil working between Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko. They played together in the second half of last season. Kakko knows what his role is. For more on that, please refer to Jonny Lazarus’ piece on DailyFaceoff.com.

The fourth line is Jonny Brodzinski centering Edstrom and Matt Rempe. Edstrom was impressive scoring and setting up a goal against the Islanders. His size and strength is evident. If he continues to perform well, perhaps he can make the roster as an extra. However, that’ll depend on whether or not the Rangers can carry 23 players. It’s contingent on the salary cap.

Sam Carrick was brought in to replace Barclay Goodrow. When the season starts, it’s expected that he’ll anchor the checking line, and play on the penalty kill. Vesey will slide back down. Rempe has shown improvement so far due to his skating. He nearly set up Jake Leschyshyn for a goal on Tuesday night.

Kids On The Outside

If there was one thing that was noticeable, neither Brennan Othmann nor Brett Berard stood out. Berard showed some hustle on a couple of shifts, but had an issue clearing the zone. He isn’t the biggest player. That’s an area he’ll need to improve on.

Othmann got a chance to play with Chytil and Panarin. He admitted that he was a little bit nervous on the first few shifts. He also gave a tough assessment of himself.

It’s unlikely that Othmann will make the roster. What he can do is show improvement the next time he gets into a game. The Rangers have four left. The same applies to Berard. They can be reassigned to Hartford to continue their development. That’ll probably be better for them at this stage. There’s no reason to rush either.

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