New York Rangers: Four thoughts through four preseason games
The New York Rangers completed their first four preseason games. Let’s talk thoughts.
First it was Neal Pionk, then it was Filip Chytil. The New York Rangers finished off their first two preseason games with thrilling overtime victories, almost managing to make preseason hockey exciting. Of course the NHL did everything to stop that with their slew of ridiculous penalty rules, but that’s a different story.
The real story was that the Rangers boasted the young talent to make the games worth watching. Rather than looking for Chris Kreider to take a step up for what feels like the 10th year in a row, the focus was on the youngsters. The focus for New York Rangers fans was on the youngsters. What a sentence.
Now, we’re four games into the preseason. It’s no longer “let’s let them get their feet wet” time, it’s “who’s going to make the team?” time. With one preseason game remaining, I have plenty of thoughts. Here they are!
Who Should Make the Team?
Good question! I’ve changed my mind on this with every game, but unless something wild happens in the preseason finale, this is the roster I would field. Yes, this is what I WANT to happen, not what I think will happen, necessarily.
Chris Kreider-Mika Zibanejad-Pavel Buchnevich
Rick Nash-Kevin Hayes-Mats Zuccarello
J.T. Miller-Filip Chytil-Michael Grabner
Boo Nieves-David Desharnais-Jimmy Vesey
Scratches: Lias Andersson
The lines allow you to roll four lines throughout the game, as Vesey provides a nice chunk of offense for the fourth line. I will get into Chytil and Andersson on the next slide.
Ryan McDonagh-Kevin Shattenkirk
Brady Skjei-Neal Pionk
Brendan Smith-Anthony DeAngelo
Scratches: Nick Holden, Marc Staal
The New York Rangers’ only responsibility is to ice the best roster possible. While I was previously hesitant about splitting up Skjei and Smith, doing so allows everyone to play on their natural sides, while also allowing the team to roll three defensive pairings. Additionally, Anthony DeAngelo gets a defensive-minded defenseman in Brendan Smith on his side.
The goaltenders will be Henrik Lundqvist and Ondrej Pavelec.
The Kids Are Alright
The New York Rangers appear to have the perfect plan in place if they wish to provide Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil the opportunity to make the team. New York can start with both on the active roster, either both in the opening lineup, or one as the 3rd line center and the other as a scratch. In that scenario they can flip flop the two over the stretch of games.
New York knows that Jesper Fast will miss approximately nine games of action to start the season. Andersson and Chytil both can try-out the NHL level for nine games, setting up the perfect scenario for the team.
If one stands out, the other can be sent back to their respective team outside of North America. If both stand out, perhaps the Rangers rearrange their lines to make room for both. Should neither stand out, New York can know for sure they need another center this season.
Regardless, both Andersson and Chytil should be able to get a reasonable look without being rushed. The prediction here is that Chytil lasts longer than Andersson, as Andersson’s more polished game works against him. He can do so much with some refinement, while Chytil’s skill-set is best served learning on the go in the highest league possible.
Not Puempel’d Up
One particularly noticeable thing this preseason has been how Matt Puempel has not been noticeable at all. It’s been heavily assumed that Puempel would make the team based on simply existing on last year’s roster, but as various players make strong impressions, Puempel has been invisible.
New York may run into the risk of losing Puempel on waivers should they attempt to demote him, but at this point we must consider whether he belongs with the likes of true bottom nine talent, or if he is more of a Paul Carey type of player.
Being a player with some potential in the past, Puempel always received the respect of a player that can do more. However at a certain point the lack of success becomes the reputation, and Puempel is on a speeding track to that point.
New York can lose Puempel on waivers before the season and it wouldn’t be much of a loss at all. If a team’s bottom nine is dependent on a player like Puempel to succeed, that says a lot about the team and little about Puempel.
Don’t Staal on Dropping Holden
As you saw in my earlier roster wishes, Nick Holden and Marc Staal are both healthy scratches. Let me make it clear that I do not want either Holden or Staal on the roster, but I cannot speak to transactions that haven’t happened yet.
What is most important is to address the team as if Holden and Staal will be on the roster. Perhaps the Rangers are looking to move the pair, maybe they wish to keep them on board as insurance for if the younger defensemen struggle. Regardless, how Alain Vigneault and Lindy Ruff handle the pair will go hand in hand with how successful the Rangers are this season.
Let me say this as clearly as I can. Marc Staal is awful. He is a bad defenseman who provides zero talent to the NHL roster. Great, glad we got that out of the way. Nick Holden is not good, but as a third pairing defenseman he can be fine. He won’t ruin the team.
If Alain Vigneault understands those truths, the Rangers will be fine. If Vigneault puts Staal on the first pair with Ryan McDonagh, and Holden in heavy minutes with Anthony DeAngelo, the Rangers are in big trouble.
Next: Roster Predictions: Who makes the team?
This season, the defense must be a major strength for the Rangers. However, it will only be as big of a strength as Alain Vigneault allows it to be.
We shall see.