Rangers vs Devils: What’s at stake tonight

The New York Rangers get back to the Madison Square Garden ice tonight, after a brief team-building respite in Rhode Island.  With only two preseason games left for the Blueshirts, expect to see a lineup close to what will open in the season in Washington next week.

There are 26 players left on the team and Coach Gerard Gallant needs to winnow that down to 22, meaning four of the remaining players will start the season with the Hartford Wolf Pack.   Consider these two games the last audition for the players fighting for a job.

Here’s what’s at stake.

Third defense pair: Lundkvist vs Jones

The defense pairing are all set except for one slot on the third pair with Patrik Nemeth.  Nils Lundkvist and Zac Jones are battling it out and it is a battle, with both rookies showing that they deserve to stay.   How they do in these last two games will determine who stays.

Zac Jones has more NHL experience, 10 games last season, and has played his entire career on the smaller North American ice surface. He’s about to turn 21 and is a lefthanded shot, but can play either side. He’s had a very solid training camp.

Nils Lundkvist has dazzled at times in preseason games.  He turned 21 in July and has more professional experience, playing with veterans in the Swedish Hockey League for three years. He has adapted well to the smaller ice rinks and has been one of the teams top scorers in exhibition games. One reason the team signed Swedish veteran blueliner Nemeth was for him to mentor the young Swedish prospect.

Who wins?  Ultimately, the Rangers and their fans.  They cannot go wrong keeping either of these players and the prospect who ends up in Hartford will be getting valuable playing time in the AHL.  Inevitably, there will be injuries to the blue line corps and we will see the loser in this competition in the NHL sooner than later.

The prediction?  Nils Lundkvist will be the sixth Ranger defenseman.

13th forward: Barron vs Hunt vs Gauthier

The top twelve forwards appear to set, though an injury to Vitali Kravtsov has raised some questions about his status, though he did practice this morning.  If Kravtsov is in the top 12, that means there is one job left for a forward.  He will be the 13th forward who will be watching games and probably spelling Ryan Reaves.  There are three forwards vying for that role and who stays could be determined by the waiver wire.

Julien Gauthier, Dryden Hunt and Morgan Barron are all candidates for the role of spare forward.  While the off-season thinking was that Barron had the best chance of making the team, his status as a waiver-exempt prospect means it’s likely he will end up in Hartford for a second straight season.

If Barron goes to Hartford, it will be a disappointment after he led the Wolf Pack in scoring last season with 10 goals and 21 points in 21 games.  With not much left to prove on the minor league level, if he does get sent down and excels again, it will be hard for the Rangers to keep him there.

Julien Gauthier and Dryden Hunt both have to clear waivers if they are Hartford bound.  Would either of them clear waivers?  Of the dozens of players placed on waivers, only four have been claimed by other teams, including Mason Geertsen of the Rangers who was taken by the Devils.

With so many teams on the salary cap cusp, it limits the option of adding players, but a former first rounder like Gauthier, who is making only $775k, would be a tempting target.  Not only that, but he has had a decent preseason, driving play and using his size and speed.  If Gauthier had just been able to finish on some of his offensive efforts, this wouldn’t be a discussion.

Dryden Hunt is also a waiver target. He’s a physical forward who is making  the NHL minimum salary.  He’s had a good camp, but hasn’t been a standout. Another consideration is he was signed as a free agent so any team could have had him.  He’s more likely to make it through waivers.

The final consideration may be the role.  Playing the wing on the fourth line suits Hunt more than Gauthier.  Gauthier is better suited as a right wing in the top nine.  Hunt can step into a the role of a fourth line checking winger easily and is a more physical player, something the team is looking for.

The prediction?  If Kravtsov is unable to play, it guarantees that Gauthier will stay and will replace him on the third line.   Even if the Russian is healthy, the team will keep Gauthier.  Barron will benefit from more playing time in Hartford instead of riding the press box in New York. Hunt will probably clear waivers and could be the first call up.  So, Julien Gauthier will start the season with th Rangers.

There’s one more defense job at stake.