Blue Line Station
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Three things to watch for in tonights Rangers vs Islanders preseason game

By Conor Power

TAMPA, FLORIDA - JUNE 07: Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers dives on the puck to make a save against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on June 07, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JUNE 07: Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers dives on the puck to make a save against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on June 07, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 16: Braden Schneider #45 reacts with Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers after Shesterkin recorded a shutout during the third period against the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden on April 16, 2022, in New York City. The Rangers won 4-0. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 16: Braden Schneider #45 reacts with Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers after Shesterkin recorded a shutout during the third period against the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden on April 16, 2022, in New York City. The Rangers won 4-0. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

Bottom 4 LD

This is perhaps the one battle fans across the fanbase know who they want to win. Libor Hajek against Braden Schneider. According to the projections from Arthur Staple of The Athletic, Hajek is starting as the favorite for the position on the roster with Schneider having to settle for the third pairing role. He’s naturally going to be playing on the right-hand side, but for tonight, we’ll see.

Seeing these two battle it out for that final place on the Rangers’ top four tonight is going to be worth watching. It’s not often that there is a straight shootout between two players for a single position on the team. One of these players has all the tools to be a great NHL player but just can’t seem to combine them, and the other is younger and hungry for a shot at the NHL level. It’s going to be quite the fight.

Hajek comes in as the “elder statesman” of the two so he will get the veteran nod if this battle is too close to call, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve it. Hajek is 6’2, 200 lbs so as a big defenseman, he’s ideal for the third pairing role of smacking anything that moves. However, if it was that simple there wouldn’t be a competition. Hajek’s game has its share of warts including his skating, but he’s got everything he needs to be more than that.

As for Schneider, he’s actually bigger than Hajek at 6’2, 210. Schneider’s skating is better too, but his puck movement isn’t quite there at the NHL level. It will get there certainly, but he’s only 21 and there are concerns about rushing the Prince Albert native into the NHL. He’s proven he can cope with it as he looks to build off a successful last year in the NHL. A little internal competition during the game should hopefully spark them both on.

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