What we learned about the Rangers after the first 4 preseason games

The top 3 lines are set (sort of)

There is no doubt who will be playing on the top three lines, it’s just a matter of where they will be playing.  Going into camp, the top line had been envisioned to be Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Sammy Blais.  The trio saw action in one game and the results were just okay.  For Blais, it was his first game in 11 months and it showed.

The second line was expected to be Vincent Trocheck, Artemi Panarin, and Vitali Kravtsov.  Panarin had already taken Kravtsov under his wing, but we never got to see the trio play together as Trocheck was dogged by an illness in the one game they were scheduled to play as a unit.

The “Kid Line” played together once, on Thursday versus the Devils and Coach Gerard Gallant admitted that they were the best line on the team. They picked up where they left off in the playoffs and made an excellent case to remain a set line.

What wasn’t resolved was the option of playing Alexis Lafreniere on the right side on one of the top two lines, certainly an option if Blais doesn’t click with Zibanejad and Kreider.  Be prepared to see Barclay Goodrow on the top line against Boston, probably not the best deployment for their so-called Swiss Army Knife. And there remains the enigmatic Russian…

Where should Kravtsov play?

Vitali Kravtsov didn’t do anything to rule him out as a top-nine forward.  With his waiver status, cheap contract, and high draft position, it’s pretty much a guarantee that he will be in the top nine unless he is an absolute bust and there is no indication that he will be one.

Kravtsov will be 23 in December, so he is not a teenager, but is still adjusting to North American hockey.  He got a secondary assist on Artemi Panarin’s goal against the Devils and has played well.  When asked, Gallant returned to the need for Kravtsov to be defensively responsible, but he also had nothing bad to say about him.

At any rate, Kravtsov will get a full look playing with Trocheck and Panarin in the last two games.  It’s his job to lose.  At worst, he will flip with Kaapo Kakko or Alexis Lafreniere and move to the third line. The fact is that he is not exempt from waivers and that means he will stick around.

The fourth line

This is where the competition is.  Either Goodrow or Blais will definitely occupy one slot, so that means there are two forward positions along with one spare forward to pick from Jonny Brodzinski, Ryan Carpenter, Julien Gauthier, Dryden Hunt, Ryan Reaves, Gustav Rydahl, and Jimmy Vesey.  That’s seven players vying for three jobs.

Based on his play in three preseason games, veteran Jimmy Vesey has made good on his Professional Tryout.  He’s played outstanding defense, killed penalties, and has chipped in unexpectedly with some offense.  He didn’t hurt his chance with this defensive play against the Devils.

If he doesn’t get a contract out of this, that would be a huge surprise.  That’s one job.

Ryan Reaves will make the team.  While some may feel he doesn’t deserve to (especially those in the analytics crowd), the intangibles he brings to the team are appreciated by his teammates and coaches  Okay, that’s two jobs.

That means it will be a catfight for the last slot between Brodzinski, Carpenter, Gauthier, Hunt, and Rydahl. The odds are that Brodzinski and Rydahl will find their way to the AHL leaving three players.  Who will Gallant pick among Carpenter, Hunt, and Gauthier?

Gauthier has shown the most in the preseason games so far.  He has crashed the net, been among the team leader in hits, and has generated good scoring chances every time he has played.  However, his bugaboo is that he is not able to finish.   Gallant said that Gauthier has had a “great camp,” but added that he was one of the guys in the mix.

Hunt has been, well, Dryden Hunt.  He plays hard, throws the body, and contributes.  He won’t break any scoring records and is a favorite of the coach.

Ryan Carpenter has not been a standout, but of the three he is the only center.  He has been an NHL regular for five straight seasons and played for Gallant in Vegas.  He’s a veteran who is decent on faceoffs and can contribute offensively.

What this means is that how these guys play in the last two preseason games will determine their future.  It’s worth noting that all three of these players need to clear waivers to go to Hartford.

Next, is the defense.

Two slots on the blue line

The top two defense pairings are set and the only decisions to be made are who will be Braden Schneider’s partner and who will be the seventh, depth defender.

From the preseason so far, it appears that Zac Jones is destined to be the sixth regular blueliner.  He has been solid on offense and has not looked out of place in his own zone.  The Rangers have a great track record when using young players, but Schneider just turned 21 and Jones is almost 22.  That’s young.

While Jones has the job, it will be worth watching how opposing coaches will match lines, especially on the road.  Expect Schneider and Jones to see a lot of the opposing teams’ top lines and that’s when we will really know if Jones is ready for a regular role.

There are still three blueliners in camp who are competing for that last slot.  Libor Hajek had the inside track but has seen some real competition from Matt Bartkowski, on a Professional Tryout.  A veteran of 256 NHL games, Bartkowski isn’t flashy, but he has the experience and looks to be a cheaper, more mobile version of Patrik Nemeth. He hasn’t done anything to rule out a signing.

The last defender is Jarred Tinordi and if last year was any indication, he is bound for Hartford.  If it’s Bartkowski, he needs to sign a contract.  Hajek and Tinordi have to clear waivers to go to the AHL.

No worries in net

Igor Shesterkin is one of the best netminders in the world and we should see more of the same this season.  The big question mark coming into training camp was the newly signed Jaroslav Halak. At age 37, does Halak still have what it takes to start 30 games, coming off a so-so season in Vancouver where he saw action in only 17 games?

After two appearances in the preseason, there’s no reason to worry.  Halak has been excellent.  Among the 19 goalies who have appeared in at least 500 games since 2005, Halak is sixth overall in save percentage (.916) and goals against average (2.49).

Louis Domingue is still in camp, but will be the backup in the last two games and will be the number one starter in Hartford and the first call-up in case of injury.

While the Rangers’ goaltending situation is set, so are their salary cap issues.

How many players are on the roster?

NHL teams are allowed to carry a maximum of 23 bodies, usually 14 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goalies. They are allowed to carry 22 and that is what the Rangers will have to do because of the salary cap.

Here’s the math.  Between the 18 players definitely making the team and dead cap space from buyouts, they are left with $3.25 million to spend.  At the league minimum salary of $750k, they can only afford to add four players, three forwards, and a defenseman.

Here are the 18 players definitely making the team and their cap hit:

• Forwards (10): Blais, Goodrow, Kakko, Kravtsov, Kreider, Lafreniere, Panarin, Reaves, Trocheck, Zibanejad:  $45,384,704
• Defense (6):  Fox, Lindgren, Jones, Miller, Schneider, Trouba:  $23,275,000
• Goalies (2):  Halak, Shesterkin:  $7,166,667
• Dead cap space (buyouts):  $3,427,778
• Total cap hit:  $79,254,149

That means the team has $3,245,851 to work with to fill out the roster. It’s worth noting that if Vesey or Bartkowski signs, they will likely make the league minimum of $750k.  That’s also what Ryan Carpenter signed for.

Making a little more are Julien Gauthier ($800k), Dryden Hunt ($762,500), Jonny Brodzinski ($762,500), and Libor Hajek ($800k).

Three forwards and one defenseman will give the team 22 players.  At the league minimum that totals $3 million, less than $250k under the cap.  If they carried five players at the league minimum it would put them over the cap. The simple math means the team can carry only 22 players, not 23.

Special teams

One area that is still a mystery is special teams, especially the power play.  Artemi Panarin played only one game and has not been on the ice at the same time as the rest of the first power play unit (Zibanejad, Kreider, Trocheck, and Fox).  There’s no reason to believe that they will be any less efficient than last season’s squad (25.2%), but they do need to pay together.

The Rangers scored three shorthanded goals in four games so the penalty kill looks pretty good, but we haven’t seen the top PK units intact so far. If Vesey gets a contract, expect to see him killing penalties.

The interesting PK combo has been Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere.  Gallant wasn’t gushing about their penalty-killing work, but he was positive.  David Quinn’s usage of Pavel Buchnevich on the penalty kill jump-started his offense and hopefully, it could have the same impact on the two young Rangers.

Gallant’s perspective

Gerard Gallant spoke after practice on Saturday and didn’t reveal much, but he did indicate that his mind is close to being made up saying, “There’s probably a spot on the blue line and probably a spot on the forward group and there are a lot of guys fighting for those spots.”

That means he knows 20 of the 22 players that will be making the final roster. He did say that the final two games will be the decision-makers. He said “Face it we’ve got tough decisions to make. There’s gonna be some good players not making our hockey team… It’s a good problem to have, but it’s a tough problem to have.”

The Rangers are heading to Rhode Island for three days of team bonding and practice.  Their next game is Wednesday at Madison Square Garden against the Bruins.