Wednesday’s off day, the Rangers’ first since training camp began, has come at the right time. A few veterans have been dinged up through six days of serious work; there were two preseason games with almost entirely different lineups to evaluate, plus a couple of scrimmages at the team’s training center.
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Peter Laviolette and his coaching staff are starting to get an idea of who goes where and what works best for a roster that was basically set when the coaches divided up the groups for the first day of on-ice system work Friday. They are also getting a good look at the players just below that top 22, some of whom have opened a few eyes so far.
Let’s run through seven items as Thursday marks a week of Rangers camp and the beginning of a preseason back-to-back, with the Devils coming to the Garden before the Rangers head to UBS Arena for a Friday date with the Islanders.
Fourth line set?
We’ve seen an awful lot of Barclay Goodrow-Nick Bonino–Tyler Pitlick this past week, including in Tuesday’s win over the Islanders. It’s clear that upgrading the fourth line was a priority for Chris Drury after thinking he had done so at the last trade deadline. But the Jimmy Vesey-Goodrow-Tyler Motte line wasn’t up to par in the playoffs, so Drury went back to work on July 1.
Bonino is seemingly the key, a Swiss Army knife-type player who has maintained a really impressive level of consistency over his dozen years in the NHL. He’s a true No. 4 center and he’s a pro, one who has played a key role for Laviolette before in Nashville. Goodrow works best on the wing rather than at center. And Pitlick, who scored off a rebound on Tuesday, has a motor that doesn’t stop and hasn’t yet this past week.
“You’ve got a couple of faceoff guys, you’ve got guys that defend well, that are penalty killers that can get you out of tough situations in your own zone,” Laviolette said of that line. “Lines like that when they’re together, they really take pride like that’s their job. I thought for the first showing of them being together, I thought it was a really good line for us.”
Nagging injuries
Mika Zibanejad would have played Tuesday but his upper-body injury — he appeared to take a stick or glove to the face during Sunday’s camp scrimmage and left the ice, returning to practice the next day — kept him out. Artemi Panarin likely would have played on Tuesday as well but he has a lower-body injury.
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You can’t control the little nicks and dings that crop up in training camp, especially to veteran players who are trying to get back in gear for a season once they’re on the other side of 30. Filip Chytil missed the back half of Tuesday’s practice as well. As long as none of those injuries is serious, it’s not a huge issue.
Where it does have an effect is on finding lines that mesh. We know Zibanejad is likely to start the season with Chris Kreider on his left, but has he had enough time with a potential right-wing option? Alexis Lafrenière has gotten some time there but no game looks. Panarin has mostly worked with Chytil in practices, but that’s a combination you’d want to see in a game.
So we don’t have a clear vision of the top three lines as of now. If Zibanejad and Panarin are out of these next two games, that sets the line evaluation process back even closer to the start of the regular season.
Kakko
Kaapo Kakko played in Tuesday’s preseason game and has looked like a young player hungry for something bigger. His puck-protection game was strong, working on a line with Vincent Trocheck and Brennan Othmann, and he scored a gift goal 15 seconds into the game off a turnover. Laviolette seemed impressed with the big winger so far.
We haven’t seen Kreider-Zibanejad-Kakko yet, and that was a forceful line in limited minutes early last season. Blake Wheeler has been fine so far. The door is open for Kakko to seize one of the top two right-side spots, and he appears to be eager to do so.
Goalie depth chart
Jonathan Quick’s first Rangers preseason outing wasn’t great on Sunday. The defense in front of him was worse, but the opening goal against the Bruins was too soft. He’s a three-time Stanley Cup champion and headed to the Hall of Fame — I’m guessing this isn’t the first bad goal Quick has allowed in preseason. He’s not going to lose his grip on the backup job because of one or even two sloppy exhibition starts.
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Louis Domingue has been decent — not so great in an AHL/prospect scrimmage last week, but better in the second half of the Bruins game. He’s a pro, he knows what he needs to do and his role is pretty well set.
If there have been any eye-openers in the net, it’s been Dylan Garand. The 21-year-old has been sharp every time out, from the prospect game against the Flyers two weeks ago to a couple of scrimmages to the back half of Tuesday’s win over the Islanders. He’s a very focused young goalie and he seems to take every turn on the ice seriously. It’s hard to tell now what his NHL future holds but his work so far in the various camps has been impressive.
Oh, and Igor Shesterkin? Still good.
Under-the-radar risers
If we’re pretty clear on the top 12 forwards and top seven defensemen, there have been a few noticeable players just below that group who have put themselves in good position should a need arise.
First, among the under-25 group: Brennan Othmann had a feisty game on Tuesday, a good showing from him that was needed after he missed a practice day Sunday. He’s on the right track. Will Cuylle got some love from Laviolette after a Monday practice when he was on a line with Trocheck and Wheeler; Cuylle was drafted with a projection as a big, physical, skilled third-line wing, and if that spot opens up, he’s got a real shot at some NHL games this season. Bobby Trivigno looks like he could light up the AHL this season, another high-motor kid who isn’t afraid of the inside of the ice despite his size. And Matt Rempe standing in to fight established NHL heavyweight Ross Johnston, to make Johnston answer for roughing up Trocheck, will always get a young guy respect from his veteran peers.
Mac Hollowell has also shown out nicely this week, culminating with a solid game Tuesday. The 25-year-old got six games with the Leafs last season and could be an option if a right-shot defenseman goes down. His size is an issue, but Hollowell’s skating is above average and he doesn’t shy away from the physical stuff. Sneaky good addition on July 1.
Third-pair D
Braden Schneider looked like he had a little trouble translating Laviolette’s system concepts to the ice on Sunday in Boston, but this is Schneider’s first time learning a new NHL defense structure. He should be able to figure it out. Zac Jones logged some minutes in that game, especially on the power play, but it doesn’t appear after a week that he’s dislodged Erik Gustafsson from the opening night spot alongside Schneider.
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Ben Harpur has worked exclusively on the right side in camp, so he may end up going on waivers at some point but could be back depending on an injury to a D-man on either side. Harpur’s steadiness earned him a contract and then a job last season out of camp and he’s been the same guy so far this camp. If the Rangers decide to break camp with 12 forwards and eight defensemen, Harpur’s made it. If they want a 13th forward they might try and pass Harpur through waivers on a busy day on the wire to hope they don’t lose him, rather than hold onto Harpur until the season begins and try to waive him then. We’ll see which way they go.
Laviolette’s preferences
Gone are the days of Gerard Gallant saying he’ll choose a goalie based on Benoit Allaire’s input. That may not have been completely true, of course, but Gallant gave the impression that he left the goalie decisions to the goalie department. Laviolette was clear that he’ll take Allaire’s input but the head coach makes the call on who starts. We haven’t gotten a full rundown of assistant-coach specialty areas, though obviously Phil Housley is working with the defensemen and Michael Peca is training his centermen on faceoffs. Peca ran Rochester’s power play the last two seasons, so we’ll see who’s doing what as the games pick up.
(Top photo of Kaapo Kakko celebrating with teammates: Wendell Cruz / USA Today)
