Halfway through their six-game preseason schedule, the New York Rangers are 3-0-0 and again looking the part of a serious Stanley Cup contender, even when their lineup is missing key parts.
There’ve been some injuries, including a key one sustained by defenseman Ryan Lindgren. There’ve been surprises, headlined by the standout play of 22-year-old rookie Victor Mancini. But mostly, there’s been a mature team going about its business, preparing for the regular season to open Oct. 9 in Pittsburgh against the Penguins.
Before they play the New Jersey Devils in a home-and-home set early this week and close out the preseason schedule against the Islanders on Friday, let’s examine several key points of interest to this point from Rangers training camp.
What we’ve learned about Rangers halfway through preseason
Here are some key takeaways from the first three games of the Rangers preseason.
1. Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko could be forces this season
Of all players attending camp — and that includes Jacob Trouba and Mika Zibanejad — none needed a strong start more than Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko. Mission accomplished.
Chytil is coming off a frightening head injury that limited him to 10 regular-season games and six more in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The 25-year-old has been a force in all three preseason games and has four points (two goals, two assists) centering the rejuvenated third line. He even bounced back from a scary incident against the Islanders on Tuesday, when Scott Mayfield leveled him with a hit and Chytil headed to the dressing room. But not only did Chytil emerge to play again, he scored a power-play goal late in the game. Perfect.
Kakko, coming off major backslide to 13 goals and 19 points last season when he also missed 21 games with a knee injury, looks determined and very comfortable playing alongside Chytil. He had seven shots on goal Thursday against the Boston Bruins, and has been assertive and confident in the preseason. He has the look of a bounce-back season.
2. Peter Laviolette not reinventing the wheel with line combinations
There hasn’t been a whole lot of tinkering with lines from last season. Coach Peter Laviolette is sticking with the Artemi Panarin-Vincent Trocheck-Alexis Lafreniere trio after each player established NHL career highs in scoring last season. Zibanejad and Chris Kreider remain together, now with newcomer Reilly Smith on their right side.
Laviolette is allowing Smith to build chemistry on that line. No one — not Brennan Othmann nor Kakko — has skated on that line so far in preseason. It’s Smith’s job to lose.
Even reuniting Chytil and Kakko comes out of the past playbook, since they were Kid Line partners for years, before injuries blew up their season in 2023-24. Will Cuylle, a third-line staple last season has been a good fit with Chytil and Kakko.
The fourth line is the one that Laviolette has experimented with. But he had a plan not to change much in the top nine and has stuck with it.
3. Adam Edstrom turning heads in bid for 4th line role
Adam Edstrom is one of the most pleasant surprises of camp. He starred with three goals in two rookie games and has added two more goals in the preseason. He’s also played with more physicality.
Of course, it seems he needs to beat out Matt Rempe for a spot on the fourth line. Rempe showed up in camp in tremendous shape and has turned heads with his improved play, too.
With Jimmy Vesey and Sam Carrick set on the fourth line, and Jonny Brodzinski likely the 13th forward, can Edstrom unseat the popular Rempe for an opening-night lineup spot? So far, he’s done nothing to show he shouldn’t be on the roster.
4. Adam Fox needs a defense partner
Though this appears to be a temporary issue, the Rangers must find a defense partner for Adam Fox to begin the regular season with. Lindgren is out “at least a few weeks” with an upper-body injury, but it’s not expected to be a major long-term deal. But in the interim, his regular partner needs, well, a partner.
Connor Mackey and Fox skated together in the 5-2 win against the Bruins on Thursday but didn’t seem to have much chemistry. Ben Harpur has already been assigned to Hartford of the American Hockey League, and Laviolette doesn’t seem inclined to load up his first pairing by moving K’Andre Miller next to Fox.
Mancini practiced in that spot Friday. That would give New York two righties on that pair, though Mancini said he’s played the left side before. It’s worth a look. The kid has had a terrific camp, and he’s impressed in each of his two preseason games. He had a goal and an assist in the preseason opener and logged more than 20 minutes in each of his two appearances.
Keep an eye on Chad Ruhwedel, a right shot who was expected to start the season as the No. 7 defenseman. It doesn’t appear veteran Madison Bowey, in camp on a PTO, nor the injured Matthew Robertson, are in serious contention here.
5. Brennan Othmann not yet ready for Broadway
Young players, even really good ones like Brennan Othmann, often display inconsistencies in their game until they get more established playing against NHL talent. However, Laviolette noted he wants the young players in camp to display consistency if they’re going to impress him.
Othmann hasn’t quite done that, so it’d make sense that the 21-year-old forward begin the season with Hartford in the AHL. That’s not to say the 2021 first-round pick hasn’t had his moments — a highlight-reel goal and an assist against the Bruins on Thursday, some big-time physical play — but he hasn’t kicked down the door to earn a roster spot in the deep Rangers lineup.
He’s been given a chance, playing each of the three preseason games, but was admittedly nervous Tuesday against the Islanders. And he never received a chance to play on the Zibanejad-Kreider line. Then on Sunday, he was back skating with the AHL players, though he remains in Rangers camp — for now.
6. Zac Jones is ready for full-time role on Broadway
On the other hand, defenseman Zac Jones appears ready to take on the first regular role of his NHL career. The 23-year-old served as an apprentice the past three seasons, including 31 games played with the Rangers last season, and has shown nothing but positive signs in the preseason, replacing Erik Gustafsson on the third defense pair.
His preseason debut Tuesday had to delight Rangers management, which did not bring in a veteran defenseman to compete with Jones for a lineup spot. Jones had three points, including a pair of goals — the first a gorgeous breakaway that started the Rangers’ comeback in a 6-4 win over the Islanders.
