Apologies for the earliness of the blog... I wanted to get a new blog up with the current B group roster to help drive the conversation pre-, during and post-game. I will get a new blog up Saturday night or Sunday. Hopefully this material is still fresh and up-to-date.
Coach Alain Vigneault split the Rangers training camp attendees into an A and B group. With 63 players in camp and a desire to try as many - if not all - in a pre-season game, doing so made a lot of sense. We saw the "A" group Monday, on Friday, the "B" group gets their shot. Following Friday's game, about 30 cuts should come Saturday or Sunday, culling the team down to a more manageable group for evaluations over the last four pre-season contests.
The A group, without Derek Stepan, who missed the game with the foot contusion after blocking a shot, lost 5-4 to New Jersey on Monday. Kevin Hayes moved into the A group and centered Chris Kreider and Danny Kristo. With Stepan now out 4-6 weeks with a non-displaced fractured fibula, Hayes might see additional action Friday, since he now has a better shot at breaking camp with the team, though that has yet to be determined.
Team B: Conor Allen, Mat Bodie, Chris Bourque, Derick Brassard, Cedric Desjardins, Anthony Duclair, Dan Girardi, Ryan Haggerty, Kevin Hayes, Marek Hrivik, Tommy Hughes, Matt Hunwick, Kevin Klein, Oscar Lindberg, Ryan McDonagh, Dylan McIlrath, Dominic Moore, Rick Nash, Lee Stempniak, Cam Talbot, Nick Tarnasky, Mats Zuccarello
Team B line combinations: Rick Nash-Derick Brassard-Anthony Duclair, Marek Hrivik-Oscar Lindberg-Lee Stempniak, Chris Bourque-TBD-Mats Zuccarello, Nick Tarnasky-Dominic Moore-Ryan Haggerty. Defense likely will be Ryan McDonagh-Dan Girardi, Conor Allen- Kevin Klein, Mat Bodie-Tommy Hughes with Cedric Desjardins one of the two between the pipes. The TBD should be filled with someone who played Monday with the reassignment of Andrew Yogan on Wednesday following the Rangers-Devils rookie scrimmage. I could see Chris Mueller or Matthew Lombardi or Hayes or possibly Ryan Potulny sliding into Yogan's spot
After facing Chicago on Friday, New York has four games left, including back-to-back contests with the Flyers. Following those games, the Rangers will cut down to six forward lines (18 skaters) and nine or 10 defenseman.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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