New York completed their preseason with a 4-3 overtime loss to Philadelphia on Tuesday. All six games were decided by one goal, with four of the contests determined in overtime. The Rangers finished the season lead in at 3-3 and now are off for a week before Opening Night, October 5, against Colorado.
Following their first rounds of cuts, the Rangers had 34 players remaining in Training Camp. The roster breakdown is listed below:
Forwards (21): Lias Andersson, Pavel Buchnevich, Paul Carey, Filip Chytil, David Desharnais, Andrew Desjardins, Bobby Farnham, Jesper Fast, Steven Fogarty, Gabriel Fontaine, Michael Grabner, Kevin Hayes, Chris Kreider, Vinni Lettieri, J.T. Miller, Rick Nash, Boo Nieves, Matt Puempel, Jimmy Vesey, Mika Zibanejad, Mats Zuccarello
Defensemen (10): Tony DeAngelo, Ryan Graves, Nick Holden, Steven Kampfer, Ryan McDonagh, Neal Pionk, Kevin Shattenkirk, Brady Skjei, Brendan Smith, Marc Staal
Goaltenders (3): Brandon Halverson, Henrik Lundqvist, Ondrej Pavelec
By the end of today or before practice tomorrow, New York will get down to between 24 and 26 players. Certain skaters, who looked like long shots, put themsleves in a position to make the team with strong play. Others, who appeared to have a leg up on a role, may have lost that spot with their uneven or poor play coupled with others forcing their way into a potential spot. To make it easy, I will list the locks or givens first and then go from there.
Locks/Givens:
Forwards (10): Pavel Buchnevich, Jesper Fast, Michael Grabner, Kevin Hayes, Chris Kreider, J.T. Miller, Rick Nash, Jimmy Vesey, Mika Zibanejad and Mats Zuccarello
That's 10 forwards, but Fast will begin the year on IR, leaving nine and room for up to four forwards to start the season and maybe up to 5-6 for this round of cuts.
Defensemen (4): Ryan McDonagh, Kevin Shattenkirk, Brady Skjei and Brendan Smith
No surprise at this list, leaving space for three more d-men.
Goalies (2): Henrik Lundqvist and Ondrej Pavelec
Now the harder part, determining the fate of those on the bubble. 15 players, excluding Fast, is listed above. With New York cutting to 24 to 26, that means nine or 10 will make this round of cuts with 1-2 more cut prior to the opening game. My expectation is that New York will go 13-7-2 in camp, creation space for a few to remain north, but if the team is looks to save cap space, then they will evenatally send down 1-2 players.
This was set when Pavelec was signed this off-season.
Definite cuts:
Forwards (4): Andrew Desjardins, Bobby Farnham, Steven Fogarty and Gabriel Fontaine
Defensemen (2): Ryan Graves and Steven Kampfer
Goaltenders (1): Brandon Halverson
Desjardins was a long shot and his two-game suspension cost him chances to play and try and impress management. Farnham was also a long shot, and while he did what was expected, it's not enough to make the team given all the other options available. Fogarty will go back to Hartford while Fontaine impressed, continuing his strong play from Traverse City, but he is caught in a numbers game.
Graves didn't look out of place but like others, ran into a numbers game. All the acquired d-men has pushed him down the organizational ratings, possibly necessitating a chance of scenery if Graves want to see playing time. Kampfer could stick as the 7/8 d-men but that depends on if any trades are made due to the myriad of available other options.
Halverson will open the season as either Hartford's #1 or 1a goalie.
Bubble:
Forwards (7): Lias Andersson, Paul Carey, Filip Chytil, David Desharnais, Vinni Lettieri, Boo Nieves and Matt Puempel
Defensemen (10): Tony DeAngelo, Nick Holden, Neal Pionk and Marc Staal
When camp started, I thought Andersson was pretty close to a lock. Now, that's not the case. He hasn't done anything to lose a spot but others have migrated their way into the equation. Combine his minor foot injury, suffered blocking a shot Monday against Philly, with the ability to send him back to Frolunda and have Andersson see top line duty and I foresee Andersson not breaking camp with the team.
Carey has been a big time scorer in the AHL. But that hasn't translated to success in the NHL. After a somewhat slow start to camp, he has really rounded into form lately and appears to have a fan in AV. "In the last four or five days, he’s caught my attention in games by his speed and the quickness that he showed to get to checks and get away from checks,… Vigneault said. “He’s right there in the mix. Real good skater, real good speed, And I really like his practice habits.… I think he makes it through this round of cuts.
Chytil, the 21st overall pick, appears to have surpassed Andersson in terms of making the team this year. He has met and exceeded every challenge. Chytil needs work defensively but he has sublime offensive skills and has not looked out of place. I expect him to make this round of cuts and probably make the team. New York can still re-assign him after nine games to save a year off his ELC, which may happen. But for now, he looks to have a spot on the roster.
Desharnais was signed to a one-year deal this offseason. Projected as a 3rd or 4th line center, he too has had a strong camp. If there was a doubt as to whether he would break camp with the team, that likely was removed the last few preseason games. I expect him to open the season as the fourth line center, especially if Chytil is the 3c against Colorado.
Lettieri, another player who was a long, long shot when camp started, had forced team management into a tough decision. Does he make the team over someone like Puempel and would he better served, despite playing at the University of Minnesota, by additional minor league apprenticeship? I think he makes the team, forcing someone else off the roster.
Nieves could be in the line to fill the fourth center role. His fate will depend on what's done with Carey, Chytil and/or Lettieri. If all three of those players make the team, Nieves is the odd-man out. He could make it through this next round of cuts and then head down before opening night.
Puempel looked to be a lock this summer. But his inability to display much of anything in camp along with strong performances by others have him on the outside looking in. I think he is placed on waivers and does not break camp with New York.
ADA, acquired in the Derek Stepan trade, has shown his offensive ability, especially on the man-advantage and capacity to skate the puck out of trouble. He has been a little better than advertised in his own zone. In addition, like Carey, he appears to have a fan in AV. I’ve really liked what I’ve seen,… Vigneault said. “Really good skating ability with the puck, head up high, can find the easy, early out. He’s had poise and patience, and so far in camp, he’s shown a real good skill set and he’s defended well. I’m very happy so far.… DeAngelo should break camp with the team as the seventh d-man initially.
Nick Holden and Marc Staal, the new gold dust twins. If not for the cap hit and Staal's NMC, this decision would be easier. But those two make it harder to make any move. In addition, the likelihood of $5.7 mil sitting in the press box is remote. Staal hasn't been horrific this preseason but he was far surpassed by many others. In a perfect world, he would sit or be exposed to waivers, but because of the above, the decision is harder. With Holden, I think he makes the team and is scratched until New York deal him. His cap hit is relatively minors and once Las Vegas moves some of the glut of d-men, he is the next to go.
Neal Pionk took advantage of the chances he was given. Right-handed, d-man aren't easy to find, especially good ones. Pionk had a very strong camp, standing out throughout. The decisions on Holden and Staal impact Pionk, but I think he makes it through this round of cuts.
That means, the 24 to 26 for now is the below. When the year starts, Andersson probably goes back overseas, one of Carey, Lettieri or Nieves goes to the minors, Fast is on IR, leaving 13F. On the blueline, if Holden can be moved or team is willing to scratch Staal, both ADA and Pionk stay with the team. If not, Pionk is likely odd man out.
Forwards (16): Lias Andersson, Pavel Buchnevich, Paul Carey, Filip Chytil, David Desharnais, Jesper Fast, Michael Grabner, Kevin Hayes, Chris Kreider, Vinni Lettieri, J.T. Miller, Rick Nash, Boo Nieves, Jimmy Vesey, Mika Zibanejad, Mats Zuccarello
Defensemen (8): Tony DeAngelo, Nick Holden, lRyan McDonagh, Neal Pionk, Kevin Shattenkirk, Brady Skjei, Brendan Smith, Marc Staal
Goaltenders (2): Henrik Lundqvist and Ondrej Pavelec