The Rangers play back-to-back games on the road this weekend. Friday, the Rangers will be in New Jersey to take on the Devils, then in Boston against the Bruins the following night. The lineup is not set for either night, but the line pairings will be tweaked from what we should see O Night.
Coach Gerard Gallant announced Thursday that the one-period experiment of Alexis Lafreniere playing the right side has ended and Laf will shift back to left wing with Chris Kreider sliding to the right of Miak Zibanejad. As seen from Gallant's comments, comfortability was the driver of the move. Now, as you will see below, why Kreider isn't playing on that line tomorrow or Laf as well to give the chance to build some chemistry, remains up for debate.
“I know Kreider, with his speed and strength, if he’s on that right side and gets going down that wing and cuts in with that shoulder it’s pretty tough to stop him,… head coach Gerard Gallant said following Thursday’s training camp sessions. “We’ve mentioned that to him and Lafreniere is a little more comfortable on that left side right now as a young player, so we’re going to give that a try.…
Interesting line combos this morning. Again, not sure if this has any bearing on tomorrow's game.
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) September 30, 2021
Panarin – Strome – Kakko
Othmann – Rooney – Reaves
Laf – Gettinger – Cuylle
Ronning – Greco – Brodzinski
Lindgren – Fox
Nemeth - Hajek
Robertson – Bitetto #NYR
Besides the lines above, Vitali Kravtsov will move up from the third to first line to play the right with Kreider and Zibanejad while Julien Gauthier will get a spin on the right with Barclay Goodrow and Filip Chytil. in addition, Sammy Blais and Dryden Hunt flanked Greg McKegg. and Morgan Barron centered Mason Geertsen and Lauri Pajuniemi. Gallant explained the switches as such: “Just trying to get some different looks. That’s all.…
The Ryan Lindgren-Adam Fox, as seen above, and K’Andre Miller-Jacob Trouba defense pairs remained the same, as did the Zac Jones-Brendan Schneider tandem. Libor Hajek skated on the right with Patrik Nemeth, Nils Lundkvist was paired with Jarred Tinordi with Matthew Robertson and Anthony Bitetto forming the sixth d-pair. Which pairings play tomorrow or Saturday will be announced tomorrow, same as if the duos remain intact.
Dineen/Fasching/Mayo/Speers (ARIZ); Booth (BOS); Cameron Johnson, Rinaldo (CLB); Miska (COL); Bitten, Cramarossa, Turgeon (MIN); Bitetto, Brodzinski, Gettinger, Greco, Kinkaid, Ronning (NYR).
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) September 30, 2021
Whether the practice groupings from today are the line combinations tomorrow is not yet set in stone. Bitetto, Brodzinski, Gettinger, Greco, Kinkaid and Ronning all were placed on waivers for the purpose of being able to be sent down to the minors. Blueshirts, who are still doing split sessions, are expected to cut down from the current 41 players in camp — 36 skaters and five goaltenders — to a tighter group following the weekend. If all these players pass through waivers, five of whom are listed in the lines from Thursday's practice, look for them to be optioned down after Sunday's contest at the latest.
With the lack of quality backups and depth goalies in the league, I could see Kinkaid claimed. If not, look for him to split time at Hartford, presuming he is sent down. Maybe New York keeps three goalies, but I would be shocked if that's the case. Bitetto also might be claimed to be a 7th d-man elsewhere, but given the depth on the blue line in New York, the loss would not be a huge one. Though I prefer him as the 7th d-man by far to Jarred Tinordi.
OFFICIAL: #NYR have assigned Brennan Othmann to his junior team, the Flint Firebirds of the OHL.
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 30, 2021
Full details: https://t.co/7g4GuG8uFI pic.twitter.com/ZK7JNK8x36
Brendan Ohtmann, selected 15th overall, made an impression. More importantly, he saw and listened and learned from Ryan Strome and others what it means to be a professional. If he can add some muscle and build on the lessons learned. Ohtmann could get a real chance next season to earn a roster spot.
Column. There is a new sheriff in town. https://t.co/O0EkZohyHw via @nypostsports
— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) October 1, 2021
“I think the No. 1 thing is that the systems are a lot simpler,… Ryan Strome said Thursday when asked about the changes that have occurred under the peaceful transfer of power from former head coach David Quinn to incumbent Gerard Gallant. “It’s not rocket science what we’re doing out there, it’s just about executing it. I think it creates a little less thinking out there.“Even from the first game we had the other night, what [Gallant] expects and demands on the bench isn’t anything no one’s capable of. It’s keep pucks out of the middle, chip it in and chip it out, don’t beat yourselves and support the puck. Other than that, it’s kind of go out there and play.
“I think that takes a lot of the thinking out of the game from guys and lets our instincts take over. I think our team is a team with great instincts and when we’re able to apply that within the system he has put in place, that’s when you have the chance to be successful.…
Gallant also has taken more of a laissez-faire approach to the room than did his predecessor. As Strome tells it, it seems as if Gallant’s approach is similar in that regard to Alain Vigneault, the current Flyers’ coach who was behind the Rangers’ bench for five seasons, from 2013-18.
You don’t really see [Gallant] around the rink, you see him on the ice. He runs the practice, he and his staff have done a good job getting pre-organized quick on the ice and then that’s it, you don’t see him,… said the second-line center. “That’s a little bit different, but everyone’s got their own style, right, and guys respond differently. So far it’s been good.
“I think the good thing about the way it is now is that it puts a little more ownership on us. I think the older guys have more responsibility to make sure guys are doing the right things. If you looked in the gym today, there was a workout before practice and every single guy was there. Guys have done a great job of pushing each other and setting the tone. When we go on the ice, [Gallant] takes over and it’s been good.
“It’s just a matter of responding to the way he coaches. He’s the boss, so learn his tendencies, learn what he wants, what he expects in practice and go out there and execute.…
All this sounds wonderful if the team wins. If they lose, everyone will be on Gallant for being too laid back and not incorporating enough of a system. Plus, the default position seems to always be to blame David Quinn or find a way to incorporate some kind of criticism for his tenure. Remember when a comparison to AV was not a good thing?