The Rangers fell 4-3 to the Bruins in a shootout Thursday. But honestly, who cares about the result in a preseason? In addition, there were much more important aspects to be happy with and concerned about in the contest.
Clearly, the area to be happy about was the return of Mats Zuccarello to game action. It may take him a bit of time to be fully comfortable, especially going hard to the hard, but seeing him on the ice is clearly the highlight of the preseason. His return reunites the Nash-Brassard-Zucc trio and allows Kreider to play with Stepan on the 1a or 1b line. Zucc’s score is way secondary to him getting into games and showing he is healthy.
The growth from year to year in Brady Skjei has also been evident. While he is clearly a longshot to break camp with the team, his play has certainly opened some eyes. It may not be long before he is in NY. When he does come up, stop with the Keith Yandle trade talks. Even though his intensity level per Larry Brooks was basically somnambulant Thursday, he is the team’s best option as a PP QB and provides a skill set lacking. If anyone goes, it will be Dan Boyle, with Kevin Klein a second option. Plus, with the rumors that Marc Staal is not 100 per cent after his off-season surgery, one intriguing option would be to have Skjei open the season with the Rangers and then go down when Staal is ready. That said, Staal and Dan Girardi, each of whom have yet to play, will suit up Saturday against NJ.
On the not side is our favorite whipping boy Tanner Glass. With 15 forwards for 13 spots, he is likely on the outside looking in. Glass is here to provide a deterrent, yet we saw what Zac Rinaldo thought about that as he ran Hughes after Glass said to him if he continued to run Rangers, there would be consequences. That clearly isn’t a deterrent. His puck skills leave a ton to be desired and the role of a deterrent is less important than in the past, especially one whose skill level is vastly below where it needs to be. Glass, as many have noted, will likely clear through waivers and NY would be stuck with $500k in dead cap usage if he is sent down (though you could argue keeping him up would be $1.45 mil in dead cap usage)
In addition, Pat Leonard wrote the following on Emerson Etem: “Etem hasn’t shown enough this preseason in games, though Vigneault has been impressed by his willingness and eagerness to learn and improve. My guess, at this exact moment, is that he might start the season in Hartford, but Ken Gernander’s staff will be able to drill in the details of the game for him to bring back to the NHL level, probably sometime soon … Just an observation, and I could be dead wrong, but I feel like Etem’s stick is too long for him to comfortably handle the puck close to his body. Again, you can call me an idiot and tell me I don’t know what I’m saying, but that’s what I feel like I see from the press box"
Just because Leonard said it, doesn’t mean it will be so. But I think most of us have been less than happy in what they have seen from Etem. You know my view when he was acquired and I had hoped the change of scenery and coasts would do him good, but that has yet to be the case. If he does get sent down, I won’t go crazy because he “cost… NY, Carl Hagelin, since Hagelin was going to go regardless due to his salary demand and the cap. Plus, he would have been beaten out by better options, as least in the short term, allowing him to go to Hartford and work his way back.
The Rangers cut the training camp roster from 39 to 34 by sending down Bellemore, Hrivik, Hughes, Malcolm & Tambellini to Hartford. Happy they are holding onto to Bellemore. Plus, Ryan Graves gets to hang around a bit more, which should help his future development,
Here are the Rangers lines at practice today:
Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan, JT Miller Rick Nash, Derick Brassard, Mats Zuccarello Dominic Moore, Jarret Stoll, Viktor Stalberg Ryan Bourque, Luke Adam, Brian Gibbons Oscar Lindberg, Kevin Hayes, Jesper Fast Tanner Glass, Jayson Megna, Emerson Etem
Swap the fourth and five lines and I think that’s who opens the season in NY. The combinations might be tweaked, but to me, Lindberg has earned a spot. Plus, he would be around to take late-game draws for Hayes, who is miscast as a center. Personally, move Hayes to second line wing, Lindberg to center, Miller to the third line and roll with that.
Hayes has struggled in camp. Maybe it’s a sophomore slump, but more likely, just a blip on the radar. He will play wing Saturday, as will Dominic Moore. That means Lindberg and Stoll will play center. If each can make that shift, it gives AV additional options as to line combinations. Plus, if keeping 13 forwards from the 15 battling for the job, flexibility will be key and if Hayes/Moore/Lindberg/Stoll could shift from C to W, that might allow eight and not seven D to stick.
Lineup against NJ: Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan, JT Miller Kevin Hayes, Oscar Lindberg, Jesper Fast Luke Adam, Dominic Moore, Viktor Stalberg Tanner Glass, Jayson Megna, Emerson Etem
Mat Bodie, Raphael Diaz, Dan Girardi, Dylan McIlrath, Marc Staal, Chris Summers
Henrik Lundqvist (starting), Antti Raanta