The Rangers will officially announce their Opening Night roster on Monday. Below is my speculation as to who will make the team, though that has been cleared up by some moves made today as well as some tweets. Based on that information, the majority of the team looks to be set heading into the regular season, but a few questions remain.
Friday, the Rangers dressed the following against Chicago:
Forwards Chris Kreider-Derick Brassard-Mats Zuccarello Anthony Duclair-Marty St. Louis-Rick Nash Jesper Fast- JT Miller- Lee Stempniak Ryan Malone- Kevin Hayes-Tanner Glass
Defense Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh Marc Staal, Dan Boyle Michael Kostka, Matt Hunwick
Goalies: Henrik Lundqvist (start) Cam Talbot (backup)
Saturday, this was the lineup against New Jersey:
Forwards: JT Miller, Ryan Malone, Dominic Moore, Ryan Haggerty, Matthew Lombardi, Marek Hrivik, Oscar Lindberg, Chris Kreider, Carl Hagelin, Anthony Duclair, Chris Mueller and Jesper Fast
Defense: Michael Kostka, Dan Girardi, Kevin Klein, John Moore, Matt Hunwick, Steven Kampfer.
Goalie: Cam Talbot, Cedric Desjardins
New York won 3-2 in a shootout Friday and lost 3-0 Saturday. Neither game mattered much, as the end results were pretty meaningless in the grand scheme. What did matter is that several of those who played both nights were on the bubble trying to make the roster.
To be brutally honest, none of those who played either night did much to help themselves.
Ryan Malone, back from his hip flexor injury, scored a goal and added one in the shootout but also showed he lacks the foot speed to keep up in the Rangers' system. However, his willingness and ability to stand in front of the net on the power play could earn him a roster spot.
Kevin Hayes had his worst game of the preseason against the team that drafted him and then missed Saturday's contest after tweaking his shoulder Friday. If you believe @BCblog1, Hayes has made the team. General consensus by many is that he is clearly on the bubble, since he too regressed and struggled the last week or so of camp.
Matthew Lombardi, coming back from his groin injury, showed little Saturday and was put on waivers Sunday for the purpose of sending him to Hartford. It's possible a team desperate for depth in the middle signs him, which would clear a contract, enabling Anthony Duclair to remain without New York having to move someone else to get to 50 contracts. That said, I expect him to clear waivers and start the year in Hartford.
Michael Kostka, who actually had a solid game Friday, lost his battle with Matt Hunwick to be the team's seventh d-man. Hunwick, who has almost 300 games of NHL experience with Boston and Colorado, earns the spot. He benefits from being a lefty shot, which means that if John Moore struggles, Hunwick could see some ice time next to Kevin Klein. In addition, Hunwick, as Larry Brooks wrote, is a better skater and puck-mover than Kostka. Steven Kampfer, to no surprise, was waived as well as was Cedric Desjardins, the latter two should clear and open the year in Hartford. Like Lombardi, I could see Kostka, who played 20 minutes Saturday and is right shot, get claimed, given the lack of NHL depth on most teams on defense.
Here is where it gets fun:
Derek Stepan, who's is out 4-6 weeks with a non-displaced fractured fibula, had an x-ray over the weekend, the results of which are still not it. If he miss four weeks, he could be back the last week of October and only miss 7-8 games. If he is placed on LTIR, he must miss 10 games and would return November 3. All signs point to this happening. By placing Stepan on LTIR, the Rangers can use his $3.05 million on the current roster. That savings will be utilized to carry an extra forward. In addition, this enables Stepan to be fully healed and have time to work on his conditioning, though the obvious downside is that New York will be without their #1 center for almost the first month of the season.
If you believe Jeremy Filosa, Anthony Duclair will open the season with the Rangers. Duclair, who opened the preseason scoring in three straight games, was held off the scoresheet over the weekend but still some creativity and jump. His speed and scoring ability warrants giving him a further look, especially while Stepan is out, If he proves to be overmatched, then send him back to juniors, especially since his ELC is blown anyway, as I wrote earlier in the week.
"I think we've got issues in the middle right now," admitted Vigneault. "We've got options, but we still have to sort this out here."
With Stepan out, Derick Brassard moves up to be the "new #1 center." Dominic Moore is locked in as a center, but on which line? He is best served to be the fourth line, but could be the second or third line pivotman. After that, it gets dicey.
Martin St. Louis played center Friday. After losing his early draws, he rebounded to win four of his last six. While that's great, St. Louis spoke about how he has to alter his game a bit to play center. On wing, he does not have to worry about waiting to set up others and create the play, he can just go and be creative in the offensive zone. AV's system allows St. Louis to adjust defensively to playing the pivot, but I do think it actually will hurt him offensively, and that's the last thing NY needs.
J.T. Miller, used at right wing Saturday, doesn’t seem to have earned Vigneault’s trust as a second-line center. After a strong start to camp, he regressed, but I do think he should still open the season on the roster. However, it's open as to whether he will play center or wing.
Andrew Gross wrote: Chris Mueller, who, at 28 years old has played in just 46 NHL regular-season games, has had a strong training camp and is good, at least on an AHL level, on the power play but, would be best suited most likely to centering a fourth line for the Rangers, is also a possibility. If going on merit, Mueller has earned a spot. As a right-handed shot, he also provides something NY lacks down the middle, especially with Stepan out. To me, Mueller should be the third or fourth line center, which would depend on where St. Louis, Miller and Mueller play.
Oscar Lindberg didn't hurt his chances this pre-season, playing well throughout. He too is in the mix but could get shut out due to the depth at forward. Not necessarily at center, unless Miller does move to wing, St. Louis stays on the wing, Moore moves up the second line and Lindberg centers the third trio.
AV wasn't kidding when he said the middle has issues.
This is who looks to have a spot locked up:
Forwards (10): Rick Nash, Martin St. Louis, Anthony Duclair, Derick Brassard, Mats Zuccarello, Chris Kreider, Carl Hagelin, Dominic Moore, Tanner Glass and Lee Stempniak.
Defensemen (7): Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh, Marc Staal, Dan Boyle, John Moore, Kevin Klein and Matt Hunwick
Goalies (2): Henrik Lundqvist, Cam Talbot
To me, these are the other forwards that should open the season with the parent club:
Jesper Fast (has done everything asked of him. He bulked up and gained speed this offseason, both of which evident on the ice. He could get caught in a numbers crunch, but I believe he deserves a spot)
Miller (showed enough that despite his regression, he should break camp with the team. Miller can play center or wing, giving AV and the team some flexibility. He may have been pressing late, so to me, his early work outweighs his later play)
Mueller (like Fast, has done what was asked of him this training camp. Veteran player, who can open the year on the bench or in the lineup and adjust accordingly. Mueller is someone who is center not one converting to play one. If D. Moore moves up to the second line, that helps his chances. Benefits from Derek Stepan landing on LTIR)
Oscar Lindberg (like Mueller, a true center. Also, like Mueller and Fast, has had a good camp and deserves a spot. He would be the third or fourth center, allowing Moore to move up. Benefits from Derek Stepan landing on LTIR)
This would make Kevin Hayes the odd-man out, despite what the BC sports blog, who reportedly has a good source, tweeted. His shoulder injury isn't believed to be serious, but he would benefit from time in the AHL. It's possible that AV decides to have Hayes break camp with the team and open the year at center, which would mean one of the quartet of Fast/Miller/Mueller/Lindberg heads to Hartford. The reasoning for that would be Hayes' size and ability to move between center and wing, allowing AV to adjust his lineup on the fly. If he makes the squad, he will play, as AV has said the young players won't be there just to sit.
The same can be said about Ryan Malone, who despite a two-way contract, would need to pass through waivers to get sent down. If waived, Malone will likely get claimed, despite his checked recent past, as goal-scoring is at a premium and Malone has shown he score on the man-advantage. That could keep him around, but I think he is on the outside looking in. In addition, Ryan Haggerty, despite a good preseason, heads to Hartford for year 2 of his ELC.
There is no clear-cut favorite and this situation likely will be fluid for as long as Stepan is out. Opening Night is Thursday. Even when the forwards are finalized, the next step will be figuring out lines, which may be as complicated as figuring out who opens the season with t I will take a crack at that once the roster is announced.