The New York Rangers have gotten off to a tremendous begin up to now this preseason going 3-0. They began by beating the Boston Bruins in Boston and within the subsequent sport, they scored six objectives within the third interval to return again in opposition to the New York Islanders. Then, they beat the Bruins as soon as once more, however this time it was at Madison Sq. Backyard. All the things has been wanting fairly good up to now and that is the beginning you wish to a season during which the group is trying to win a Stanley Cup.
Whereas it’s simply preseason, there are nonetheless some battles happening for roster positions and different gamers want to stand out and present that they deserve a shot to start out the season with the Rangers. Whereas some gamers have stood out greater than others up to now, listed below are 4 takeaways from the primary three video games of this preseason for the Rangers.
Zac Jones Proving Why He Has Earned a Roster Spot
Zac Jones has been within the Rangers’ group since he was drafted in 2019. He made his NHL debut within the 2021 COVID-shortened season and since then, he has been up and down from the American Hockey League (AHL). Final season, he was the seventh defenseman on the group and solely obtained to play when different gamers went down with accidents. Now, after letting Erik Gustafsson go in free company and never signing an instantaneous alternative, it confirmed that the Rangers had full religion in Jones to take that spot and grow to be the third-pairing defenseman this season.
His first preseason sport was very thrilling. The Rangers had been down 3-0 within the third interval in opposition to the Islanders and he scored the primary purpose of the sport on a breakaway. Then, when the goalie was pulled late within the sport, he scored one other purpose to chop the deficit to at least one purpose. The Rangers went on to win the sport and he performed an enormous position in that comeback. Whereas he can present offense, he additionally has appeared very stable defensively, which hasn’t been the strongest a part of his sport up to now. If he can sustain his good defensive play whereas additionally chipping in offensively, Jones can have really earned himself a everlasting spot on the Rangers this season.
Victor Mancini Is Opening Eyes This Preseason
After these first three preseason video games, one of the talked about gamers for the Rangers is Victor Mancini. He was drafted within the fifth spherical of the 2022 NHL Draft and he spent three seasons on the College of Nebraska-Omaha earlier than becoming a member of the Hartford Wolf Pack within the AHL late final season. He has come into coaching camp and has actually impressed within the two video games he has performed up to now. He has confirmed that he will be relied on defensively and he can use his measurement and velocity to assist him in that regard. He has additionally proven slightly offensive upside, scoring the primary purpose for the Rangers this preseason.
Associated: Rangers’ Youth Motion May Put Jimmy Vesey’s Roster Spot in Jeopardy
With Ryan Lindgren already getting injured and sure being out for a couple of weeks, this offers Mancini an opportunity to possibly make the Rangers’ roster to start out the season. Out of all of the defensemen which might be on the lookout for a roster spot, he has performed one of the best and he seems to be like he has all of the instruments to make it within the NHL. Will he be a constant NHL participant this season? In all probability not, however he has proven that in the event that they want a participant to return up and play in a couple of video games, he’s succesful sufficient to play that position.
Filip Chytil Wanting Higher Than Ever
After lacking most of final season on account of harm, Filip Chytil has come again this season with one thing to show. He needs to point out that he isn’t scared and fragile and that he’s able to get again to taking part in on the highest degree. He has performed in all three video games and has scored in two of these video games. He has additionally taken a couple of huge hits and it has not impacted him. He did have to depart the Islanders sport for a couple of minutes after a knee-on-knee hit from Scott Mayfield, however aside from that, he has appeared unbelievable.
Chytil is wanting sooner and stronger than ever earlier than. He’s dealing with the puck extraordinarily effectively and even has gone coast to coast a couple of occasions, carrying it up the ice all by himself. The Rangers are going to wish this type of play from Chytil this season as his absence from the lineup was an enormous gap they needed to fill and so they couldn’t fairly do it. Now, he can hopefully keep wholesome and supply some good offense in a third-line position and possibly if he’s taking part in extraordinarily effectively, he can earn a shot because the second-line heart like he was speculated to be final season earlier than his harm.
Brennan Othmann’s Up and Down Play
One of many gamers combating for a roster spot is 2021 first-round decide, Brennan Othmann. He performed three video games for the Rangers final season, however by no means really obtained the possibility or the ice time to point out what he can do. He scored 21 objectives and 49 factors in 67 video games with the Wolf Pack final season and now, he’s making an attempt to point out that he deserves a shot within the NHL to start out the season. He has performed in all three preseason video games and he has had a couple of good moments, but in addition a couple of dangerous moments.
He scored his first purpose of the preseason in opposition to the Bruins at MSG and all through the sport, he was everywhere in the ice. He even had an help and was throwing his physique round. Nonetheless, his different two video games weren’t good. He was bodily within the first sport in opposition to the Bruins, however aside from that, he wasn’t noticeable. He was even worse in opposition to the Islanders the place he was invisible on the ice and took a dumb slashing penalty when he knocked the stick out of the goalie’s hand. He has had an up-and-down preseason up to now and if he needs to point out that he deserves a roster spot, he must step up his sport the remainder of the best way.
The Rangers have three extra preseason video games left and these 4 gamers might be ones to look at in the event that they play in these video games. Whereas there might be different gamers and storylines to comply with, these 4 have one thing to show going into the season and it will likely be attention-grabbing to see how they play because the preseason begins to wind down.
