The Rangers are rolling out a much younger look tonight at Madison Square Garden, and the setup makes this preseason matchup with the Devils feel a lot more balanced than the one they played Monday.
New York is coming off a 3-2 loss to New Jersey in the preseason opener, but that game was tilted heavily toward the Devils’ NHL regulars while the Rangers dressed mostly AHL and rookie camp players. This time, both sides are leaning younger as they move toward their preseason finales, with the Rangers and Devils each set to play the New York Islanders on Friday and Saturday.
Joonas Korpisalo is starting in goal for the Rangers, and the plan is for him to handle the full game. Dylan Garand is the other goalie active tonight.
The forward group includes several names that could matter when the season opens. The top line has Will Cuylle on the left side, Noah Laba at center and Gabe Perreault on the right.
Jaroslav Chmelar is on the second line at right wing, alongside center Cole Beaudoin and left winger Liam Greentree. Chmelar is pushing for a spot in the opening night lineup as the No. 4 right wing.
The third line features Nathan Aspinall on the left, with Glenn Gawdin in the middle and Anton Blidh on the right. On the fourth line, Tye Kartye is at left wing, Joe Veleno is at center and Matt Rempe is on the right.
That could wind up being New York’s fourth line on opening night, which makes this a useful run for that group before the games start to count.
On defense, the pairings may still shift before puck drop, but the initial look has Alberts Smits with Scott Morrow on the first pair. William Trudeau and Matthew Robertson are together on the second pair, while Drew Fortescue and Marc Del Gazio are listed on the third. This is Del Gazio’s first preseason game after signing with the Rangers as a free agent this summer.
In Other News...
Rangers Roster Crunch Could Cost Them A Young Player They Like
The roster trim is underway at Madison Square Garden, with the Rangers moving into the waiver portion of their preseason cutdown ahead of the September 28 deadline. Five players have already been waived and cleared, and goalie Spencer Martin is currently on waivers as the club works through the usual late-summer sorting that comes with a crowded camp and a few tough decisions.
What makes this stretch a little more delicate is that not every player exposed would be likely to slip through untouched. Based on speculation from scouts and an NHL agent, Matt Rempe, Scott Morrow and Dylan Garand are the names most often mentioned as potential targets if the Rangers end up putting them on waivers, which gives the final phase of the cutdown a little extra tension for a team trying to keep its depth intact. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Are Taking A Real Risk With Gabe Perreaults Next Deal
The Rangers decision not to push for a Gabe Perreault extension before the Sept. 16 deadline fits the way NHL teams often handle a young player with plenty still to prove. Per The Athletic, there was less urgency to get something done early because Perreault is not in offer-sheet territory under the current rules, which gave New York the breathing room to simply watch how his game develops over the upcoming season.
That patience could come with a price if Perreault takes the next step the organization believes he can. A strong year would only strengthen his leverage the next time the Rangers sit down at the negotiating table, and the early signs suggest he could be in a position to matter right away in a big role. The question now is whether New Yorks wait-and-see approach saves money, or just delays a much larger conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Roster Battle Is Starting To Get Real In Preseason
Seven players got their first preseason look for the Rangers against the Devils at Madison Square Garden, a night that offered a clearer picture of how the roster is taking shape as camp winds down. The forwards projected to be regulars were in the mix, and the lineup felt closer to the one New York expects to roll out when the games start to matter, giving the coaching staff one more chance to sort out the edges of the roster.
The most interesting edge may be in goal, where the backup role remains unsettled behind Igor Shesterkin. Joonas Korpisalo, acquired from the Bruins this summer, is making his preseason debut and is in the mix with Dylan Garand for the No. 2 job, one of the few spots still carrying real suspense. The Rangers are set to lean into that process again in Fridays preseason finale against the Islanders, when they plan to use what should be their opening-night lineup. [Read more 🡒]