Among the biggest questions hanging over the Rangers this season is how the lines will shake out, and that includes forward, defense, and even the backup goalie spot.
The first unit, as the source points out, is already set. Alexis Lafrenière’s late-season wake-up, aided by Gabe Perreault and Mika Zibanejad, left that group intact. The real puzzle starts after that.
One option comes from Alex Griffel, who wants J.T. Miller centering a new-look line with "Doc" Dorofeyev and "Bud" Bjorkstrand.
"I want J.T. Miller to center for the new guys (Doc) Dorofeyev and (Bud) Bjorkstrand," suggests Griffel.
"They'll create plenty of room for Miller on his wings. Bjork also is a good passer with an equally good first look at the blue liner, and out of the defensive zone.
"If Bjork, Miller and Dorofeyev play with a light structure, they should get good scoring opportunities."
There’s also a third-line idea worth watching: Cuylle-Laba-Tolvanen. The selling point there is pressure, forechecking, and the chance to turn defense into offense.
"Will showed a lot of potential both as a scorer and troublemaker," says The Old Scout. "Between him and Tolvanen you've got some of the better physical players in the NHL. "
Adds: Griffel: "This is a line that can take defensive zone faceoffs and still take the puck away from opponents with physical play."
And then there’s Matt Rempe, who is back for another run. That comes with the usual mix of promise and concern, depending on how he handles his game.
Alex’s view of the bottom part of the lineup also includes this:
"Kartye is a pace-setting physical player who also racked up 14 points in 24 games last season as a middle-six forward. Meanwhile, Veleno should fit nicely into the role vacated by Sam Carrick. As for Rempe, if healthy his size and presence change the game for the Rangers."
In Other News...
Jaroslav Chmela Is Giving The Rangers A Real Bottom-Six Decision
Jaroslav Chmela has turned a straightforward training camp question into a real roster conversation for the Rangers. The young forward has steadily improved, and his recent NHL call-up only strengthened the sense that he is more than a depth name on the page. The organization sees him as a developing player with upside, and his progress has put him in position to force the staff to think hard about where he belongs when the season opens.
The decision now feels less about whether Chmela is part of the Rangers future and more about when the team wants to make that commitment. He could stick in the NHL and claim a bottom-six role, or he could head to Hartford to keep building his game with the Wolf Pack. Either way, the coaching changes in the AHL are designed to help prospects like him keep moving forward, which only makes his camp battle more interesting for the Rangers. [Read more 🡒]
Adam Fox Puts Real Pressure On This Rangers Retool
Adam Fox sits at the center of whatever comes next for the Rangers, because the blue line is still built around their top defenseman and his contract runs three more years at $9.5 million annually. After finishing last in the Eastern Conference, Chris Drurys signal that a roster retool is coming only sharpened the questions around a team that has to get back on track quickly and figure out which core pieces are part of the next version.
Fox has not exactly shut the door on that conversation, but he has also not rushed to answer it. During the season, he was noncommittal about his long-term future, making it clear the focus was on the games in front of him, and only after the schedule ended did he sound more open to the idea that the Rangers could still work, even if the bigger issue is where the organization is headed. For a club trying to reset without losing its best players, that is the pressure point worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Prospect Drew Fortescue Already Faces A Tough First Hurdle
Drew Fortescues first season as a pro comes with a clear path, but not much room to shortcut it. After three years at Boston College, the young defenseman is set to join the Hartford Wolf Pack and try to carve out a bigger role right away, giving the Rangers a closer look at how his game translates against older, more experienced competition in the AHL.
The harder part is figuring out where the ceiling sits this year. New Yorks NHL blue line looks largely settled after recent trades and signings, which leaves Fortescue with a long shot at regular minutes in Manhattan and a real battle in Hartford instead, where hell have to earn ice time over established AHL defenders while waiting for an opening that may never come without help from injuries above him. [Read more 🡒]