Practice Buzz: Line Rushes Hint at Opening Night Lines
Today at practice the NY Rangers took to the ice and rushed as these forward lines:
Chris Kreider(LW), Marty St. Louis(C), Rick Nash(RW)
Carl Hagelin(LW), Derick Brassard(C), Mats Zuccarello(RW)
Anthony Duclair(LW), JT Miller(C), Lee Stempniak(RW)
Tanner Glass(LW), Dominic Moore(C), Jesper Fast(RW)
FYI: Kevin Hayes, Ryan Malone and Matt Hunwick were extra skaters.
My first impression is that the Rangers are overstocking the 1st line a bit. If the Blueshirts moved Duclair up to the top unit, and Kreider to the 2nd line it would provide a different look on the 3rd.
I’m not exactly comfortable with Duclair and a still raw JT Miller on the 3rd line with Stempniak. Of course, a healthy Kevin Hayes on the 4th line would likely take MSL off center.
Still, the group of forwards doesn’t worry me either and I feel they will have a strong showing against a deep and talented St. Louis Blues lineup.
On defense, no shock there:
Ryan McDonagh(LD), Dan Girardi (RD)
Marc Staal (LD), Dan Boyle (RD)
John Moore (LD), Kevin Klein (RD)
AND IN GOAL…..
#30
HEN-RIK LUND-QVIST!
Special Teams:
I’m thinking different looks depending on how players are going. Looking for the pp units to possibly be:
Kreider, Brassard, MSL
Zuccarello, Boyle
Duclair, Miller, Nash
McDonagh, Girardi
On the PK:
Hagelin, Moore
McDonagh, Girardi
Stempniak, Fast
Staal, Klein
Oh, and for the record on October 5th, we nailed the opening night roster:
