Rangers Daily: Competition ramps up; Massive blow to Panthers’ 3-peat hopes
Coaches love internal competition during training camp. So, Mike Sullivan must be pretty darn pleased with what’s taking place in his first camp as coach of the New York Rangers.
There’s rookie Noah Laba seriously pushing Juuso Parssinen and Jonny Brodzinski for the third-line center role. And former first-round picks Gabe Perreault (2023) and Brennan Othmann (2021) are right there competing for a spot on that same line, likely left wing — if not for a top-six role should Artemi Panarin remain out with a lower-body issue.
But no so fast with the rookies. Because there’s also Brett Berard (no greybeard himself at 23) and veteran Conor Sheary (in camp on a PTO) standing out in the preseason. Either could be a solid third-liner.
The versatility of both Parssinen and Brodzinski makes each an intriguing option when discussing the camp competition at the forward position. Being able to play center or on the wing makes each desirable when filling out the opening-night roster.
Then on defense, Scott Morrow’s trying to prove he can be a trusted addition in the top six — and receiving plenty of opportunity in the preseason to do so. But can he beat out Carson Soucy and/or Urho Vaakanainen for a regular role? If he does, that’s a serious competition between Soucy and Vaakanainen to be a lineup regular, as opposed to the seventh defenseman.
If Morrow starts the season with Hartford of the American Hockey League, that would mean Soucy and Vaakanainen are in the top six. So, who’s the seventh defenseman in that scenario? More competition, and, perhaps, an opening for veteran Andrej Sustr to earn an NHL contract off his PTO.
The bigger point here is that the Rangers’ depth appears better than in recent years. There’s serious competition for roster spots in camp and the preseason. Sully faces difficult decisions in the coming week-plus before the regular-season opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins at MSG on Oct. 7.
Even with blown third-period leads and Panarin’s injury hanging like a black cloud over them, the Rangers — and their coach — have plenty to feel good about.
Tune in to the latest Rink Rap podcast, breaking down all thing Rangers at midway point of the preseason. Check it out on YouTube or listen in here.
New York Rangers news and analysis
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We’ve got some Artemi Panarin updates about his contract and injury status, rolled into one story from John Kreiser.
Our Tom Castro breaks down why Carson Soucy could be a key figure on the Rangers defense corps this season.
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NHL news and rumors
Florida Hockey Now: The Florida Panthers dream of a Stanley Cup three-peat is in serious danger of becoming a nightmare. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov will miss the 2025-26 season following knee surgery to repair his ACL and MCL. His recovery timeline is set for 7-9 months, meaning Barkov could return during the postseason. But it’s a massive blow for the Panthers, who already are without Matthew Tkachuk until December, as the star forward recovers from a lower-body injury.
Sportsnet: The Toronto Maple Leafs signed veteran goalie James Reimer to a PTO, after Joseph Woll took a leave of absence to take care of a family issue.
Daily Faceoff: Nils Hoglander is out week to week for the Vancouver Canucks with a lower-body injury.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Marc-Andre Fleury is back with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Well, at least for this weekend. Though the three-time Stanley Cup champion retired at the end of last season with the Minnesota Wild, Fleury signed a PTO to practice Friday with the Penguins and play one period of their preseason game Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets — ending his career in Pittsburgh, where it all started. Shelly Anderson captured all of the smiles, laughs, and fun from Penguins camp Friday.
Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman dropped a bomb on The Fan Hockey Show, stating that he believes there’s some tampering going on in the contract negotiations with Wild star Kirill Kaprizov.
CBS Sports: Victor Hedman left the Tampa Bay Lightning’s preseason game against the Carolina Hurricanes after the first period Friday with an undisclosed issue. Reportedly it was simply a precautionary move.
