“I try to keep it simple, down to a few phrases,” Mancini explained Thursday morning. “I think first is just ‘be a sponge’. Take everything in, be grateful for what we have here and that I get to experience this. Just stick to my game, play my game.”

Mancini quickly inserted himself into the conversation to be a part of the top-seven defensemen who will earn a spot on New York’s roster by scoring a goal and adding an assist to cap off an impressive preseason debut against the Boston Bruins in a 3-2 win at TD Garden on Sunday. He was one of the most noticeable players — and one of the most talked-about players after that game.

He added two shots in 20:01 of ice time in his second preseason contest, a 5-2 win against the Bruins at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. Though he didn’t hit the score sheet, Mancini made a terrific defensive play to start a scoring play the other way that was finished by Jonny Brodzinski.

Is the pressure getting to him? Well, not exactly.

“I don’t really think it changes,” Mancini said when asked about his approach following his two-point night. “Obviously (I was) very excited to score that goal, but the process doesn’t change, you come back to the rink the next day, and you have to keep putting in the work, you have to keep working hard. It’s awesome, but the process doesn’t change.”

Related: 3 Rangers takeaways from preseason win against Bruins

Mancini not focused on pressure of making Rangers roster

The 2022 fifth-round pick got his first taste of professional hockey last season when he debuted with the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Rangers’ AHL affiliate. He played in seven regular-season games, earning three assists, then had three assists in 10 playoff games, helping the Wolf Pack reach the Atlantic Division Final.

It is possible that Mancini will get more chances to impress the Rangers brass, with three preseason games left to play. Coach Peter Laviolette has been impressed with the 22-year-old to this point.

“I think he’s had a really good camp,” Laviolette said. “I thought he was noticeable in the rookie games in Philadelphia. I thought he played well down there. He’s looked good in scrimmages and practices. He’s played well in exhibitions, so, yeah, he’s in the mix with others.”

Mancini’s stock rising as Rangers training camp continues

Mancini is battling with Zac Jones, Chad Ruhwedel, Matthew Robertson, and Connor Mackey to see who will take the sixth and seventh spots on the roster. With Ryan Lindgren injured and listed as week to week, Mancini’s chances have gotten even better.

His play so far must have impressed Laviolette and the staff; Mancini was in Lindgren’s place as Adam Fox’s partner on the first defensive pair at practice Friday.

Lindgren typically plays on the left side. Mancini is a right-handed shot but said he’s open to playing either side and willing to play in any situation.

“I’ve played on the left side before,” Mancini said. “Obviously, I play on the right side most of the time, but I’m going to do whatever I can do to best help the team — and if they want me to play on the left side, I can do that.”

Laviolette has been impressed with Mancini’s ability to play on the left side.

“I think some people really struggle on their off sides and then some people don’t care – it doesn’t matter, they go out and the same game,” he said Friday. “The conversation was that he’d played it (the left side) in the past, and so there’s an opportunity to jump in and fill a spot right now. We’re just looking at all possibilities through training camp.”

While his stock has risen considerably since the start of the preseason, Mancini isn’t focusing on that. He knows the Rangers are a team with good depth and talent on the back end.

“I’m just worried about myself,” Mancini said when asked if he thinks he can make the Rangers. “This team is so good; they’re gearing up for another playoff run. I just want to go out, put my best foot forward.

“I’m just kind of worried about myself right now, and to go out and enjoy being here, enjoy the process, and enjoy being here.”

The 22-year-old is starting his first full professional season in 2024-25. After finishing his collegiate career with Merrimack College last spring, Ollas signed his entry-level contract with the Rangers and then played one AHL game with Hartford on a PTO. He won his first professional start against Springfield on April 20.

The 6-foot-7 goalie was 7-12-0 with a 2.84 goals-against average and .908 save percentage in 21 games last season with Merrimack. Two years ago, he was voted to the Hockey East Third All-Star Team following his sophomore season, when he was 10-9-0 with a 2.32 GAA, .915 save percentage and five shutouts.

Back at #NYR development camp this morning. Nice setup here from Perreault to Othmann in front, but Hugo Ollas smothers the shot for the save. pic.twitter.com/7XVGqq6MEW

— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) July 3, 2024

The Rangers selected the native of Sweden in the seventh round (No. 197 overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft. Though assigned now to Hartford, it’s expected that Ollas will share the net in the ECHL this season with another 6-foot-7 goalie prospect, Talyn Boyko, who remains in Rangers camp. Veteran Louis Domingue and third-year pro Dylan Garand are expected to be the goalies in Hartford.

Domingue and Garand split duties Sunday when the Rangers opened the preseason with a 3-2 win against the Boston Bruins. Domingue started and allowed one goal on 15 shots in 30:18. Garand picked up the win, allowing one goal on 13 shots.

Those two and Boyko are among five goalies still in Rangers camp. Of course, the other two are Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick.

Related: 3 Rangers takeaways from 3-2 preseason win against Bruins

Several Hartford players stand out in Rangers’ preseason victory

Victor Mancini – courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

The Rangers reduced their roster by 15 players Sunday, when they made their first cuts. Eleven of those players were assigned to Hartford, including Maxim Barbashev, Carter Berger, Brett Budgell, Jonny Evans, Blake Hillman, Blade Jenkins, Case McCarthy, Blake McLaughlin, Jake Murray, Chase Pauls, and Ryan Siedem.

The Wolf Pack open their training camp on Sunday, so there’s a good chance the Rangers will make more cuts later this week. Those may come after preseason games Tuesday against the Islanders and Thursday against the Bruins.

New York’s lineup Sunday against the Bruins featured 14 players likely ticketed to start the season in Hartford. Among the standouts were defensemen Victor Mancini, who had a goal and an assist; forward Alex Belzile, who scored the game-winning goal; forward Anton Blidh, who had an assist and a team-high four hits; center Jake Leschyshyn, who won seven of 10 face-offs; and 2021 first-round pick Brennan Othmann, who had two big hits and got into a second-period fight.

Maxim Barbashev, Carter Berger, Brett Budgell, Jonny Evans, Blake Hillman, Blade Jenkins, Case McCarthy, Blake McLaughlin, Jake Murray, Chase Pauls, and Ryan Siedem all were assigned to the training camp of the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Rangers’ affiliate in the American Hockey League.

Nathan Aspinall, Raoul Boilard, and Noah Van Vliet each will report to his respective junior team. Also, Kalle Vaisanen has returned to his team in Europe.

The roster cuts don’t come as much of a surprise, as the Rangers began their preseason schedule Sunday night against the Boston Bruins, a 3-2 win, and opening night less than three weeks away.

Players like Vaisanen and McCarthy impressed in the rookie games in Philadelphia, but were still in the first round of cuts, since they did not have any chance of making the varsity. Other first-year pros like Bryce McConnell-Barker and Jaroslav Chmelar remain at Rangers camp. This should be a boost of confidence for the younger players who made the first cut — and something to keep an eye on leading up to the next round of cuts.

48 players remain at Rangers training camp

Forwards (28): Alex Belzile, Brett Berard, Anton Blidh, Jonny Brodzinski, Sam Carrick, Jaroslav Chmelar, Filip Chytil, Will Cuylle, Adam Edstrom, Bo Groulx, Kaapo Kakko, Ryder Korczak, Chris Kreider, Alexis Lafreniere, Jake Leschyshyn, Bryce McConnell-Barker, Riley Nash, Brennan Othmann, Artemi Panarin, Matt Rempe, Dylan Roobroeck, Reilly Smith, Nate Sucese, Adam Sykora, Vincent Trocheck, Jimmy Vesey, Mika Zibanejad

Defensemen (14): Madison Bowey, Casey Fitzgerald, Adam Fox, Ben Harpur, Zac Jones, Ryan Lindgren, Connor Mackey, Victor Mancini, K’Andre Miller, Matthew Robertson, Chad Ruhwedel, Brandon Scanlin, Braden Schneider, Jacob Trouba

Goaltenders (6): Talyn Boyko, Louis Domingue, Dylan Garand, Hugo Ollas, Jonathan Quick, Igor Shesterkin

To that end, the coach refused to say that Zac Jones will definitely replace Erik Gustafsson as a regular on the third defense pair this season. Nor has he said Matt Rempe will make the team based on his performance last season.

Of course, it’s safe to say that each has a leg up on the competition in camp, with Jones, specifically, looking to be a lock as a regular on the defense corps after three seasons as an extra defenseman.

“It’s training camp. There is always an opportunity for you to jump out of your shoes, knock us in the head and say ‘I am here. I have arrived.’ Then from there that makes us look at everything, at the entire situation,” Laviolette explained Wednesday. “Those are good things to have within an organization. People that are ready as they get put into situations.”

But reality is the Rangers are locked into six defensemen, so they need to decide who’s the extra one on the roster. And 11 of the 13 forwards are set, leaving two spots that need to be filled, though Rempe and Jonny Brodzinski are clear favorites to do so.

So, where does that leave the other 40 or so skaters in camp? Many are youngsters who are trying to learn and make a good early impression. Then there are others trying to establish themselves as options for call-ups from Hartford of the American Hockey League when need arises on the varsity.

Then there’s Brennan Othmann and Adam Edstrom. They are the two forwards knocking on the NHL door, closest to earning a role with the Rangers. But will they get that chance to kick the door in?

Related: Reilly Smith gets to play with ‘two unbelievable players’ on 1st day of Rangers camp

Brennan Othmann, Adam Edstrom knocking on door for Rangers opportunity

Othmann scored 21 goals as a rookie pro last season with Hartford and played his first three NHL games with the Rangers. The 21-year-old is the best prospect in camp, but likely needs to earn a top-nine role to avoid being sent back to the AHL. There’s little to gain by keeping Othmann with the big club only to be a fourth-line player.

Edstrom, though, is Rempe and Brodzinski’s main challenge for one of the final forwards spots on the roster. The 23-year-old just scored three goals in two rookie games against the Philadelphia Flyers last week, had two goals in 11 games with the Rangers last season and 11 in 40 games with Hartford.

On many NHL teams, these two would be in good position to make the opening-night roster. With this deep Rangers team, it won’t be so easy.

So, what does Laviolette need to see from these two young forwards in this training camp that could alter plans?

“You want to see them go into the games and make an impact, you want to see them be difference makers,” the coach said Thursday. “You’re watching them in practice. You’re watching them in testing. How they came into camp and the maturity physically from last year. Then you watch the game and it’s another year of experience under their belt … and to see the impact they make.”

Edstrom is not the prospect Othmann, a 2021 first-round, is. But the 6-foot-7 forward might have the better chance to land a roster spot since he can fit on the fourth line or be the 13th forward, slotting in when needed. He’d have to beat out the popular Rempe, though.

“You see a guy score three goals down there (in rookie games), that’s somebody who’s trying to make some noise,” Laviolette noted.

To make an impact, Othmann must share ice time with skilled players. That would mean a top-six role — top nine at worst — on Broadway. So, Othmann would need to blow everyone away the next few weeks and possibly grab the right-wing role on a line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. However, veteran Reilly Smith is getting first whack at that spot.

“You look for continued growth inside of training camp … as the lineups get put in and they become more NHL veteran players, you want to see that impact continue to happen,” Laviolette explained.

Nobody is boxed in or out. Let’s see what that means for both Othmann and Edstrom as camp progresses and preseason games are played.

The core of the Rangers knows all about the 30+-year quest and the pain of coming close but falling short. The Rangers have reached the conference final twice in the past three years. However, they haven’t reached the Stanley Cup Final since 2014.

Last season, there was the historic 114-point campaign and fourth Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history. That such a great season ended at the hands of the Florida Panthers without even reaching the Cup Final added to the pain this time around.

A fresh start is there for the Rangers now with the beginning of training camp, and optimism is high. The Rangers return most of the roster from last season, but know that changes could loom next offseason when the salary cap will force some difficult personnel decisions.

Stanley Cup or bust?

You could say that. But that’s for down the road. For now, the long grind is simply beginning.

Related: 7 Rangers to watch at 2024-25 training camp, including Matt Rempe

Top 5 storylines heading into Rangers training camp

Here’s a breakdown of the top storylines for the Rangers heading into their 2024-25 training camp. We left Jacob Trouba off this list because it’s nearly impossible to think he’d take shots at the Rangers or general manager Chris Drury for trying to trade him this summer. Trouba will simply make that a non-story. Right? Right??

Igor Shesterkin’s contract extension

Until the Rangers and their No. 1 goalie agree to a contract extension, it’s going to be the elephant in the room. Where do negotiations stand? When will a deal get struck? Will he be signed before the season starts? Are the sides on the same page? How does Igor feel about being an unrestricted free agent next summer? Etc., etc.

It behooves all involved that the Rangers sign Shesterkin long term sooner rather than later. The 28-year-old, coming off a stellar postseason run, is in prime position to ask for the moon. And reportedly he is, seeking to become the highest paid goalie in NHL history, which would be more than Carey Price’s $10.5 million AAV.

Drury said Tuesday he wants Shesterkin to be a Ranger for “a long time.” Shesterkin will probably claim not to understand English when asked about contract talks at the start of camp. And neither side will be leaking any information along the way.

Actions, though, mean more than words. So, let’s see how the Rangers and Shesterkin work things out, as expected, before July 1, 2025 appears on the near horizon.

Filling the hole next to Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider

For the fourth straight season since Pavel Buchnevich was traded to the St. Louis Blues, the Rangers will try to fill the hole on right wing next to Zibanejad and Kreider. It’s not worth listing all of the players who didn’t quite click with 93 and 20, not only last season but in the ones prior.

Newcomer Reilly Smith is expected to get a look in that role when camp starts. The 33-year-old, acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins, helped the Vegas Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup in 2023, is a terrific playoff performer (79 points in 106 postseason games) and has five 20-goal seasons on his resume, including 26 just two seasons ago. But he dropped to 40 points last season and is no slam dunk to find chemistry with Zibanejad and Kreider.

Rookie Brennan Othmann could get a look in that spot. The 21-year-old scored 21 goals with Hartford of the American Hockey League last season and was a first-round pick in the 2021 draft. Othmann needs to blow everyone away at camp to earn a spot on the opening-night roster and likely needs to play top-six minutes either on Broadway or in Hartford.

Kaapo Kakko could also be an option. Drury said the 23-year-old is out to show his poor play last season was a “fluke.” He failed to find any chemistry with Zibanejad and Kreider last season and ended up on the third line after a 21-game injury absence. Kakko’s got a lot to prove, so perhaps it’s a good time to give him another shot here.

And if no one, again, is an even-strength fit with Zibanejad and Kreider? Does coach Peter Laviolette explore the possibility of splitting the long-time duo up, shaking up the rest of the forward lines in the process?

Kaapo Kakko, Filip Chytil look to rebound

Each of these former “Kid Line” forwards is seeking to get things back on track in 2024-25. Kakko, scored 13 goals and finished with 19 points last season. He added just one goal in 15 postseason games, and was a healthy scratch for one game in the conference final. And it appeared for the early part of the offseason that the No. 2 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft could be traded.

Chytil missed six months of action after sustaining what’s believed to be a concussion last Nov. 2. When he returned in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, it was impossible to judge where his game actually was because he was so behind his teammates and opposition.

So, yeah, this is a massive training camp for both Kakko and Chytil. If they’re healthy and able to recapture their 2022-23 form, the Rangers will be even more dangerous this season. Chytil had 22 goals and 45 points two seasons ago; Kakko had 18 goals and 40 points. If they team up on the third line with those kinds of numbers, the Rangers will be thrilled to have their bottom-six scoring issues fixed.

But if Chytil can’t remain healthy and/or Kakko can’t find his game still, well, that’s an even bigger story.

Zac Jones out to prove he’s ready for full-time role

Jones turns 24 nine days after the Rangers open their season against the Penguins on Oct. 9. It’ll be his first birthday as an everyday regular in the NHL. Jones replaces Erik Gustafsson (who signed with the Detroit Red Wings) on the third defense pair this season, after three years waiting his turn.

Now Jones needs to prove that he’s capable of locking down this role. At 5-foot-10, 176 pounds, will he be able to handle the day-in, day-out pounding he’ll absorb, and is he strong enough to protect the front of the net? He’s a slick puck mover and skater, but can he replace the 31 points Gustafsson had last season?

The Rangers appear to have a lot of faith in Jones, who stepped in and played well over 31 games last season when injuries hit the defense corps several times. They did not sign a veteran to challenge him, so Jones has quite a bit of runway to reward the Rangers’ faith in him before the NHL trade deadline in March.

Few roster battles

Barring injuries, the Rangers roster for opening night is just about set. Eleven of their 13 forward spots are locked in, as are six of the seven defensemen. And, of course, Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick will be the goalies.

Othmann might be the only player on the outside who could shake things up and force a big-time decision for the coaching staff and management. Otherwise, it’ll be Matt Rempe, Adam Edstrom, Jonny Brodzinski and, perhaps, a surprise like Adam Erne (on a PTO) or rookie Brett Berard, battling for the final two forward spots.

As for the extra defenseman, Chad Ruhwedel looks to have the edge over Ben Harpur, Connor Mackey, Matthew Robertson, Madison Bowey (PTO) and Casey Fitzgerald. But that could change during the preseason.

There doesn’t appear to be much, if any, room for surprises on the roster.

Whether it was Drury discussing his strong relationship with captain Jacob Trouba, whom he tried to trade this past offseason, or reflecting on the hard lessons learned losing in two of the past three Eastern Conference Finals, the Rangers GM had a positive spin for pretty much each topic tossed his way.

That includes how he feels about young forwards Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil. Each is looking to rebound from a difficult 2023-24 season. But the GM is feeling good about the prospect of each to do exactly that heading into training camp.

Drury seemed particularly upbeat about Kakko, who never got going last season and likely enters a make-or-break year with the Rangers.

“Another guy that had a terrific offseason and in early testing just looks great,” Drury said. “I think he’s out to prove that last year was a fluke, and he’s ready to have a good year for us.”

Kakko scored 18 goals and had 40 points two seasons ago. He appeared to be on verge of breaking out to be the key contributor the Rangers envisioned when they selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.

Then he hit a brick wall last season.

It’s no secret that Kakko didn’t have a good season in 2023-24. Sidelined with a lower-body injury at the end of November, Kakko missed 21 games during the middle of the season. In 61 regular-season games, he accumulated a meager 19 points (13 goals, six assists).

“He dealt with an injury last year, and admittedly he didn’t have the best year,” Drury stated flatly.

Kakko began the season with high expectations and a place on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. That experiment didn’t pay off — the line struggled to produce offense and lacked chemistry. Kakko was relegated to the third line, where he saw less ice time and continued to struggle offensively, largely playing with Jonny Brodzinski, Will Cuylle, Jimmy Vesey and Alex Wennberg.

During the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Kakko played 15 games and scored one goal, against the Washington Capitals in Game 4 of the first round. He was a healthy scratch for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers.

No bueno.

But the 23-year-old vowed at breakup day in June to be a different player this coming season. He quickly signed a one-year contract extension. Drury resisted the temptation to trade Kakko and now here he is, one of the most important players in camp.

Whether he’s back on the third line to boost their secondary scoring or gets another chance with Zibanejad and Kreider, Kakko must find that next gear in his game.

“He’ll get an opportunity to play his game and take hold of what he wants to take hold of,” coach Peter Laviolette added Wednesday.

Related: 7 Rangers to watch in training camp, including Matt Rempe

Rangers GM says Filip Chytil is ‘full go’ to start training camp

Another Rangers player hoping last season was not the norm is Chytil. The 25-year-old center missed all but 10 games because of an upper-body injury believed to be a concussion. Because Chytil is believed to have sustained multiple concussions in his career, it was good news to hear what Drury had to say about him entering camp.

Drury reported that Chytil is a “full go” and has “nothing holding him back.”

A healthy Chytil gives the Rangers a huge advantage over other teams down the middle. Having your top-three centers be Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck and Chytil is pretty darn good. Though Chytil centered for Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere before his injury, he’s likely headed to the third line since Trocheck had an All-Star season after replacing him last seasnon.

If Chytil approaches his 22-goal, 45-point season from 2022-23, the Rangers are set up very nicely in their top nine.

Certainly, we should see a better version of Chytil than when he returned in the second round of the playoffs this past spring. Chytil was scoreless in six games and showed much rust after missing six months of action

A fully healthy Chytil and a motivated Kakko are positive signs that the Rangers have some more solid options to provide offense this season.

While that news is good, Drury did have some minor injury news that wasn’t as positive. Veteran center Riley Nash, who played with Hartford of the American Hockey League last season, sustained a lower-body injury during the offseason and won’t participate in training camp. Also, Hartford center Ryder Korczak was “dinged up” during a rookie game against the Philadelphia Flyers and will miss the start of camp. 

Past that, this training camp is about getting a large contingent of returning players ready for another kick at the can, trying to win the Stanley Cup. There’s little room for surprises or major overhaul. Veteran forwards Reilly Smith and Sam Carrick will integrate into the lineup. Zac Jones will ascend from 7th defensemen to being a regular on the third pair. And several players will contend for the 12th and 13th forward spot on the roster.

But training camp remains important. It’s a prime opportunity to focus on different players for different reasons before the regular season begins.

We will examine the Rangers key storylines for training camp separately. But for now, let’s examine several Rangers to watch at this year’s training camp.

Related: GM plans to keep Igor Shesterkin, Alexis Lafreniere ‘long time’ with Rangers

These Rangers are worth watching closely at training camp

This list began as a top-five, but grew to seven, and includes someone who’s not a player.

These seven Rangers are listed alphabetically.

Filip Chytil

The 25-year-old center played only 10 regular-season games in 2023-24 because of an upper-body injury believed to be a concussion. Though Chytil made his way back into the lineup six months after the original injury to play six games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he has much to prove this season, beginning with camp.

After a full summer of training, Chytil should be back on equal footing with his teammates. General manager Chris Drury said Chytil is a “full-go” at training camp.

“Nothing holding him back, which is great news for everyone,” Drury added.

But head injuries — and Chytil has had more than one in his career — are a scary thing, and you best believe the Rangers will monitor him closely.

If he resembles the player who scored 22 goals and had 45 points two seasons ago, the Rangers are going to be handful in 2024-25 with Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck and Chytil down the middle. But if he’s gun-shy or off, as he looked in the playoffs, that’s a problem.

Kaapo Kakko

After an extremely disappointing 2023-24 season, that led to offseason trade rumors, Kakko is back for perhaps his last go-round with the Rangers. That’s almost hard to believe considering Kakko is only 23 and was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.

He failed miserably on the top line with Zibanejad and Chris Kreider last season, sustained a knee injury that cost him a quarter of the season, then finished on the third line with 13 regular-season goals. He scored just once in 15 postseason games, and was a healthy scratch in the other playoff game.

Kakko seemed determined on breakup day in June to work harder than ever and redeem himself in 2024-25. Let’s see how that plays out, starting in camp. And will he get a look with Zibanejad and Kreider again, or will he play on the third line with Chytil and Will Cuylle (or Jimmy Vesey)?

Drury sounded optimistic Tuesday, when discussing Kakko.

“I think he’s out to prove that last year was a fluke, and he’s ready to have a good year for us.”

Jeff Malcolm

Wait, what? Who?

That’s right, the only goalie on this list is not one named Igor Shesterkin nor Jonathan Quick. Not even Dylan Garand nor Louis Domingue.

Malcolm is on this list because he was promoted to be the Rangers goalie coach. He replaces legendary goaltending guru Benoit Allaire, who held the post for 20 years and helped develop Henrik Lundqvist into a Hockey Hall of Famer, Shesterkin into a Vezina Trophy winner and Cam Talbot into a longtime No. 1 goalie in the NHL, among other accomplishments.

Allaire remains head of goaltending for the organization, but Malcolm will be with the NHL team every day. He’s worked with the goalies at Hartford of the American Hockey League the past six seasons, so he knows Shesterkin and Garand well, and Quick somewhat.

How will the goalies react to a new voice and approach with their position coach? How will Malcolm be different on the ice and behind the scenes with the goalies? It’s an intriguing storyline to follow, beginning in training camp, since Malcolm has large shoes — or skates — to fill.

Brennan Othmann

Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

He’s probably not going to crack the opening-night roster. But then again Othmann is a 21-year-old forward who scored 21 goals as a rookie pro in the AHL last season and, oh yeah, was the Rangers first-round pick in 2021. So, he’s going to get a look in the top-nine.

It will be very interesting to see what Othmann does with his opportunity in this training camp. He’s knocking on the NHL door, but with the Rangers deep up front, he’ll need to knock the door off its hinges to be considered. Considering his chip-on-the-shoulder mentality, he just might.

We’ll get an idea what the Rangers’ thinking with him is when camp — and the preseason — begins. If he’s skating with Zibanejad and Kreider and not, say, Brett Berard and Bryce McConnell-Barker, the he might get a very legit look.

Matt Rempe

The talk and hype are over. Now, Rempe needs to show the coaching staff how he’s improved his game over the summer and prove they can trust him for more than five minutes a game. In other words, hope those offseason workouts with Chris Kreider paid off.

In particular, Rempe needs to display better skating skills and be more under control when he gets going top speed. The Rangers love the popular 6-foot-8 forward, but need him to be better in every way compared to last season.

Adam Edstrom likely is Rempe’s main competition for a fourth-line spot. And the 6-foot-7 forward from Sweden is off to a good start, scoring three goals in two rookie games last weekend. Then again, Rempe bypassed rookie camp, a sign that he has a leg up on Edstrom. But make no mistake, this is serious position battle, and not one that’s a slam dunk for Rempe to win.

Reilly Smith

The Rangers didn’t land a high-priced free agent right wing to play in their top-six forward group this past offseason. But they did acquire Smith in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Will the 33-year-old be able to fill the void alongside Zibanejad and Kreider?

The younger brother of former Rangers defenseman Brendan Smith has a nice resume. He’s a 2023 Stanley Cup champion and five-time 20-goal scorer, including 26 two seasons ago with the Vegas Golden Knights. He’s a big-game player with 79 points in 106 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Smith most definitely should help the Rangers. But he is coming off a 16-point drop-off in points year over year, after finishing with 40 with the Penguins in 2023-24. And will he be able to fit with 93 and 20, because that’s proven to be a very difficult spot to fill for the past three seasons?

Jacob Trouba

The Rangers captain might just be the most motivated player entering camp. Coming off a so-so season and poor playoff, and possibly headed to third-pair duty, Trouba was nearly traded this past offseason, per several reports. Certainly, Drury was at least exploring moving Trouba and his $8 million salary cap hit, asking for the defenseman’s 15-team no-trade list sooner than required, presumably to facilitate a deal.

Trouba held tight to his list until the last second, no trade was made. And now here we are. Drury spoke highly of his captain ahead of training camp and downplayed any ill will. But how is Trouba affected by what happened this offseason?

The 30-year-old is a class act, so it would be shocking if he displayed any anger towards Drury or the organization. Expect him to put his head down and go to work. Opposing forwards should keep their heads up, though, when No. 8 is on the ice this season. Someone must pay.

The Rangers are bringing 63 players to camp — 36 forwards, 21 defensemen and six goalies. However, the truth of the matter is that there are very few openings on the NHL roster. Assuming the Rangers carry 22 players to begin the season, it’d appear 11 of the 13 forward spots, six of the seven defensemen and both goalie spots are already filled.

The 2024 #NYR Training Camp roster is set.

Details: https://t.co/iTxMXqIuyP pic.twitter.com/nV4Ek3Zluy

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 16, 2024

Part of the reason for that rests with the fact that the Rangers are coming off a 55-win Presidents’ Trophy season. So, no reason for a roster makeover, especially with so many core players locked into longer-term contracts.

Then there’s a fact that general manager Chris Drury had so little wiggle room under the salary cap this summer. He placed veteran forward Barclay Goodrow on waivers to create some financial flexibility, but failed to trade captain Jacob Trouba and his $8 million cap hit the next two seasons.

Forwards Reilly Smith and Sam Carrick are two new additions to the Rangers roster. Veterans Adam Erne, a forward, and Madison Bowey, a defensemen, are attending camp on PTOs.

Among those no longer with the organization are Goodrow, defenseman Erik Gustafsson and forwards Alex Wennberg, Blake Wheeler and Jack Roslovic.

Related: Rangers contingency plan if this misfortune strikes again

Rangers have few battles for roster spots at this training camp

Brennan Othmann – photo courtesy of Hartford Wolf Pack

This is a big camp — operative word here is “big” — for super-sized forwards Matt Rempe (6-foot-8) and Adam Edstrom (6-foot-7). Those giants could very well be battling it out for the final spot or two among forwards, along with Jonny Brodzinski.

Rempe is the favorite to land a role on the fourth line. But he’ll be pushed by Edstrom, who played well in 11 games with the Rangers last season and scored three goals in two rookies games against the Philadelphia Flyers this past weekend.

On defense, Zac Jones has a clear path for the open spot on the third pairing. Veteran Chad Ruhwedel will have to hold off Ben Harpur, Connor Mackey, Matthew Robertson and others to be the extra defenseman on the opening-night roster.

It’ll be interesting to see how long a look rookie forward Brennan Othmann gets in camp. The 21-year-old scored 21 goals with Hartford in the American Hockey League last season and could get some chances on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider in the preseason.

Othmann likely needs to blow Rangers management and coaches away to land a roster spot out of camp — the safe bet is that Reilly Smith start out as RW1 — but the 2021 first-rounder is one to keep an eye on.

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette meets with the media Wednesday and Forever Blueshirts will have complete coverage of his press availability.

The 29-year-old defenseman returns to North America after playing for three teams in the KHL over in Russia last season. He had 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 51 KHL games.

Bowey has 158 games of NHL experience, though he hasn’t played in the League since 2021-22, when he appeared in two games with the Vancouver Canucks. He’s totaled 40 points (five goals, 35 assists) for four teams over five NHL seasons.

The 6-foot-1, 207 pounder as a second-round pick (No. 53 overall) in the 2013 NHL Draft by the Washington Capitals. His best season with them was his rookie campaign in 2017-18, when he had 12 assists in 51 games. After two seasons and 84 games with the Capitals, Bowey played two season with the Detroit Red Wings. He had an NHL career-high 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in 53 games with them in 2019-20.

Bowey, who was captain of Kelowna in juniors and helped it win the Western Hockey League championship in 2014-15, spent most of the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons playing in the American Hockey League before heading to Russia last season.

Related: Rangers sign Adam Erne to PTO ahead of training camp

Madison Bowey could provide depth on right side of Rangers defense

Bowey is a right-shot defenseman, a spot where the Rangers could use more depth within then organization. Behind the three righties who’ll play in the NHL this season — Adam Fox, Jacob Trouba and Braden Schneider — the Rangers have veteran Chad Ruhwedel, who’s the frontrunner to land the extra defenseman spot.

The Rangers signed Casey Fitzgerald this offseason to add depth on that side. And there’s Victor Mancini, a 2022 draft pick who’s set to play his first full season with the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL.

They are more set on the left side. After NHLers Ryan Lindgren, K’Andre Miller and Zac Jones, the Rangers have several options who can battle for the extra defenseman spot on the roster or be called up later from Hartford.

That group includes Ben Harpur, Connor Mackey and Brandon Scanlin. In addition, there’s Matthew Robertson, a forth-year pro who was New York’s second-round pick in 2019.

The Rangers are holding rookie camp this week and will open up training camp next week. Their first preseason game is Sunday, Sept. 22 at the Boston Bruins. The first preseason game at Madison Square Garden is two nights later, Tuesday, Sept. 24, against the Islanders.

The 29-year-old is a Connecticut native, who has 379 games of NHL experience. He split last season with the Edmonton Oilers and their American Hockey League affiliate in Bakersfield. Erne had two points (one goal, one assist) and averaged 7:49 in ice time in 24 games with the Oilers, and 12 points (six goals, six assists) and 22 penalty minutes in 36 games in Bakersfield.

Interestingly, Erne landed a contract last season after attending Edmonton’s training camp on a PTO. So, this isn’t new territory for him.

Erne was a second-round pick (No. 33 overall) by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2013 NHL Draft. He played three seasons with the Lightning, including 2018-19, when he recorded 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 66 games to establish an NHL career high.

He equaled that 20-point total in 2021-21 with the Detroit Red Wings, when he also scored an NHL career-best 11 goals in 45 games.

In all, Erne has 91 points (41 goals, 50 assists) and 180 penalty minutes in the NHL with the Lightning, Red Wings and Oilers. He’s also scoreless in three Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Lightning.

Related: Rangers rookie camp features Brennan Othmann among 25 players

Where does Adam Erne fit with Rangers?

Erne is a rugged forward, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 215 pounds. He’s best suited in a bottom-six role and could battle for a spot on the fourth line with the Rangers this Fall. However, the Rangers have a lot of depth on the wing in the bottom six, including Jimmy Vesey, Will Cuylle, Matt Rempe and Adam Edstrom. Then there’s prospects like Brett Berard and Adam Sykora who’ll get a look in training camp.

Barring injury(ies), Erne could land a job in the Rangers organization with Hartford in the American Hockey League. Hartford already has Riley Nash, Alex Belzile and Anton Blidh on its roster, forwards with NHL experience, like Erne.

Last season was the most Erne played in the AHL since 2018-19, when he scored 12 goals in 41 games for Syracuse in the Lightning organization.

Should Erne be on the Rangers roster at some point this season, he could cross paths within the division with his former coach in junior. Erne played two seasons under Patrick Roy, who’s now the Islanders coach, with Quebec in the QMJHL from 2011-13. He scored 56 goals in 132 games over those two seasons with Roy as his coach.

Other notable players with NHL experience who’ve signed PTOs recently are defenseman Tyson Barrie with the Calgary Flames, forward Steven Lorentz with the Toronto Maple Leafs and goalie Michael Hutchinson with the New Jersey Devils.