Ranger’s training camp is in full swing. It is still early, but we have noticed a few trends in the camp that are worth monitoring. From defense saving to the forwarding of duos, Mike Sullivan clearly has a framework for how he expects this team to look like, with a few missing pieces to complete the puzzle. We have discussed part of this about live from the blue chairs, but even now a part of what we said is outdated. As usual, I have some thoughts.
Forward duos seem to be the trend in Ranger’s Training Camp
1. It seems that Sully Duos has that he holds together while he is looking for a complementary third for each line. Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck were linked together, just like JT Miller and Mika Zibanejad. Those duos were not surprising. What is a bit surprising is that Will Cuyll apparently combined with Juuso parsin, because many had hired Cuylle as a top six attacker. We will see where it is going in particular, especially since Sully has said that he proposes the third rule a shutdown, the starting line of the defensive zone.
Matt Rempe and Sam Carrick are also linked to each other, probably for the fourth rule. Adam Edstrom was particularly absent in that trio and was moved a bit to find his best fit.
2. Although it is not a duo, it is worth mentioning that Noah Laba, Brett Berard and Gabe Perreault have been inseparable in the camp. At least on the ice. Many, including myself, had Berard this season in a third line with the Rangers, but it seems that this trio will be the top line of Hartford. There is a piece of me that wonders what that trio can do at NHL level, but it is not necessary to hurry. It will be nice to see what they can do in a presidential game, if they stay together in the Rangers training camp.
For what it is worth, in particular Laba has been called Have an excellent start To Ranger’s training camp. I still don’t think he or Perreault will start the season with the Rangers, but both can be on a fast road to the NHL in December.
3. Conor Sheary will get a long glance from Sully in Rangers Training Camp. We expected this when he was signed with his PTO. Today he is with pars and cuylle. I don’t think Sheary will take a NHL spot away from someone like Brennan Othmann, but maybe he will be a stopgap until the coaching staff feels comfortable with one of the boys on the Perreault-Laba-Berard line.
Given his history with Sully, I would not be surprised to see Sheary a one -year -old deal and see a break camp with the Rangers as a free forward. However, I don’t think Sheary takes away a real selection of a deserving child.
4. Today, Alexis Lafreniere moved to a wing place next to Vincent Trocheck with panarin with a lower body injury. I think Sully will keep that trio together, but have not yet merged them to see if there are other, better options. Taylor Raddysh is now there, but if that will be a line that is familiar with the attack, Raddysh is a temporary plug there. Nothing about Raddysh’s game screams attacking zone Juggernaut. He would probably be much better on that third line with parssins and cuylle, although that trio has not yet been compiled.
5. We are at that point of the year where “X Player is in muscle strength during the low season” gets a lot of hype. The player with those awards in Rangers -Training Camp This year is Matt Rempe, who has added 12 pounds of muscle to his framework. He also looked good in the camp.
Defense savings remain a mystery
6. Without Braden Schneider who participates in scrimmages, it is difficult to see how Sully has the defense savings in Rangers -Training Camp in mind. Both Schneider and Scott Morrow have stated that they can play left -wing defense and Sully said that he will try Schneider there at a certain moment in Rangers training camp. I think that will be towards the end of the camp when most other bodies are cut.
This morning, Morrow was played together in the camp at Carson Soucy a few times. Morrow and Will Borgen were also briefly together. It seems that Schneider-Borgen can get a look as the second pair, with Soucy-Morrow as the third pair to start the season.
7. Vlad Gavrikov and Adam Fox are essentially merged on the hip. This was expected and they will be the top pair. That is not surprising.
What is surprising for three days of Ranger’s Camp is Urho often who never gets a look with someone who is projected for an NHL place. I think he’s the 7D to start the season, as many had projected. Although the actual couples remain a bit of a mystery, it seems that we know the 7 players who will break the camp. None of those 7 are a surprise.
It is a different kind of camp this year
8. Something we have all noticed is Rangers Training Camp this year has a different feeling. The Rangers received their part of the bag skating in the first day, with constant memories of Mike Sullivan that they played too slowly. This Rangers team will certainly be faster and more difficult to play against. This is the John Tortorella type camp that the Rangers desperately needed. Sully is certainly cut from that mold.
9. The Rangers will be more difficult to play against, simply because of a top three coach in the NHL behind the couch. Sully, Jon Cooper and Jared Bednar are my top three coaches, with Rod Brind’amour above that too. These are the only four coaches – in my opinion – who really make a difference for their teams. Most other coaches are different iterations of the same, just turning around to get a different voice.
Sometimes that different voice finds the perfect situation and it brings them to a level, such as Paul Maurice in Florida. After a decade in Winnipeg, Maurice could not get over the bump and found the perfect situation in Florida. Kris Knoblauch only has two seasons in the NHL, but two very good seasons in the NHL. Worth mentioning here before someone screams against me.
For me, Sully is a huge difference with how the rangers play on the ice.
10. Last point in Ranger’s training camp so far: Sully is a difference maker is a direct input to play faster. Playing faster does not mean that the straight line speed or peripheral or skating or that kind of things increases. It is knowing where to be, where the puck will be, read better and the puck moves faster. Playing faster does not mean being faster. It means knowing where to go, where to be and what will happen. Anticipation within a system makes a team faster and more difficult to play against.
That is the Mike Sullivan factor.
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