5 biggest differences for Rangers from last training camp, including Alexis Lafreniere expectations
Training camp gets underway for the New York Rangers next week and their first preseason game is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 22 at the Boston Bruins. In other words, things are about get real busy for the Rangers as they prepare for the 2024-25 season.
The roster of the reigning Presidents’ Trophy winners remains largely intact. Reilly Smith and Sam Carrick are the new faces, and Zac Jones will move up to replace Erik Gustafsson among the top-six regular defensemen. Outside of Brennan Othmann wowing management and the coaches to force his way on to the roster, there’s not much room for change in the lineup.
But that doesn’t mean everything is exactly the same as it was one year ago at this time, just ahead of training camp.
Related: Rangers won’t get Igor Shesterkin under $10 million annually on next deal: NHL insider
5 things that are different for Rangers at 2024 training camp as opposed to last year
Let’s examine what is different year over year heading into Rangers training camp.
5. Benny’s role
For the first time in 20 consecutive training camps, Benoit Allaire is no longer the Rangers goalie coach. Allaire will be at training camp in his role as director of Rangers goaltending, but the actual nitty gritty of the day-to-day role will be handled by new goalie coach Jeff Malcolm.
How will this change things for Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick? And what about the up and comers, like Dylan Garand and Hugo Ollas?
Well, Malcolm was in the organization working for Hartford in the American Hockey League for several years before being promoted. So, it’s not like an outsider is coming in to replace Allaire. But can anyone really replace the “Goalie Whisperer” who helped Henrik Lundqvist reach the Hall of Fame and Shesterkin turn his season around last February? Not to mention helping Quick rejuvenate his career at age 37, and propel youngsters like Cam Talbot and Alexandar Georgiev to become NHL All-Stars?
It’ll be strange to see someone else in Allaire’s former role. And perhaps it won’t be fair to judge what’s different until the season rolls along and Allaire is not there problem solving on an everyday basis.
Related: Benoit Allaire’s greatness on display at 2024 NHL All-Star Game
4. Tempered expectations for Kaapo Kakko, Filip Chytil
A year ago, big things were expected from Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil. Two-thirds of the “Kid Line” were coming off career-best seasons in 2022-23 and seemed ready to take off as emerging young stars in the League.
Chytil, who scored 22 goals and totaled 45 points in 2022-23, had himself a top-six role on a line featuring Artemi Panarin in training camp. That lasted 10 games into the regular season before a concussion submarined all the big plans and expectations. Chytil didn’t return to the lineup until the Stanley Cup Playoffs, when he was clearly not up to speed yet and scoreless in six postseason games.
Now, he’s considered an injury risk, following multiple head-related issues in his career. Chytil will start camp on the third line with tempered expectations this season.
Kakko scored 18 goals and had 40 points with the Rangers in 2022-23. He, too, began last season in the top six, placed on a line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider in training camp.
Simply, that line failed to generate any consistent production once the regular season began. After Kakko sustained a knee injury that cost him 21 games, he was put on the third line, where he finished with 13 goals and 19 points. His disappointing lack of production continued in the playoffs, when Kakko scored one goal in 15 games, and was a healthy scratch in another.
After reportedly being on the trade block this offseason, Kakko enters camp expected to play a third-line role this season.
Related: Kaapo Kakko holds key to Rangers third-line success
3. Alexis Lafreniere is a star now
The third forward on the “Kids Line” was Alexis Lafreniere, and expectations weren’t so high for him entering 2023 training camp. In fact, there were many who wanted the Rangers to trade Lafreniere after three so-so seasons that followed his No. 1 overall selection in the 2020 NHL Draft.
But coach Peter Laviolette also gave Lafreniere a top-six opportunity right away in camp. Unlike the misfortune that befell Kakko and Chytil, Lafreniere thrived and broke out with a 28-goal, 57-point season playing alongside Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. The 22-year-old then was a force in the playoffs and tied for the Rangers lead with eight goals in 16 postseason games.
His performance on the big stage in the playoffs confirmed Lafreniere to be among the sport’s rising young stars. The Athletic recently ranked Lafreniere No. 14 on a list of top NHL players and prospects under the age of 23. Expectations are now off the charts for Lafreniere, and he enters camp looking for his first 30-goal season and, perhaps, a shot at playing for Canada in the 4 Nations Tournament.
2. Perhaps last go-round in New York for Jacob Trouba, Ryan Lindgren
The Rangers top-four defensemen have been consistent for several years now. But both Jacob Trouba and Ryan Lindgren enter this camp knowing it may be their final one with the Rangers.
Lindgren received a one-year, $4.5 million contract this offseason and can be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end. Perhaps there would have been more traction for a long-term deal if the Rangers salary-cap picture weren’t so muddled moving forward. Or it could be that the Rangers are wary of Lindgren breaking down over the long term.
Either way, it sets Lindgren up for what could his final season on the top pairing with his good friend Adam Fox.
Then there’s Trouba, whom Rangers general manager Chris Drury wanted — and failed — to trade to free up cap space this offseason. He’s still got $8 million annually coming his way this season and next, but he’ll have fewer teams on his no-trade list next summer, so it’ hard to picture the captain back when training camp rolls around in September of 2025.
Should one or neither return next season, that makes this the final camp and season for what’s been a really good run in the top four.
1. Peter Laviolette enters second season as Rangers coach
The biggest change from this time a year ago is that Laviolette is settled into his role as Rangers coach. Last September, there were a whole host of questions about whether Laviolette was the right hire to coach this team and these players, following Gerard Gallant.
But he instilled a better defensive system, received the required buy-in from the players and guided the Rangers to the most wins (55) and points (114) in franchise history. He was spot-on with his Lafreniere plan and managed the team with a deft hand when it struggled for a month in January.
So, Laviolette has got plenty of cred on his side right now. And the players know what to expect on and off the ice from their coach, who is clearly liked and respected. Now, let’s see what changes Laviolette has in store from a year ago, or even from last spring in the playoffs, to get the Rangers over the hump and into their first Stanley Cup Final since 2014.
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