• What to look for in the two games against Philly •
Today we have a guest post by blog regular Carey to give us all some insight on the rookies (not just 2025 draftees) and the two upcoming games Friday and Saturday. Thank you Carey for kicking off our NYR season with some great info!
I have been given the honor of writing up a rookie game/training camp preview. I will try not to go into too much detail. Just some players to keep an eye on.
I’ll start in goal. A very under the radar signing by Drury in the spring was Callum Tung. Keep an eye on Tung going forward. Played at UConn. He may very well, at some point, surpass Garand as the number 3 goalie in the system.
The D could be interesting to watch this weekend. Two draft picks from the most recent draft will be on the team, Artem Gonchar and Evan Passmore. Very different style of player – Gonchar is a smallish, offensive minded Dman, and Passmore is a big D minded defenseman. If there is a Ranger to get into a fight this weekend, it will be Passmore. Gonchar is playing in Canadian major junior this year. Very smart move. Jackson Dorrington is a player to watch, not only this weekend, but in training camp as well. He was part of the JT Miller trade. Dorrington, another spring signing by Drury, played a handful of games for Hartford. He has NHL potential. I think we are all curious to see Scott Morrow. He has a legitimate chance to make the Rangers this season.
11 of the 13 forwards are draft picks. The only non-Ranger draft picks are Mack Sullivan, who is signed to a Hartford contract, and Carey Terrance, acquired in the Chris Kreider trade. I would not be surprised to see Noah Laba center Othmann and Perreault this weekend. All three will play NHL games this season. Center, believe it or not, should be a strength on the rookie team. In addition to Laba, Dylan Roobreck, and Carey Terrance should be the top three centers. Probably in that order.
Roobreck had a very strong finish to his first pro season, and will be someone to watch in training camp. Hopefully he will get a couple of preseason games. I think the expectations for Terrance should be lowered. He’s a solid prospect, but scored less than a point a game in his final junior season. The offense may not be there, very similar to Bryce McConnell-Barker “BMB”, who also did not put up big numbers in his last junior season and really struggled to score in Hartford last year.
I initially loved when Adam Sykora was drafted, however my view on him has changed considerably. I know he’s still very young, but I really expected more from him offensively last year, and it just wasn’t there. It feels like his upside is that of a 4th liner. Jaroslav Chemlar looks to be a Hartford only player and probably will end up playing in Europe in the not too distant future. Kalle Vaisanen was signed last year, but the Rangers let him play in Finland. I don’t expect much from him, but he is a name that most of us know.
The college prospects are not there. Malcom Spence, and massive D man Sean Barnhill are at Michigan State. Brody Lamb is at Minnesota. EJ Emery is at North Dakota. I expect Emery to make big strides for North Dakota this year, as they were surprisingly bad last year. I wouldn’t expect that this season. Drew Fortescue returned to BC for his junior season. Ty Henricks is someone to follow closely this season; he is at Western Michigan. Rasmus Larsson is a right shot Dman who played at Northern Michigan last year, but I believe he has transferred to Robert Morris. I don’t know much about him.
Thank you to Beezle and 3CP for allowing me to do this, and keeping the place up and running.
Unfortunately, there appears to be no TV/streaming coverage of these games though they may be covered by radio. Will update as necessary.
Sept. 12 – Game vs. Flyers @ PPL Center in Allentown, PA 7pm
Sept. 13 – Game vs. Flyers @ PPL Center in Allentown, PA 5pm
49 responses to “NYR Rookie Preview Guide”
In non-rookie news, perhaps under #greedy comes from the beat tweeters:
Kirill Kaprizov’s camp turned down an extension offer believed to be 8-years, $128 million in a meeting on Tuesday in Minnesota that would have made him the highest-paid player in NHL history in both AAV ($16 million) and total dollars.
Thank you, Carey, for a great write-up! Excellent start to the upcoming season on our blog!
P.S. Take notes, kids. We are going to need more contributions from the regulars this season, or we will go behind a paywall!
I KID! I KID!
Thanx Carey et al. Some really interesting insights into (as of now) the dark and deep.
Kaprizov derives from the word “kapriz,” which means “caprice” or “whim” in English. Fits this situation… Kiril is being very finicky 🙂
Keep an eye on Tung. He’s to salivate over, cheeky and full of spit (and vinegar). Dresses with taste when on the road but tends to get depressed.
Mollie reports: Bryce McConnell-Barker just left the ice briefly after taking a hard hit into the boards during a drill. He was favoring his arm/shoulder.
Thanks Carey!!!
In the past I believe streaming was through a Philly sauce
(Source)
Good stuff Carey…thx
There are a lot of quotes from today
Why did Brennan Othmann lose confidence last season? Did he not feel like he belonged?
on trainer change:
No. 78 said he weighed in at 195lbs today.
Brennan Othmann switched gyms and trainers this summer, worked out with players like McDavid, Draisaitl, Landeskog, Durzi and Byfield.
Gabe Perreault, who put on around 10lbs to get up to about 180lbs, on his approach this training camp:
Noah Laba, who got his first 11 games with the Wolf Pack last season after wrapping up at Colorado College:
Above quotes as reported by GoodGollyMissMollie, not sure if said directly to her or to all media at the camp. Either way, kudo’s to her for tweeting them.
ORF – Eyegor got 4x$5.67 after playing a total of 47 games over the two prior seasons (at $0.925). I think it is slightly less about the pay than the fact it came after so few games.
Igor’s first standard contract was 7% of cap at a time when the cap was going up. Not much better than 7.2% to Wolfe today. Before that time in limited sample Igor I believe had much better underlying performance metrics than Wolf.
Hats off to Kerry for this short but detailed report.
As for the capricious Kaprizov (the name and adjective here, are the same in Russian), I think he is trying to conquer Everest for the title of highest-paid player in the race with McDavid signing, coming in the same time. Not unlike a bicycle “sur plus” (track standstill) – who blinks first…
….apologies to Carey, – damn auto corrector…
County Kerry is a magical spot. Hugh Carey’s write up was fantastic. Great job!
Good quotes Beezle.. like Othman beefing up ..huge camp for him
It would be good if Mothmann could get to 205. They never say where most of the gains are – upper or lower body. In his case, probably needs more upstairs.
Berard up to 180 at 5’9, could go another 5, legs probably more important for him to hold open ice positions rather than stand up to board battles against 200+lb’ers.
Can I donate some of my surplus to these kids?
Win win
Othman does look bigger
Just think how big Othmann could get if CCCP got him a pass to the prison gym 🤣
Source: The NHL will permit Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton to resume playing Dec. 1, following their acquittal on sexual assault charges.
According to Ragu Sauces, Commissioner Buttman, however, will remain suspended pending resolution of charges of Moral Turpentine.
3CP would not only get Othmann muscled up, he’d get him multi-neck tatted and teach him to play chess.
Word, Coos!
Ali was primo at 212, less so at 230+. Weight is not always, but often overemphasized.
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/sources-nhl-suspends-players-acquitted-in-2018-sexual-assault-trial-until-dec-1/
Why December 1st? They should have been allowed to resume play immediately, with back pay. The NHLPA let them down on this account.
TOPS OF THE TOP Tier 1 — MVP
A top 10 player. Someone who is very likely to get serious trophy consideration at season’s end and whom championship-caliber teams are built around. The best player on almost any team in the league.
1A
Connor McDavid
Why he’s here
As usual, McDavid belongs in a tier of his own; call it Tier 1A+, a unanimous placement within the hockey world. McDavid stands alone at the top of the pyramid. “McDavid is his own guy,” one exec said. For our purposes, he’s the only player who isn’t sorted alphabetically within his tier.
McDavid remains a transcendent force in hockey as the league’s most dominant player. McDavid’s ability to create offense at the highest level in every which way remains untouched, and his off-puck work grows every year. Even if he’s allowed others to take turns with the Hart Trophy the last few years, McDavid is still the undisputed best of the best.
There isn’t a single player in his stratosphere that’s better with the puck on his stick, which has led to seven straight seasons scoring at a 120-point pace or higher. When 120 points — a mark reached by only seven other players in the cap era — is a player’s downside, it’s obvious we’re talking about an exceptional level of greatness.
And yet the lack of a Stanley Cup can’t be ignored. It’s not for a lack of trying, as McDavid has found an even higher gear in back-to-back trips to the Final. He’s proven his worth, even without a ring. Still, until he actually achieves ultimate glory, the blank space in his trophy case will continue to cast a shadow.
Tiers over time
Projected stats (2025 – 26)
Tier 1 — MVP
EDM
C
28
1A
Leon Draisaitl
Why he’s here
For four years, there was no real question about Draisaitl’s placement on this list. The names around him — Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews, Aleksander Barkov and Cale Makar — might’ve changed, but Draisaitl himself stood firm in Tier 1B, for better or worse.
This year, finally, things have changed. Draisaitl has joined his (slightly) higher-profile running mate in Tier 1 and firmed up his place (alongside MacKinnon in particular) as a contender for the “second-best forward in the league” title belt.
Make no mistake: there’s still a gap between Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. It’s larger, in fact, than the one between Draisaitl and the rest of the MVP tier. Last season, though, he dialed up his offense (3.79 all-situations points per 60 to 4.16) enough to make gains on Kucherov and comfortably pass MacKinnon, and he managed it while having the best defensive season of his career. We dinged him a bit on both fronts in our last ranking, and he answered the bell.
That improved production and a more substantive two-play were enough to lift him into our top five. It also, according to many of our panelists, pushes him ahead of MacKinnon despite the latter’s all-world skating and explosiveness.
“I think Leon makes better plays without the puck,” one scout said, “and even with the puck, I think he’s more cerebral and visionary than Nathan is.”
Tiers over time
Projected stats (2025 – 26)
Tier 1 — MVP
EDM
C
29
1A
Nathan MacKinnon
Why he’s here
Year after year, MacKinnon shows that he is one of the best players in the world.
He’s a force. He’s dominant. He’s outright powerful. He races down the ice with such speed and intention. And he’s also incredibly skilled.
“When he puts his head down and shifts gears, I think McDavid is the only one that can keep up with him,” a scout said.
Last year, he had a different burden than usual. He had to be a consistent threat as the team around him changed and evolved throughout the season. That could explain the dip from his scoring heights in 2023-24, when he had 51 goals and 89 assists. Still, his 116 points last season were second in the league, only to Nikita Kucherov.
The next best Avs forward in scoring after MacKinnon? Mikko Rantanen’s 64 points in 49 games. After that, it was Artturi Lehkonen’s 45, which trailed the Avs’ ace by 71 points.
That’s just one way to highlight his value in Colorado. That game-breaking ability is why he’s a staple in the MVP race, and in 1A for the second straight year. MacKinnon has consistently been his team’s backbone, and that was especially true in a challenging last season.
“He’s not McDavid, but he’s one of the very few players who could touch a puck at any spot on the ice and turn it into a goal,” an executive said.
Tiers over time
Projected stats (2025 – 26)
Tier 1 — MVP
COL
C
30
1A
Cale Makar
Why he’s here
Initially, we placed Makar in Tier 1B. To our panelists, that stuck out. Egregiously so, in fact.
One coach said, given the choice, he’d rather play against MacKinnon than Makar. A scout called him “by far” the best defenseman in the league. An executive, flat-out, called Makar’s placement in the lower group “crazy.”
“McDavid is at a different level (as a forward),” they said. “I think Cale is that version of Connor on the back end. And I don’t think it’s even close.”
Point made. Makar’s otherworldly skill, best-in-class production and reliability in tough minutes against tough competition helped create some daylight, for now, between himself and Quinn Hughes. No defenseman produced more points or created more chances. Very, very few played against tougher minutes, and none excelled the way Makar does. Call it a bounce-back from 2023-24 if you must.
Just think twice about using him as the model for position. He’s simply too good, another coach said.
“If we’re gonna talk to a young D, if you show them what Cale Makar does on the blue line, you’re saying, ‘That’s not where we’re at,’” the coach said. “The physical tools that guy has are that ridiculous.”
Tiers over time
Projected stats (2025 – 26)
Tier 1 — MVP
COL
D
26
1B
Aleksander Barkov
Why he’s here
Selke-caliber play in the regular season and playoffs is the new normal for Barkov, who lands here for the second straight season. He once again proved that he was one of the best all-around players in all three zones.
Barkov faced some of the toughest competition in the league, and still put up sparkling numbers. The Panthers only allowed 1.93 expected goals against per 60 in his minutes and an even lower goals-against rate of 1.81.
Between his puck retrievals in the defensive zone and pressure in the offensive zone, Barkov shuts down his opponents. And he forces them to play defense against his playmaking, which helped him reach the 70-point mark for the fourth straight year. Just like 2024, that translated to the playoff environment, with back-to-back championships. So while he doesn’t have the flash of the 1A centers, his all-around game still fuels the Panthers.
“If you asked me for the top reasons why (the Panthers) are a beast, I’d say 1-2 — and I don’t know what order — are Barkov and (Gustav Forsling),” a coach said.
Tiers over time
Projected stats (2025 – 26)
Tier 1 — MVP
FLA
C
30
1B
Nikita Kucherov
Why he’s here
Coming off his second straight Art Ross Trophy and first Ted Lindsay Award, Kucherov might just be the most brilliant offensive player of his generation. Nobody, at even strength or on the power play, thinks the game quite like him.
“When you look at the other forwards in (Tier 1A), he has more pure vision, touch, skill and feel with the puck on his stick than (MacKinnon and Draisaitl),” a scout said. “(He’s) a tactical surgeon. He baits guys into one thing and then does something else. … At times you want him to be a little more focused away from the puck defensively. But if he’s getting you 110 points a year, who cares?
In the big picture, nobody. The Tier discussion, though, can be tough — so if you’re surprised to see Kucherov in a group behind MacKinnon and Draisaitl, you’re not alone. Our panel was largely split on whether to bump him up to 1A. One scout suggested creating a special Kucherov-only group. A coach called him “easily” as good as MacKinnon. A data analyst cited the “holy s—” factor he brings to the ice.
Ultimately, though, positional value and necessary nitpicking with his defensive play tipped the scales. There are centers in Tier 1B. There is a defenseman. There is only one Kucherov. He’s the best winger on the planet, and his placement reflects as much.
“He’s as dynamic as anybody,” a general manager said. “(Among wingers) he’s on a different level.”
Tiers over time
Projected stats (2025 – 26)
Tier 1 — MVP
T.B
RW
32
1B
Quinn Hughes
Why he’s here
If there’s one takeaway from Hughes’ 2024-25 season, it’s that he’s a lot closer to Cale Makar than he is to anybody else. Whatever small gap there is between the two best defensemen in the world, the space between them and No. 3 is substantially larger.
“I feel like he carried that whole f—ing team. He pulled them as far as he could,” one former player said. “Makar is 1A and he’s 1B. He should be close. He should be really close. … Those two guys are on a different planet than everybody else.”
The question then becomes whether Hughes can usurp Makar. The opportunity is there, considering his puck possession gifts in transition and in the offensive zone. He’s an engine. But Hughes’ ability to create chances and score still remains a touch behind Makar.
The bigger factor is defense. Yes, Hughes is much improved in that regard. But there aren’t many who will take him over Makar without the puck and the fact Hughes doesn’t take on tough matchup minutes is a factor.
Their results may be similar, but Hughes not being used in any situation is the difference between his new spot in 1B and Makar’s spot at the top of the pyramid.
Tiers over time
Projected stats (2025 – 26)
Tier 1 — MVP
VAN
D
25
1B
Auston Matthews
Why he’s here
We could probably just copy and paste whatever we wrote for Matthews when he was in 1B two seasons ago. If Matthews’ worst — a 40-goal, 95-point pace while earning 60 percent of the goals in tough minutes — is still better than most players’ best, he’s still a no-doubt Tier 1 player.
The difference is we’re starting to see Matthews at his worst — at the back of the top 10 in Net Rating, rather than top three — a little too often. That drops him to 1B, which many surveyed felt was the right choice.
Health is becoming a huge factor in determining Matthews’ standing. It’s been enough of an issue to derail his chase for the Hart Trophy in 2022-23 and 2024-25 and leave him looking like a shade of himself by playoff time most years.
And yet Matthews’ full package is up there with anyone else’s. When he’s on, with a rare ability to blend near-goal-per-game scoring with incredible two-way dominance, only McDavid is above him. The Selke-Rocket combo is tough to beat.
“If you put a gun to my head and said I had to pick between him, Leon and MacKinnon, I might still take Matthews, it’s that close,” one exec said. “I would consider him in 1A, but I don’t have a problem (with 1B).”
Tiers over time
Projected stats (2025 – 26)
Tier 1 — MVP
TOR
C
27
1C
Kirill Kaprizov
Why he’s here
If Kaprizov didn’t miss half of last season, he may have taken home some hardware.
When he was first sidelined in late December, Kaprizov was second in goal scoring (23) and fourth in points (50). The Wild were in control in his five-on-five minutes, with a 56 percent expected goal rate and a 36-19 scoring edge. All of that contributed to an average game score of 2.01 that trailed only Kucherov.
“He’s such a hard worker and hunter that he ends up impacting the game at such a high level,” a coach said.
Kaprizov was an early MVP candidate at the time of his injury. Had he kept that pace up through 70-plus games — and there’s reason to think he would have considering what a difference-maker he returned to be with nine points in six Round 1 games against the Golden Knights — maybe he would be alongside Kucherov in 1B.
Until he actually does it, that is what separates the two wingers.
“I think Kirill comes back this year and is in the Hart conversation,” an executive said. “I think Kirill will have a better season than (David Pastrnak), but I think they’re on equal footing for this.”
Tiers over time
Projected stats (2025 – 26)
Tier 1 — MVP
MIN
LW
28
1C
David Pastrnak
Why he’s here
No support? No problem. Pastrnak managed to do a lot with a little once again in Boston. His primary linemates were Pavel Zacha, Morgan Geekie and Elias Lindholm, and that really didn’t slow him down. Neither did a mid-season coaching change, or a bunch of roster turnover at the deadline.
Pastrnak responded to all of last year’s challenges with his third consecutive 100-point season.
“What Pastrnak did with that lineup last year is pretty incredible,” an executive said. “He had 106 points. The next closest guy on his team had 57 points. That is insane.”
What makes his season all the more impressive is how much damage he did at five-on-five. Pastrnak scored at a career-high pace of 3.13 points per 60, which helped make up for some power play dips. Along with his dangerous shot, he also upped his play in his transition last season.
That’s no question Pastrnak is MVP-worthy. But even with all the “wow factor” in his game, there’s still some separation from Kucherov.
“If you ask me, one, who I’d want to pay money to go see, and two, who scares me the most on the opponent’s bench, as wingers, it’d be Kucherov, then Pastrnak and Kaprizov,” a coach said.
Tiers over time
Projected stats (2025 – 26)
Tier 1 — MVP
BOS
RW
29
Tier 2 — Franchise
A top 30 player. Someone who is the best player on a contending team or second best on a championship-caliber team. An unquestionably elite player.
2A
Sidney Crosby
Why he’s here
When he saw where we’d initially placed Crosby — in Tier 2A, but in a group below Jack Hughes — one executive was alarmed, if not upset.
“It looks so weird not having Sidney Crosby up there,” he said. “He’s a top-five all-time player who continues to produce. To have him there, I don’t like that look.”
Neither did several other panelists — and ultimately, neither did we. Crosby is now in a group with Hughes and Jack Eichel. There’s an empty sub-tier after the top five centers (McDavid, Draisaitl, MacKinnon, Barkov, Matthews) for a reason, but choosing between the three guys in 2A would’ve been unfair.
That’s a remarkable fact, given Crosby’s (well-documented) age of 38. You have to look all the way down at Artemi Panarin to find a forward who comes within seven years of him. His point production held steady last season, though his shot and scoring-chance contributions started to dip and his defensive impacts continued to drop.
Some of that is age. Some of it is on the quality of teammates. For now, very little of it matters.
“If Sid was on a different team,” one executive said, “he would still be thought of as a Tier 1 player.”
Tiers over time
Projected stats (2025 – 26)
Tier 2 — Franchise
PIT
C
38
* didn’t mean to make this so long….sorry.
Coos, why are there no NYR on that list? Please correct and resubmit tomorrow 🤣
This makes zero sense:
#NYR are adding defenseman Andrej Sustr to their training camp roster on a PTO. Sustr, 34, spent the last three years playing in Europe.
Why add a marginal player, a grandpa, when you have so much other talent you need to evaluate?
*. Beez, et al. – Foxy, Bread, Igor made secondaries.
Been to answer your question…..stupidity mostly. NYR never tire of gathering in dead wood.
Beez….not been….automatic spell checker really is annoying.
fla has ben harpur and tyler motte on pto’s
If Schneider moves to left side, the depth on the right is very weak. That is why Sustr is signed to a PTO. That would be my guess.
Wish we kept Ben Harpur for depth
Liked him when healthy
Georgie, who twice recently led the league in wins, scores a 1-yr 825K contract in Buffalo 🤔 really makes you appreciate how good those Avs teams were!
https://twitter.com/MollieeWalkerr/status/1966551875894845820
Rookie game!
I remain baffled why sometimes the twitter embed works and sometimes not. Above is about game stream
Can’t wait to see Tung in the crease.
And of course, if he takes a penalty, it’ll be Tung in the box.
Tung is a cunning linguist
Probably cousin of cooscous
Imagine a team of Tung and Lab(i)a!
I think the Majora of us would sign up to slot them in!
Believe it or not, there will be a Go Time at 19:00 EDT
Vince M. taking over at The Athletic.