Right felt wrong to Alexis Lafreniere.
So, the Rangers’ first-overall draft selection in 2020 will remain on his natural left side while lefty Chris Kreider will give it a try on the right if the two wingers flank Mika Zibanejad.
The experiment with Lafreniere lasted for about one period, with Kreider and Lafreniere exchanging places on most shifts starting with the second period of Sunday’s match against the Islanders.
“I know Kreider, with his speed and strength, if he’s on that right side and gets going down that wing and cuts in with that shoulder it’s pretty tough to stop him,” head coach Gerard Gallant said following Thursday’s training camp sessions. “We’ve mentioned that to him and Lafreniere is a little more comfortable on that left side right now as a young player, so we’re going to give that a try.”
Kreider might have an advantage driving to the net from his off-wing, but it remains to be seen whether he can be effective in his own end, where he’d generally be taking a lot of first passes on his backhand while on the breakout and attempting to clear the zone. He has had trouble on that side before, in limited sample sizes. Then again, that’s the purpose of training camp and exhibition games.
“Kreids wants the opportunity on the right side, too,” Gallant said. “He’s a strong skater and I think he’ll get a lot of opportunities going down that wing.”
The Rangers have not firmed up their rosters for the next two matches, which will be played at the Devils on Friday and at Boston the following night.
They will be employing a number of different line combinations and defense pairings for the matches. Vitaly Kravtsov will play the right with Kreider and Zibanejad (it is unclear why, if Kreider requires repetition on the right, he wouldn’t be there for the remainder of the preseason). Julien Gauthier will get a spin on the right with Barclay Goodrow and Filip Chytil.
Off Thursday’s sessions, the Artemi Panarin, Ryan Strome and Kaapo Kakko line remained intact while Lafreniere apparently skated with Tim Gettinger in the middle and Will Cuylle on the right. Brennan Othmann, this year’s first-round pick, was on the left with Kevin Rooney and Ryan Reaves, while Sammy Blais and Dryden Hunt flanked Greg McKegg. Morgan Barron centered Mason Geertsen and Lauri Pajuniemi, while Anthony Greco and Johnny Brodzinksi flanked Ty Ronning.
The defense pairs of Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox, as weell as K’Andre Miller and Jacob Trouba, remained the same. So did the Zac Jones and Brendan Schneider tandem. Libor Hajek skated on the right with Patrik Nemeth, Nils Lundqvist was paired with Jarred Tinordi, while Matthew Robertson and Anthony Bitetto formed the sixth defensive pair.
“Just trying to get some different looks,” Gallant said. “That’s all.”
The Rangers, who are still doing split sessions, are expected to cut down from the current 41 players in camp — 36 skaters and five goaltenders — to a tighter group following the weekend.
Bitetto, Gettinger, Brodzinksi, Greco, Ronning and Keith Kinkaid were placed on waivers, thus facilitating presumed upcoming assignments to AHL Wolf Pack.
After remaining in New England following Saturday’s game for a couple of days of practice in Rhode Island, the Rangers will have two preseason games remaining: Oct. 6 at the Garden against the Devils and Oct. 9 at Bridgeport against the Islanders. The regular season opens Oct. 13 at Washington.