henrik lundqvist marc staal andrew ladd

Credit: Jim McIsaac

After last night’s loss to the Islanders, one that was in a bit of a blowout fashion, there was a little frustration on Twitter. I’m going to chalk up most of this to the fact it was the Islanders, but there was still some frustration in the first two preseason games as well.

Hockey is back, and we love it. But let’s remember this is the preseason. The games are almost entirely to see who will contribute in the lineup, what lines click, and what kids will make the team.

Sure, there are some troublesome spots. The Rangers are having issues preventing goals against. That’s nothing new. The goaltending has been a bit shaky. That’s nothing new in the preseason either. Both will themselves out with time.

The forwards have been clicking somewhat, and the new forechecking style has created some chances. However again, this is still preseason. Most of the guys on the roster are used to the old style of play, and it will take a long time –likely a few months– before the new one becomes habit.

There is also a personnel conversation to be had. The Blueshirts are obviously not icing their Day 1 lineup, with plenty of guys still with the club that are going to be sent to the AHL. Some of them as soon as today.

So deep breaths folks. This is all part of the normal course of a rebuild. Shaky preseason. Shaky regular season. Likely no playoffs. At the very least, the kids will be fun to watch. But if you’re expecting another President’s Trophy, you’re going to be disappointed.

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