With cuts looming, the roster is beginning to take shape. The forward competition between Filip Chytil, Brett Howden, Lias Andersson, and Vitali Kravtsov is nearing its end, and the only thing we know for certain is that no concrete decisions have been made. However we do have an idea of what three of the four lines will look like.
It’s clear the top-six will be Artemi Panarin-Mika Zibanejad-Pavel Buchnevich and Chris Kreider-Ryan Strome-Kaapo Kakko. That’s what we know for a certainty.
We also know that the line of Brendan Lemieux-Lias Andersson-Vlad Namestnikov is sticking, having been used frequently of late. Finally, we know for sure that Lias is going to be on the top penalty kill unit. He’s had the best camp of that young quartet, and has certainly earned his spot.
What we don’t know is where that line is going to play. There are three spots left for Howden, Chytil, Kravtsov, Jesper Fast, Boo Nieves, and Greg McKegg. There is definitely a non-zero chance that the Lias line is the third line, meaning the Rangers would be looking at a fourth line of Nieves-McKegg-Fast, because they won’t keep Howden, Chytil, or Kravtsov around just to play fourth line minutes. All three would be sent to Hartford
In all of our season previews and predictions and lineup guesses, no one predicted that could have happened. It may not, but it may. All this may change after tomorrow’s final preseason game.
That’s what happens during a rebuild.
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