Kravtsov to get top line minutes in today’s preseason game

Per Mollie Walker, Vitali Kravtsov is likely to get top line minutes with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad tonight in New Jersey.

Julien Gauthier will also get a shot on the third line, which is where Kravtsov is projected to play. Others to watch are Nils Lundkvist and Zac Jones, as both seem to be vying for that last defense spot. Jones looked comfortable in his first game, while Lundkvist looked to be adjusting, perhaps managing his nerves a bit. I’m also intrigued to see if Lauri Pajuniemi gets a long look on the powerplay, potentially moving up the lineup to the third line if he performs well enough.