This is coming at a very interesting time...

Now, this is all coming at a very interesting time as we are now just days away from the start of this season's training camp. A lot of questions are starting to rise from Rangers fans on one area in particular with this team. And as we all know, Chris Drury went out this summer and completely retooled what this team looked like. He stuck true to his word and it is definitely a retool. We do need to see what the team looks like on the ice, but a lot of questions are starting to be raised and we're going to break down how a lot of people are thinking that this team might actually look different than what we all expected heading into this year's training camp, preseason, and of course, the Rangers play regular season hockey this month. We're going to break that all down in this episode of Rangers Digest, but before we get into all of that, guys, if you're not yet subscribed to the channel, I am giving away a jersey here on the channel. If you're new around here, I'm giving away a jersey on the channel, a jersey of your choosing for whatever comes first, 15,000 subscribers or the Rangers make the playoffs. I've been adamant through this entire off season, since Chris Drury has made some of these changes, these new acquisitions, that the Rangers will absolutely make the playoffs this year and a weaker metropolitan division, because I don't think the Eastern Conference as a whole is weaker. The metropolitan division, I think is wide open for the Rangers to take. Maybe not first place, but I think they're going to make the playoffs. Anyway, let's get into it. There's a couple of new updates we've got to get into today and fans are starting to talk about something with the defense core that I didn't really see coming and it's a very interesting conversation and I want your thoughts in the comments below on this, but the first order of business, speaking of who's going to make the team and who's not going to make the team, the Hartford Wolfpack, there is a new agreement in place with the New York Rangers. I keep forgetting to bring this up. This happened a little while ago, but they do have a new deal in place to keep the Hartford Wolfpack as their AHL affiliates till the end of the 2028, 2029 season of the Hartford Wolfpack worst team in the AHL last year. It was not pretty whatsoever. They haven't really necessarily been good the last couple of years at this point, but new coaching staff coming in. Rangers have played around with their developmental staff, which is something Chris Drury talked about that, you know, he wanted to do at the end of last season and things should be looking up with a much younger core group of players that are going to be on that team this season. So I'm looking forward to that. Now, we all know what Chris Drury did with the defense for this offseason, right? Let's take a look before we get into these mock lines and what fans are saying, because I think there's some interesting ideas out there that is for sure. Let's take a look at what everyone believes or what everyone is led to believe. What I've been talking about is going to be the lineup this season. All right. So Igor's in net, right? Corporate solos is backup. Makes sense. When you look at the depth chart right now, the way I see it shaking out is exactly like this basically for the start of the season. And this is my thoughts. A lot of people think that Dorothy should be on the first line. I don't think you should mess with chemistry unless we see something that suggests that the chemistry has been lost between Gabe Perreault, Mika Zibanejad, and Alexey Lafreniere. They proved at the end of last season that they can play well. They can dominate at times, at times, and they can do it consistently. They proved that at the end of last year, in my eyes, right? Because that's a big thing. Consistency is huge, right? It is everything. Now, we'll see what that second line does. I think it might actually work out well because Dorothy is a lot better of a playmaker than people realize. He can make plays, not just a stick that scores, right? The defense core is an interesting one to me because we know what that third line is going to give you, the fourth line, whatever it is. Who knows if Taylor Ashe is sticking around, Ty Karch is, I think he's giving us a great opportunity this year. But the defense core is where it gets interesting because Gavrikov and Fox worked last year and you can see how bad it was when Fox got hurt, how big of an impact he makes. You just got two new defensemen that, in theory, everyone has been talking about, even the players themselves, playing with each other here in New York as a second pairing. The players themselves have been talking about it. But now people are starting to, and that third pairing is just kind of in there right now, Vakninen might come in and out of games for Robertson, who knows if Schneider's even going to make it to the regular season at this point, right? What's going to happen with Scott Morrow, there's a lot of moving pieces there. But one thing that people are starting to talk about, and I want to bring this from NYU because it's starting to make mock lineups, because we all are, right? Sixteen days away from preseason, right? How exciting is that? We're just a couple weeks away. Two weeks away from preseason. We've got to start talking about who's going to play where. He has Albert Schmitz in the lineup, I think that's interesting, which, by the way, pushes everyone else out of the way, in terms of the depth there beyond third pairing, pushes everyone else out of the way. Scott Morrow, what happens with him? I don't know, you could lose him on waivers, you could put him on waivers, he goes down, he doesn't get claimed, there's that possibility, I don't know if that's going to happen. But, he has Gavrikov playing with Dursey, and Pedersen playing with Fox. And people on Twitter and social media, I see this, are starting to talk about this a little bit, not necessarily just because Louie brought it up, but I think it's an interesting idea that maybe we should explore a little bit and have a conversation about, because I think when these moves were made, everyone just instantly went, alright, they're going to be the second pairing because we know Gavrikov and Fox work together, but could Pedersen and Fox work together? I think that's a really interesting idea. Now, I don't love it. The way I would play the team, to start, and I need to see it with my own eyes, we all need to see it with our own eyes, right guys? What is this team going to look like? Right? We need to see what that's going to look like. But, the way I see it on paper, and what I saw last year from the two guys on the top pairing, that works. You have something that works. I don't want to go away from things that work, right? That top line, like I'm talking about from last year. If you can rekindle that in training camp in the preseason, don't go away from it. Keep it. You added a great goal scorer. It doesn't mean it automatically has to take that spot at the expense of good chemistry and consistency. That shouldn't be the case. Now, if that doesn't work out and you've lost that chemistry and something's changed, then okay, yeah, you explore other options, 100%. But, I think it's interesting with Pedersen. So, Pedersen, he's a good puck moving defenseman who took the most hits in the NHL. Right? And, the reason he took the most hits in the NHL is because he's playing on a bad team and he's trying to move the puck. And, he was forced to be a puck mover. Right? What happens, and I think this is interesting and why I would play them like this anyway, as you see on your screen. What happens when you put them with another elite puck mover? In fact, a guy that's relied upon to move the puck, an Adam Fox, a great offensive defenseman. And, why are we also saying if you play the lines these ways, you'll make the playoffs. Which, it's interesting. I don't want Dorothy up on the right. It's interesting. It's a good conversation. But, and I would love to have him on the show closer to the season to discuss this too. Because, I think it's an interesting idea. If you put Pedersen with Fox, right? Now, you got two guys. You take a little bit more pressure off of Pedersen. How much more effective can a guy like that be? Right? And, then you put Gavrikov and Dursey together. I think that's another interesting dynamic too. Where, Gavrikov was asked to do so much last year and delivered. Right? Like, he came in. You're like, alright, he's gonna be the anchor for Fox. This is brilliant. Right? And, then Fox got hurt. And, he was asked to do so much more than advertised as. And, then we found out he can do so much more. So, you put him on a second pairing with Dursey. Dursey, I think, can move the puck too. This is the other thing. They were talking about at the end of last season, guys. We gotta add more puck movement. They've done this. They've done that. It's some really good moves this offseason. Now, Dursey, Gavrikov together. It's interesting. But, I think the best way here to find success with the cap. And, again. This is. Imagining that Braden Schneider doesn't get traded. I would imagine something's coming in training camp. They're gonna make some type of move. Like, they're not going into the season with negative caps. But, they have right now. It's not happening. Right? There's no way. I think they're gonna make a move. I think the way you play them is. I think these are the lines, guys. And, let me know in the comments if you feel any differently. But, I think this is how you play this team. I think this is the recipe for success. And, I think that having a guy like Robertson. His skill set. And, Schneider. And, what we know he can do. Having them as a third pairing together. They should find success. Because, who remembers Zach Jones and Braden Schneider? That was a great defensive pairing as a third pair in sheltered time. They were sheltered from the tougher competition. They were very good. They were actually pretty effective. Now, they weren't like elite or anything to like, you know, drool over or anything like that. Of course, I understand. But, they were actually pretty effective. Right? Like, they were put in a position to succeed. But, I see that again with Braden Schneider. Now, I know the cap's going up a lot. And, it's gonna look fine. And, third pairing guys are gonna get paid that type of money. But, for the time being, that's a lot of money for a third pairing defenseman. Right? Now, Matthew Robertson there with him. I like this player a lot. I thought he grew so much last year. He's gonna be great. But, I think that the forward group for me, it's almost not even an issue at this point. I mean, Shemalash and Sikora can go down very easily. I don't have to go through waivers. I think there's a couple guys like Matt Rempe. Like, what's gonna happen there? But, even if you do lose a guy like Matt Rempe with waivers, you know. Let me know in the comments if you really would be upset about that. Right? That would be certainly something to talk about. But, I don't know if most people would be super upset about that. But, guys, it's an interesting idea. Let me know how you feel in the comments below. Because, again, like I mentioned, a guy like Shemalash, who did have a very good stint in the NHL last year, really, really liked his play. He can go through waivers easily. Right? Or, sorry. He doesn't have to go through waivers. Excuse me. He can go down. He's exempt from waivers. So, he can go down very easily. So, he's gonna end up down there. And, that's fine. We might see him at another point during the season. You're lengthening your lineup. Same goes for Adam Sikora. I'm not worried about him. Because, while he was a smaller sample size, and he did look really good in that smaller sample size, he can just go down to the AHL and you don't have to worry about it. It's very easy. So, he's gonna go down. Right? I think that's obvious at this point. But, to me, it's like, you know, what are you doing with the defense? Who's playing with who? Are you gonna lose? Are you okay with losing Scott Morrow for nothing? Are you okay with that? I don't know if I am. And then, Adam Fox and Gavrikov, I thought, worked last year. So, why would you put those two guys out of a position to succeed? I think it's an interesting talking point. Guys, let me know how you feel about all of this heading into the season. We are 16 days away from getting to talk about, this guy looks good with this guy. Schmitz might make the team. We haven't talked enough about Albert Schmitz as well. Maybe he does make the team. I mean, when he was drafted, they didn't make any of the other moves yet. I was like, yeah, he's going to make the NHL this year because he's brilliant. But now, they've really lengthened their lineup and it poses so many questions that I hope we're gonna get answered in the next couple weeks. Because, man, I am ready for hockey. I don't know about you guys. I am done talking about, oh, this guy might play with this guy. Maybe this hypothetical trade. Get on the ice, man. I want to talk about what is happening. Let's go. Let me know how you feel in the comments below. And guys, if you haven't yet, hit that subscribe button. You might win a jersey, 15,000 subscribers, or the Rangers make the playoffs. And they're making the playoffs this year.