Rangers training camp takeaways: Let the lineup experimentation begin

TARRYTOWN - Peter Laviolette issued a fair warning.

The lineup he rolled out for his first official practice as the New York Rangers' head coach on Friday is very much subject to change. In fact, he reiterated his plan to use different combinations Saturday as he explores possibilities and learns new players throughout this training camp.

But at the very least, we got a glimpse into what the man in charge came up with after contemplating all summer. It was a start.

"I actually thought all the lines were good and they executed pretty well, but it'll change (Saturday)," he said following three practice sessions at the MSG Training Center. "There are no set (lines) I'm looking for. I'm looking to see inside of games if there's chemistry. I'm looking to see if somebody steps up and steps forward. There's opportunity for everybody."

The forwards have the most moving parts, so it should come as no surprise if three, four or five versions of lines are tested in the coming weeks.

What Laviolette revealed Friday gave us plenty to chew on for now.

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There was some familiarity, with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad continuing their long-term partnership on the top line. But surrounding them was a whole lot of newness.

You could say Zibanejad predicted it.

"We've had that conversation over the years about trying different things, and then, what do you know? I'm right next to Kreids again," he quipped Thursday. "We’ve done something right if we always end up together."

To the right of those two was Alexis Lafrenière, forming a trio that's logged a modest 293:25 time on ice together the past three seasons while posting a 51.69% xGF and edging opponents by a 14-13 margin, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Laviolette wants to give Lafrenière a chance at switching from left wing, where he's currently blocked on the depth chart by Kreider and Artemi Panarin, to his off-hand side.

The 21-year-old has repeatedly said he's fine with it, especially if it means moving up in the lineup.

"Obviously, I'd be playing with really good players and a little more minutes," he said. "I think I can do a lot more. I worked hard this summer to improve my game. I think I can help this team a little more offensively and just try to be the best player I can be."

The most difficult part of the transition to right wing, according to Lafrenière, is coming back on defense. He added, "It’s nothing big. I'm just trying to get used to it."

Filip Chytil gets a chance with Artemi Panarin

With Kreider, Zibanejad and Lafrenière on the top line, Panarin was grouped with two linemates he has very little experience with − center Filip Chytil and newly signed right-wing Blake Wheeler.

That would represent a big opportunity for Chytil, who's coming off a career-high 45 points and believes he has much more in store. He ranked third on the team with 19 even-strength goals (part of his 22 total) last season, with his offensive upside and shoot-first mentality a potential complement to Panarin's dynamic passing skills.

"I know what I can do," the 24-year-old said. "I know I can score goals. I had a lot of chances and didn’t score many of them, as well, but I still scored 20 goals. I worked all summer on my shot and scoring. I believe it was just a good start for me last year, but I need to build on that and be better. I have big confidence in myself and my abilities."

Building a bottom six

They were followed by a third line that consisted of Barclay Goodrow, Vincent Trocheck and Kaapo Kakko.

Some may raise an eyebrow at Kakko in the bottom six, but Laviolette has traditionally favored a matchup line he can use in key defensive situations. And while the 22-year-old has the reputation of an offense-first player, his defensive metrics have ranked among the best on the team the past two seasons.

"I've had lines that have had specific defensive responsibilities," Laviolette said. "I think that they become valuable. If you can find a line like that, they can get you out of your defensive zone against other team's top lines. I think that's a benefit to your team."

The fourth line of Jimmy Vesey, Nick Bonino and Tyler Pitlick can also check that box.

They have the look of a trio that will defend and embrace the dirty work, which are traits that Bonino, in particular, embodies.

The two-time Stanley Cup champion said he flirted with the Rangers as a free agent in 2017 and 2021, with the timing finally working out this past summer. His hard-hat mentality seems like an ideal fit for Laviolette.

"I'm going to compete every night and compete every practice," the 35-year-old center said. "I don't have the luxury of not competing. I think there are few guys in this league who have that luxury, so for me it's just showing up every day, putting in the work, taking care of my body and competing."

New D pairs get a look

While it's probably too early to overanalyze the forward combos − especially if they're going to be changed in less than 24 hours − the defensive pairings may have been the most interesting revelation.

The past three seasons, we've grown accustomed to Adam Fox with Ryan Lindgren and K'Andre Miller with Jacob Trouba. Each duo has logged over 3,100 minutes together in that span and rarely been separated unless forced by injury.

But on Friday, the Rangers opened with Fox and Miller on one pair and Lindgren and Trouba on the other.

"Sometimes it's good to change things up and be aware of other guys," Trouba said. "You kind of get stuck in habits one way when you play with someone for so long."

It's fair to wonder why the Rangers would mess with a good thing.

Fox finished top five in Norris Trophy voting the last three seasons (including winning the award in 2020-21), with Lindgren's steady partnership helping him reach those heights.

"There's a great sense of comfort when I'm with Lindy," Fox said. "I think you can see it on the ice. We really read off each other, and I think it's important to have chemistry. You look at forward lines, D lines, you’ve got to be able to know where the other person is. But again, that's what camp is for. Me and Key know each other pretty well, too, but you have to get those reps in to know where a guy wants to be and get that communication down."

On the other hand, if it clicks, Fox would find himself alongside one of the NHL's ascending young defenseman.

He and Miller combined for 115 points last season and have the makings of a truly dynamic duo. They've logged only 274:03 time on ice together at five-on-five since Miller entered the league in 2021, but their 56.08% xGF speaks to their collective upside.

Lindgren and Trouba would bring a very different dynamic. They have the look of a hard-hitting pair that would pride themselves on shutting opponents down, which may be exactly what Laviolette wants.

"I don't disagree with the philosophy of having a good, anchoring defensive defenseman with somebody who pushes a little bit more offense," the coach said. "I think that's a smart way to go about it. I also think that there's times where maybe you've got your top line in the offensive zone and you want to put out two guys who think a little bit more offense. Conversely, you might be in the defensive zone, you might want a couple of guys that think a little bit more about defense. So, I'm just bringing it to camp just to see it for a day. I wouldn't put anything down and I would let it play out, but I just wanted to see what it looks like."

A fast-paced practice

While the lineup is far from settled, Friday set the tone for what practices will look like under Laviolette.

He wanted to see "tenacity and speed and attitude" − and that's exactly what he got.

"I thought it was really, really crisp," he said. "Sometimes it's not like that. Sometimes the passing is off or the speed is off or the compete is off, and I thought for the first time getting on the ice, it was really good."

The first group took the ice at 8:30 a.m. and looked very much like the opening-night roster.

From the time the first whistle blew, everything was moving noticeably quicker. The pace was especially fast in the first hour, which featured lots of work off the rush and very little downtime in between drills. That ended with conditioning, then players took a brief break before returning for a second hour of practice after the ice was cleaned.

"I thought pace was good," Trouba said. "Execution was pretty good. It wasn't overly sloppy. ... Now we’ve got to keep that pace – stay up at that level."

Trouba noted that the first practice of camp always features extra juice, with players anxious to get back at it after a long summer. But there was something distinctly different about the attacking style and nonstop action.

Laviolette wants that to be the Rangers' identity.

"The attitude he brings, the energy, the enthusiasm – I think there's a little direction," Trouba said. "I think that’s good for us. Obviously, early on first practice, we’re working on offensive zone ideas and we already kind of went through systems, up and down the ice and with video. The guys have it. They can look at it whenever they want. They're aware, and we’ve got to implement it. It's up to the players, but I think early on, he's given us all the tools that we need to be successful."

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NY Rangers training camp: Let the lineup experimentation begin