Rangers vs. Devils: 3 things to watch out for in the preseason game

The New York Rangers will look to stay perfect in their preseason when they visit the New Jersey Devils on Monday night in the fourth of their six preseason games.

The Rangers are a perfect 3-0-0, defeating the Boston Bruins 3-2 and 5-2 and the New York Islanders 6-4, a game in which they erased deficits of 3-0 and 4-1 .

The Devils were busy in the offseason hiring veterans like goalie Jacob Markstrom and defenseman Brett Pesce and hiring Sheldon Keefe as their new coach.

However, don't expect New Jersey's big names to compete at the Prudential Center or in Tuesday night's rematch at Madison Square Garden. All of their NHL talent is in Europe for the 2024-25 NHL Global Series; The Devils face the Buffalo Sabers on Friday and Saturday in Prague. The Rangers should be able to keep up with the Devils in terms of roster strength, meaning we'll get a good look at the prospects and some key players vying for final roster spots.

Expect New Jersey to have a list of hungry players and prospects looking to continue making an impact. The Devils are 0-4-0 in the preseason, with two losses to the Islanders and one each to the Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens. NHL starter or not, they will be hungry for a win.

Related: New York Rangers Training Camp: What We Learned Midway Through Preseason

3 things to watch for as the Rangers take on the Devils in preseason play

Here are three things to watch out for on Monday night.

1. The evaluation process for the Rangers continues against the Devils' weak lineup

While it would be great to get an early look at how the Rangers will fare against the Devils this season, that won't be the case in any of the preseason games against New Jersey. However, there is still a lot to gain for the Rangers despite essentially facing an AHL lineup.

“We are still in an evaluation process no matter which players we use,” Peter Laviolette said on Sunday. “It’s still a training camp and it’s still a chance to evaluate. We will use it exactly as it is, what it was in the first three games and what it will remain in the last three games. It will definitely be different because their team has gone abroad.”

Although he'll likely field a similar lineup that lacks many NHL regulars, it's still business as usual for Laviolette. In fact, it looks like he's using this as an opportunity to take a more in-depth look at players who are really pushing for a spot on the roster, including forwards Brennan Othmann, Adam Edstrom and Brett Berard, and defensemen Victor Mancini and Connor Mackey . The front three could be helped by the absence of fourth-line regular Jimmy Vesey; Laviolette said the 31-year-old will be “out for a few weeks” due to a lower-body injury he sustained during practice on Sunday.

2. Victor Mancini will have a great chance to impress

If ever there was a time for a player like Mancini to build on an already impressive pre-season, this time has come. The 22-year-old opened his eyes in camp and impressed in his two preparatory competitions. After scoring a goal and an assist in his preseason debut and also playing well in his second game, Mancini quickly entered the discussion for the sixth or seventh spot on the Rangers' blue line.

With Ryan Lindgren out for at least a few weeks with an upper-body injury, Mancini has an even better chance of getting into the lineup if he can maintain this level of play. The right-handed shot shows he has no problem switching to the left side – perhaps even in Lindgren's place with Adam Fox on the first pair. He will have a great opportunity to show what he can do on Monday night.

Although Mancini won't be facing a lot of talent at the NHL level, he will be looking to once again make a good impression on Laviolette and the rest of the Rangers roster. Expect him to play the first few minutes against New Jersey – and have another big game.

3. Othmann, Edstrom and Berard are fighting for a place in the squad

While it is possible that all three of these players will begin the season with the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Rangers' American Hockey League affiliate, Othmann, Edstrom and Berard will be in the spotlight against the Devils to prove they deserve a roster spot The Rangers are worthy. With few or no NHL starters in either lineup, these three players should not only see significant minutes but also have the opportunity to excel. If they are truly NHL ready, they should dominate against a team made up of prospects and minor leaguers.

Othmann finally got on the scoresheet last Thursday with a goal and an assist against the Bruins in New York's 5-2 preseason win, while Edstrom had two goals and an assist in his two preseason appearances, including an unanswered goal against Boston. Berard has yet to record a point in the preseason.

Vesey's absence opens up another spot for one or more of these players.

While Edstrom tries to secure a spot on the fourth line, things get a little more difficult for Othmann and Berard, who would be better off playing on the front nine — or playing big minutes down the stretch in Hartford.

“For young players, being here all year and not playing is probably not a good thing,” Laviolette explained. “I think getting playing time and experience is probably more beneficial.”

If Othmann, Edstrom or Berard want to stay with the big club this season, they will have to show a strong performance in the second half of training camp. A big game against New Jersey would be a good start.

Rangers vs. Devils preseason game: When, where, what time, how to watch

WHO: New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils

Where: Prudential Center

When: Monday, September 30 at 7 p.m. ET

How to watch: MSG network

Click here for the New York Rangers' complete 2024-25 schedule and results

Dane Walsh is a lifelong New York Rangers fan. Dane grew up in the Tri-State area and… More about Dane Walsh

Mentioned in this article: Adam Edstrom Brennan Orthmann Brett Berard New Jersey Devils New York Rangers Peter Laviolette Victor Mancini

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