If there were a silver lining to losing Ryan Lindgren in the second exhibition game, it’s that it happened early enough for the Rangers to spend a majority of the preseason figuring out how to best realign the defense.
No pairing was off the table, and no prospect has been overlooked.
With Friday’s exhibition game being the last one on the preseason schedule, just about every defensive combination that makes sense has been looked at by head coach Peter Laviolette at some point.
Connor Mackey and Victor Mancini, both with the team’s AHL affiliate last season, have gotten reps in Lindgren’s usual spot next to Adam Fox. We’ve seen Zac Jones, on pace to be in the Rangers Opening Night lineup for the first time, with captain Jacob Trouba at times.
The right-handed Chad Ruhwedel, obtained at last season’s trade deadline and extended this summer, has been plugged into both the right and left of multiple different partners.
A duo we haven’t seen much of, however, could still be a viable option.
Fox and K’Andre Miller skated together with the non-game group on Monday after logging just 63:31 of five-on-five ice time as a pair last season.
“We’re going to give it a look,” Laviolette said. “It’s a lefty-righty combo. I feel like they’re both top defenseman for us. We’re looking to see. I think [Lindgren’s injury] opened up something, you’re not expecting that. Of course, there’s injuries, they always happen, right? But then when something happens, you have the stability, and then something happens and you don’t. And you got to find the right pieces and the right partners.
“It’s really just an evaluation process. Mancini on the left, Ruhwedel on the left, maybe a Miller-Fox combination. Those things, we’ll look at.”
Depending on how Laviolette is weighing things, perhaps the second-year Rangers coach will want to see Miller and Fox in action Friday.
The final exhibition game is usually when teams try to deploy the lineup they want to start the season with.
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In theory, putting Miller and Fox together would give the Rangers a formidable top pair while Lindgren is out.
Despite being on the ice for two Rangers goals and four against, according to Natural Stat Trick, their xGA/60 of 1.25 is an encouraging stat for a small sample size. A strong everyday pair would like to hover in the 2s.
The Rangers have long opted to try to spread the wealth on defense, but maybe Laviolette sees it as an opportunity to try something different.
It’s also possible Laviolette will make his defense pairs with the expectation that Lindgren shouldn’t be out too long, which would allow the Blueshirts bench boss to just slot him back in without disrupting anything.
That would increase the likelihood of Mackey or Mancini suiting up Wednesday in Pittsburgh. Ruhwedel, slated for the seventh defenseman role, is also an option.
Mackey is the natural lefty of the three, and he has 40 games of NHL experience, including one memorable contest with the Rangers last season.
Just before the All-Star break on Jan. 27 in Ottawa, the 28-year-old skated next to Fox and fought Senators captain Brady Tkachuk.
Though Mackey is the familiar face, Mancini has opened eyes this training camp.
“I think it’s been showing a little bit everywhere,” Mancini said of his confidence after scoring his second goal of the preseason Tuesday night against the Devils. “Just starting in the D zone and then all the way up into the offensive zone. I think it just starts with the help of my teammates.
“The communication, as a team, has been really good and obviously that’s going to help you out when you’re on the ice. It makes it easier to make plays.”
Friday’s lineup will be the first tell of which way Laviolette is leaning when it comes to his D pairs.
There’s no shortage of options or directions he can take it in.
The Rangers assigned Anton Blidh, Casey Fitzgerald, Brandon Scanlin, Louis Domingue and Dylan Garand to the Hartford Wolf Pack on Wednesday. Additionally, Bo Groulx was put on waivers to bring the Blueshirts roster down to 30.
