NHL Training Camp Preview: Can Islanders and Rangers Find Success in 2022?

The National Hockey League will begin its 106^th season in early October, with a number of clubs looking to unseat the Colorado Avalanche after their Stanley Cup victory earlier this summer, while others are preparing to make a run at getting the best odds to select presumptive first overall pick, Connor Bedard.

With the NHL salary cap going up only $1 million, many clubs had to make difficult roster decisions. Nearly half the league is currently over the $82.5 million limit and will be using long-term injured reserve to get under the cap ceiling, while budget clubs used their cap space to add draft capital.

Here is the preview of one club that was expected to challenge for a Stanley Cup but missed the playoffs after starting the season on a long road trip and struggling with COVID issues, and their crosstown rival who made it to the Eastern Conference Final:

New York Islanders (37-35-10 – 5th place in the Metropolitan Division)

Who’s Out – Zdeno Chara, Michael Dal Colle

Who’s In – Alexander Romanov

After reaching the final four in 2020 and 2021 before losing to the eventual Cup Champion, the Islanders were expected to be in the post-season mix last season, but they were unable to recover from a disastrous slow start. GM Lou Lamoriello chose to move on from veteran head coach Barry Trotz in favor of Lane Lambert instead of a dramatic shakeup of his roster. The only consequential move was the addition of Romanov from Montreal (in exchange for a first-round pick) to take the spot of Chara, but there is still a question of whether New York can get back to the playoffs with an offense that was 24^th in the NHL.

2022-23 Potential impact prospects

C – Aatu Raty

D – Simon Holmstrom

W – William Dufour

Raty was a steal late in the second round of the 2021 Draft, and had a superb year in the SM-Liiga (13 goals, 27 assists in 41 games for Jukurit Mikkeli) and had 10 points for Finland at the World Juniors. Holmstrom has taken time developing between Sweden and the AHL, but put up 43 points in Bridgeport last season. Dufour is a late 2020 draft pick who exploded last season, leading the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs to a Memorial Cup with a 116-point season and being a key contributor for Canada in their WJC victory.

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New York Rangers (52-24-6 – 2nd place in the Metropolitan Division – Lost to Tampa Bay in Eastern Conference Final)

Who’s Out –  Ryan Strome, Andrew Copp, Frank Vatrano, Patrik Nemeth, Alexandar Georgiev, Justin Braun

Who’s In –  Vincent Trocheck, Jaroslav Halak

New York made a deep playoff run, led by Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin, defenseman Adam Fox, and forwards Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, and Mika Zibanejad, but were unable to re-sign players they added at the deadline (Copp, Vatrano, Braun). GM Chris Drury added free agent Trocheck to replace Strome up the middle, and veteran Halak to replace Georgiev as Shesterkin’s backup.

The Rangers will need highly-touted youngsters Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko, and K’Andre Miller to take on bigger roles to repeat their postseason success.

2022-23 Potential impact prospects

W – Brennan Othmann

W – Will Cuylle

W – Vitali Kravtsov

Othmann went to Switzerland to play during the pandemic before being drafted 16^th overall in 2021, scored 50 goals with Flint (OHL), and won gold for Canada at the WJC. Cuylle scored 43 goals with Windsor and led the Spitfires with 15 goals in the OHL Playoffs. Kravtsov played in AHL Hartford and the NHL in parts of two seasons but opted to return to the KHL last season before agreeing to a one-year deal this summer.