4 Biggest NY Rangers Storylines Heading Into Training Camp

The New York Rangers have a lot of storylines to watch for throughout training camp.

Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan speaks to reporters after an 8-1 win against the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 2026-27 NHL regular season is right around the corner for the New York Rangers, who are set to begin preparations for the campaign with training camp.

Youngsters have already been at the facility, with rookie camp starting last week and two scrimmages being played against the Philadelphia Flyers. Things didn’t go well for the Rangers in those games, losing 3-2 and 4-1.

With the veterans now reporting for camp, there are a lot of things to keep an eye on. New York revamped its roster this summer, bringing in a lot of new faces who are going to be competing for roles on the opening night roster.

What should fans be paying attention to during training camp? Here are four of the biggest storylines to follow.

4. Will Alberts Smits make the opening-night roster?

Jun 26, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; NHL prospect Alberts Smits before the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Rangers selected defenseman Alberts Smits. Considered the most NHL-ready of the players at his position in the draft class, people are wondering where he will begin his career.

New York has the luxury of not having to rush him into the NHL. Their defensemen group was revamped this offseason and looks to be much improved on paper. Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi are a strong No. 2 pairing behind Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov. The No. 3 duo right now is Matthew Robertson and Braden Schneider.

Smits will compete for a spot, but could very well begin the season in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack, where he can work on his craft in low-pressure situations.

3. Backup goaltender

Apr 15, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Rangers goaltender Dylan Garand (33) looks on against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third period at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Locked in as the No. 1 goalie is Igor Shesterkin, who remains one of the elite netminders in the NHL. However, the backup job is up for grabs after Jonathan Quick announced his retirement and now holds a front-office position with the franchise.

Dylan Garand and Joonas Korpisalo will battle it out for the No. 2 job. Korpisalo was acquired in an offseason trade from the Boston Bruins and likely has a leg up in the competition as a seasoned veteran.

However, Garand is no longer waiver-exempt. If he doesn’t make the team out of training camp, the Rangers run the risk of losing him to another organization that claims him. That could certainly factor into the decision-making here.

2. Who makes up the top six of the lineup?

Feb 25, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning forward Oliver Bjorkstrand (22) handles the puck Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Adding top-six forwards was a goal this offseason and Chris Drury achieved it. Pavel Dorofeyev, acquired in a trade from the Vegas Golden Knights, is locked in as a top-six forward. As are Alexis Lafreniere, Gabe Perreault, J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad.

That leaves one spot open, with free agent signings Oliver Bjorkstrand and Eeli Tolvanen battling with Will Cuylle. Competition will be fierce, as head coach Mike Sullivan also has to figure out how he is going to deploy linemates as well.

This is something that will likely be experimented with beyond training camp and in the early portion of the regular season.

1. Can J.T. Miller bounce back?

Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center J.T. Miller (8) warms up before the first period against the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This is the most important thing not only to keep an eye on during training camp, but also during the regular season. If New York is going to get back into contention, they desperately need Miller to return to the level he is capable of performing at.

There are reasons to believe it can happen. He is locked in as the No. 2 center, a position he prefers to play over the wing. By all accounts, he is healthy after battling injuries during the 2025-26 campaign.

With Vincent Trocheck no longer on the roster, there aren’t two forwards more important to the team’s success than Miller and Zibanejad. There is a lot of pressure on that duo, both 33 years old, to carry the load as the top two centers.

With such limited center depth in the organizational pipeline, they have to stay healthy and play at a high level.