4 NY Rangers Players With Most To Prove in Preseason Games

The preseason provides a few New York Rangers players to make a good impression.

Dec 8, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers goalie Dylan Garand (33) warms up before a game against the Seattle Kraken at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers welcomed their veterans for the official start of training camp ahead of the 2026-27 regular season last week.

After a few practice sessions at the end of last week and through the weekend, with an off day scheduled for Sept. 20, the Rangers are now preparing for their preseason game. They will take the ice for the first time on Sept. 21, heading on the road to face off against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

With the condensed training camp schedule, New York is set to play four exhibition games in five days, with their regular season opener set for Sept. 29 on the road against the Boston Bruins.

Here are four players to keep an eye on during the preseason games who have something to prove ahead of the regular season.

4. Defenseman Alberts Smits

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 league-ready player at his position in the draft class, he is going to be given a chance to compete for a spot on the opening night roster.

He will be competing against Matthew Robertson, Scott Morrow, Vincent Iorio and Urho Vaakanainen for the No. 7 defenseman spot on the roster. Robertson is currently penciled in as the No. 3 LHD alongside Braden Schneider on the right side.

It will be interesting to see if Smits makes a push for the roster. New York isn’t in a rush to get him in the lineup, and they shouldn’t put him on the roster unless there is a clear plan to get him the consistent playing time he needs to keep developing.

Starting the season in the AHL to round out his skill set and develop further in a low-pressure setting would be a good plan.

3. Center J.T. Miller

Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center J.T. Miller (8) skates against the Washington Capitals during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The centerpiece of the Chris Drury revamp after the team advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024 was acquiring J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks. He was great to end the 2024-25 season, but fell woefully short of expectations during the 2025-26 campaign.

Injuries derailed him, and he recorded only 53 points in 68 games, scoring 17 goals and handing out 36 assists. Locked into a role in the middle, which he prefers, there is optimism that he can get back on track.

The Rangers certainly need it. Their organizational depth at center is lacking, and if Miller cannot produce at the level they expected him to when he was acquired, things could get ugly fast for the franchise.

A strong preseason would help put some of those worries to sleep.

2. Winger Matt Rempe

Jan 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 2025-26 campaign got off to a good start for Matt Rempe before he suffered a thumb injury in a fight. That derailed his campaign, as he attempted a return but something was still off, requiring another procedure that ended his season.

New York holds him in high regard; they traded away several bottom-six forwards by opting to keep him. Competition will be fierce for the No. 4 right wing spot, and he will have to earn his position in the lineup with a strong preseason.

The signing of Eeli Tolvanen put even more pressure on Rempe, who is now competing with Taylor Raddysh in addition to Jarslav Chmelar and Adam Sykora for that last spot.

1. Goalie Dylan Garand

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

Arguably the toughest roster decision New York is going to have to make is with their goalies. There is a real chance they will carry three goaltenders to begin the season to avoid the risk of losing Dylan Garand on waivers.

No longer waiver-exempt, if they try to pass him through so he can play with the Hartford Wolf Pack, they run the risk of another team claiming him. There is a strong likelihood that it will occur, especially after the incredible NHL debut he had near the end of the 2025-26 campaign in three starts.

Acquiring Joonas Korpisalo from the Boston Bruins in a trade was a head-scratching move at the time and remains one now. Garand has all the motivation to play well because it could be an audition for the 31 other teams in the NHL.