It goes without saying that a preseason game is nothing more than that, neither team sent out its big guns. Alex Ovechkin missing for Washington and Cory Schneider missing for New Jersey proves that.
But what you do find in the preseason is an opportunity to solve the puzzles given to head coach John Hynes and general manager Ray Shero at the beginning of Training Camp. There are the guaranteed veterans that will inevitably be a part of the Opening Day roster, but there’s also the rookies and draft picks that need to prove their worth.