NEW YORK – Rangers coach Alain Vigneault promised a very competitive camp, and the Rangers most certainly delivered.
It was competitive to the point where Vigneault had to scrap his original plan of having pretty much his opening-night lineup for the final preseason game against Philadelphia at the Garden Thursday.
Instead, the lineup was again loaded with players hoping to win jobs, including two injured players who had played, combined, less than one period of preseason hockey to that point.
“Another chance for us to evaluate our team and try to put the puzzle together, where the pieces fit, how they can possibly fit, who’s ready to assume maybe a bigger role, or a first-time role on this team,” Vigneault said.