The preseason usually runs fairly smoothly for most NHL teams. It’s a time of year to get prospects and fringe players ice time in amongst the established NHLers, and ease them back into competition.
Results don’t mean a huge amount, and a lot of the time many of the players we see suit up disappear back into the AHL or even lower to continue their development while the “established” players or top prospects prepare for the season.
For free agents signed from European leagues, too, this is usually the chance to show what they’ve got and to compete for an AHL top job, while adding a few NHL preseason games to their resumé.