Rangers hope Smith can find spot on top line with Zibanejad, Kreider

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2024-25 regular season, which starts Oct. 4. Today, the New York Rangers:

2023-24 season: 55-23-4, first in Metropolitan Division; lost in Eastern Conference Final

Key arrivals

Reilly Smith, F: The 33-year-old was acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 1 for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. He had 40 points (13 goals, 27 assists) in 76 games last season and could begin the season on the Rangers' top line with center Mika Zibanejad and left wing Chris Kreider. It was Smith's only season with the Penguins after he spent the previous six seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights, helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2023. … Sam Carrick, F: The 32-year-old signed a three-year contract July 1. He had 16 points (10 goals, six assists) in 77 games for the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks last season and one assist in 10 Stanley Cup Playoff games for the Oilers.

Key departures

Barclay Goodrow, F: Claimed off waivers by the San Jose Sharks on June 19, Goodrow had 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 80 regular-season games last season and eight points (six goals, two assists) in 16 playoff games. … Erik Gustafsson, D: Signed a two-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings on July 1. He had 31 points (six goals, 25 assists) in 76 regular-season games and three assists in 16 playoff games. … Alex Wennberg, F: Signed a two-year contract with the Sharks on July 1. He had 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 79 games last season, including five points (one goal, four assists) after he was acquired in a trade with the Seattle Kraken on March 6. He had two points (one goal, one assist) in 16 playoff games. … Jack Roslovic, F: Signed a one-year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 4. He had 31 points (nine goals, 22 assists) in 59 games last season, including eight points (three goals, five assists) in 19 games after he was acquired in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 8. He had eight points (two goals, six assists) in 16 playoff games. … Blake Wheeler, F: An unrestricted free agent, the 37-year-old had 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 54 games before a knee injury sustained in February sidelined him for the rest of the regular season. He returned to play one playoff game, against the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final.

On the cusp

Brennan Othmann, F: The 21-year-old did not have a point in three games with the Rangers last season, and had 49 points (21 goals, 28 assists) in 67 games with Hartford of the American Hockey League. The No. 16 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, he has a good chance to make the opening-night roster. … Brett Berard, F: In his first professional season, the 21-year-old was third for Hartford with 48 points (25 goals, 23 assists) in 71 games. The fifth-round pick (No. 134) in the 2020 NHL Draft, Berard is expected to begin the season in the AHL but could join the Rangers at some point. … Matthew Robertson, D: The 23-year-old had 21 points (four goals, 17 assists) in 68 games with Hartford last season, his third in the AHL. Selected in the second round (No. 49) of the 2019 NHL Draft, he could make his NHL debut this season. … Adam Sykora, F: The 19-year-old was one of the youngest players in the AHL last season but didn't look out of place with 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 66 games for Hartford. The second-round pick (No. 63) in the 2022 NHL Draft also had two points (one goal, one assist) in five games for Slovakia at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.

What they still need

To find someone who can play right wing on the top line alongside Zibanejad and Kreider. Smith probably will be given the first chance, but if it doesn't work out the Rangers could look outside the organization after experimenting with numerous in-house candidates the past few seasons.

They said it

"He brings a lot of versatility to our lineup. Has a winning pedigree having won in Vegas. A proven playoff performer. And I think just fits in nicely with our entire group. ... At the end of the day, I just try to give [coach Peter] Laviolette as many options as he can to try and put together the best lineup." -- Rangers general manager Chris Drury on acquiring Reilly Smith

Fantasy focus

Alexis Lafreniere was one of the players who gained the most fantasy value from the 2024 postseason, when he finished second in the NHL with eight even-strength goals, two behind Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman (10), who played nine more playoff games than Lafreniere's 16. Lafreniere took a huge step forward last season, setting NHL career highs in goals (28), points (57) and shots on goal (217) while playing right wing on a line with elite left wing Artemi Panarin (fourth in NHL with 120 points) and still has room to expand his offensive role with more first power-play usage. That may be tough to earn in the short term with the returning five-man unit of forwards Panarin, Kreider, Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck along with defenseman Adam Fox, but Lafreniere, the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, still has untapped potential and is worth reaching for around the top 100 overall in redraft leagues. -- Pete Jensen

Projected lineup

Chris Kreider -- Mika Zibanejad -- Reilly Smith

Artemi Panarin -- Vincent Trocheck -- Alexis Lafreniere

Will Cuylle -- Filip Chytil -- Kaapo Kakko

Jimmy Vesey -- Sam Carrick -- Matt Rempe

Ryan Lindgren -- Adam Fox

K'Andre Miller -- Braden Schneider

Zac Jones -- Jacob Trouba

Igor Shesterkin

Jonathan Quick