Alberts Smits arrived at Rangers camp with a real opening, and Mike Sullivan has already made it clear the rookie can win an NHL job.
The message from Sullivan was direct when he addressed the young defenseman's chances of sticking with New York.
“Yes, he has a chance to make the team,” Sullivan told reporters Wednesday.
That changes the tone around Smits. He isn't simply getting a look before being sent down. The Rangers are giving him an opportunity to force a difficult decision.
Smits opened camp on the left side of the third defense pair alongside Braden Schneider, putting him immediately into a spot that could carry into the regular season.
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The competition around him remains crowded. Matthew Robertson, Drew Fortescue and Urho Vaakanainen are among the left-shot options battling for work, while Scott Morrow and Vincent Iorio could also push for space.
Smits can force the Rangers' hand
Sullivan's approach still comes with an important condition. New York wants Smits in the NHL when he's ready, but the coaching staff isn't going to rush his development simply because a roster opening exists.
That puts the decision back on Smits. His play through camp and preseason will determine whether New York believes NHL minutes are better for him than a bigger role in Hartford.
The Rangers also have another roster issue working against him. Carrying three goaltenders remains a possibility, and every extra spot used in the crease makes the numbers tighter elsewhere.
Smits would have a much larger workload in the AHL. Hartford could give him heavy minutes, special-teams work and a chance to handle difficult situations instead of placing him in a sheltered NHL role.
But the Rangers didn't open camp with Smits buried behind veterans. Sullivan put him in a legitimate lineup position immediately, giving the rookie a chance to show he can handle NHL pace.
That's the development worth watching. New York doesn't need Smits to dominate camp. He needs to make sending him down harder than keeping him.
For an 18-year-old defenseman trying to crack the Rangers blue line, the door is already open. Now Smits has to keep Sullivan from closing it.
Should Alberts Smits make the Rangers roster if he holds his third-pair spot through preseason?
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