9/6/18 | Jeff Gorton told Larry Brooks that if a young player proves that he is ready to play in the NHL than the team will make "whatever roster moves are necessary" to make that happen. (NY Post)

He said that the Rangers won't hold anyone back because of veterans under contract but that the Rangers are operating on a "merit system" and that if someone is going to play in the NHL they have to earn it. (NY Post)

8/5/18 | Jeff Gorton said recently that while the Rangers want their "young kids" to make the team and "do well" they aren't going to be putting any of them in a "tough spot."

Gorton said, "if they are not ready we aren't going to put them in, won't force them in there. We will take our time and it's the right thing to do for the players, for the team, for us."

When he was asked at development camp which players he thinks could make the team, he pointed to Filip Chytil and Lias Andersson as well as European free agents Michael Lindqvist and Ville Meskanen.

Gorton added that the Rangers won't stop anyone from making the team if they are "good enough."

Adam Rotter: The Rangers should not start the season with anyone that hasn't earned a spot with their play in Training Camp. The Rangers want their young players to make the team, and most of them will play at some point during the year, but they kept around enough veterans to start the season and let the young players get more time in Hartford. Long-term development of these players is what the Rangers are prioritizing and if that means that Filip Chytil, Lias Andersson, Libor Hajek, Brett Howden or anyone else need to spend the first couple of days/weeks/months in Hartford, that is what will happen. The big expectations out of camp will be on Chytil and Andersson but guys like Vinni Lettieri, Villie Meskanen and Michael Lindqvist should also be in the running up front. I think that for the most part we will see a rotation of young players coming up and going down as a way to monitor progress and get those young players some NHL reps.

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