Impressive Smits debut tops key Rangers takeaways from 4-3 preseason loss

No one in the New York Rangers organization is happy about blowing a three-goal lead and losing to the rival Islanders 4-3 — on home ice, no less — even if it was only a preseason game. But when you take a step back and focus on the bigger picture, something much more positive stands out from the loss Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.

That would be the play of top prospect Alberts Smits. Playing his first preseason game at the age of 18, Smits looked every bit the part of the much-hyped prospect entering the 2026 NHL Draft and after the Rangers selected him with the No. 5 overall pick.

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Smits logged 15:29 TOI, and played an extremely effective game in his own end, mostly paired with Braden Schneider at even strength. He played more than three minutes on the penalty kill, and wasn’t out there for a single goal scored by the Islanders, which is saying something since the visitors potted three power-play tallies in their comeback victory.

The native of Latvia didn’t record a shot on goal, but Smits did notch a beauty of an assist with a gorgeous pass right on the tape of Taylor Raddysh’s stick for the redirect goal that made it 3-0 Rangers at 7:20 of the second period.

“Crazy to think he’s just 18. He moves like a man out there. His stick is great, he’s killing plays at the blue line, and he had a great look to ‘Raddy’ there on that goal,” former Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Adam Fox told MSG Networks. “He doesn’t look out of place at all.”

Rangers coach Mike Sullivan was equally as impressed with Smits.

“One of the biggest challenges for young players is just the physical size and strength of the guys in this league. You guys can see it – he’s a man as an 18-year-old. His physical stature, he’s big and strong.”

Mike Sullivan talks about Alberts Smits’ “strong game” tonight: pic.twitter.com/CCZAiPImFl

— SNY Rangers (@SNYRangers) September 23, 2026

There’s a reason why Smits is getting a long look in training camp, practicing with the NHL group every day and then in the lineup Tuesday with what was largely the Varsity. There are two preseason games remaining. Smits will play at least one — if not both — of them, before a decision is made as to whether he earns a spot on the opening-night roster.

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But if Tuesday is any indication, it sure looks like Smits is going to be a special player in this league, no matter when his actual NHL debut takes place.

Key Rangers takeaways after 4-3 preseason loss to Islanders

PK = penalties kill

In hockey parlance, PK stands for penalty kill. However, a more apt definition for the Rangers on Tuesday was PK = penalties kill — as in taking too many penalties simply finished off the Blueshirts in their collapse and loss to the Islanders.

Up 3-0 after Raddysh’s goal, the Rangers took a penalty — Eeli Tolvanen minor for interference — just 50 seconds later. It was the first of five consecutive power plays the Rangers handed the Islanders bridging the second and third periods. The Islanders said “Thank You Very Much” and scored three power-play goals, with reigning Calder Trophy winner Matthew Schaefer picking up a point on all three (one goals, two assists).

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While true, the game-tying goal by Matias Maccelli was a fluke one — a centering feed from a sharp angle that deflected in off Sean Durzi’s skate — there was no flukiness about Alexis Lafreniere’s needless high-sticking minor at 8:40 of the third. That set up Maccelli’s game-winning goal on the power play, when he got behind Schneider to bury a rebound at 9:29.

It’s one game — a preseason game — and the Rangers only started working on special teams Monday at practice. But this needs to be cleaned up ASAP because opening night against the Boston Bruins is one week away.

Home hex

It’s way to early to speculate that last season’s home hex carried over into 2026-27. But blowing a three-goal lead to their arch rivals did stir up some bad memories of things that happened at The Garden a year ago.

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First there was the home-ice losing streak which carried into the second month of the season, pockmarked by one shutout loss after another. The bad juju at MSG lasted pretty much all season, and the Rangers finished up 14-20-7 at home. Those 14 wins were their fewest in a full season since 2003-04, when they won 13 times at MSG.

It’s too soon to panic or say “Here we go again,” but it’s worth noting that bad memories still linger.

More Doro, please

Pavel Dorofeyev had himself a nice first game wearing the Blueshirt. The prized addition from the offseason displayed his shoot-first, ask questions later mentality with a team-high five shots on goal in 17:32 TOI.

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Dorofeyev scored the second Rangers goal with a quick snipe, finishing off strong work behind the Islanders goal line by linemates J.T. Miller and Oliver Bjorkstrand. That threesome looked to have some really good chemistry throughout, and Miller appeared much more energized coming off a difficult 2025-26 season.

The Rangers obviously need this Dorofeyev, the who who scored 72 goals the past two seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights, considering that they finished 23rd in scoring last season.

J.T. at the dot

The Rangers struggled at the face-off dot Tuesday, but not Miller. The Rangers captain won 12 of 18 face-offs, including a crucial one in the offensive zone in the dying seconds of regulation with their goalie pulled for an extra attacker. That led directly to a scoring chance and wild scramble in front of Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov.

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With Vincent Trocheck traded to the Utah Mammoth, it’s up to Miller to take most of the big draws this season. He won a whopping 61.5 percent of his face-offs last season and got off to a great start Tuesday.

Kids are alright

It was largely an NHL-heavy lineup for the Rangers against the Islanders, but the kids that did play left their mark. Of course, there was Smits, as discussed. But there was also Cole Beaudoin, who bulled his way to the net to pot the first goal of the game at 8:23 of the first period — during a 6-on-5 delayed penalty against the Islanders. Not a bad first impression for the rugged 20-year-old, who came over from the Mammoth in the Trocheck trade along with Durzi this summer. Speaking of Durzi, he assisted on Beaudoin’s goal, as did Tolvanen, another Rangers newcomer.

Forward prospects Liam Greentree and Dylan Roobroeck were the only Rangers who played in the preseason opener Monday against the New Jersey Devils and also dressed Tuesday. Greentree didn’t back down from veteran Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield in the second period, dropping the gloves with the veteran and holding his own in the game’s only fight.

Roobroeck and Greentree each logged more than 11 minutes TOI, and finished plus-1. Roobroeck was on ice for Raddysh’s goal, and Greentree was on for Beaudoin’s tally.

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