Flyers at Rangers preseason: Storylines, game time and more

The Flyers will have some final auditions on Broadway.

The team visits New York Thursday night to play the Rangers in its sixth preseason game. The Flyers' roster is at 27 players and must be trimmed down to a maximum of 23 by 5 p.m. next Tuesday.

On Friday night, the Flyers fly out to Switzerland before their preseason finale next Monday against HC Lausanne.

First, let's look at the essentials for tonight:

• When: 7 p.m. ET
• Where: Madison Square Garden
• Broadcast: NHL Network

• There's an update (sort of) on Nolan Patrick. The 21-year-old center skated with the non-game group Thursday morning at Flyers Skate Zone.

Recovering from an upper-body injury, Patrick has missed all of training camp/preseason and had been limited to solo work on the ice.

Nolan Patrick, still out with upper-body injury and considered week to week, getting work in. pic.twitter.com/POxlH54vG8
— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) September 15, 2019

There is no timeline for his return and his status for the Oct. 4 season opener is in serious doubt.

Update: 3:33 p.m. — Patrick has been diagnosed with a migraine disorder. He will not travel to Europe and will miss the season opener. He's listed as week to week.

• The roster hopefuls playing against the Rangers: Joel Farabee, Carsen Twarynski, Connor Bunnaman and Chris Stewart (see story).

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Also, keep an eye on how Robert Hagg performs with Matt Niskanen. He is battling with Philippe Myers and Samuel Morin for a spot in the season-opening lineup (see story).

• Alain Vigneault coached the Rangers from 2013-18, leading New York to a Stanley Cup Final appearance and four playoff berths. He was fired following the 2017-18 season.

"The Rangers did what they had to do," Vigneault said last weekend. "I wish them nothing but the best. I had a great five years there and I want them to have success against everybody but us."

Kevin Hayes played parts of his first five NHL seasons with the Rangers. He has been honest about how things ended in New York (see story).

• Carter Hart will play the full game. The 21-year-old goalie has stopped all 25 shots he's faced through three-plus periods of preseason action.

Quotable

Right now, because Nolan is not here, there might be a spot in the middle, there might be a spot on the wing, there's definitely a spot on D.

- Vigneault on Wednesday

Projected lineup

Forwards

Claude Giroux-Sean Couturier-Travis Konecny
Oskar Lindblom-Kevin Hayes-Jakub Voracek
Joel Farabee-Scott Laughton-Michael Raffl
Carsen Twarynski-Connor Bunnaman-Chris Stewart

Defensemen

Ivan Provorov-Travis Sanheim
Robert Hagg-Matt Niskanen
Samuel Morin-Philippe Myers

Goalies

Carter Hart
Brian Elliott

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