The New York Rangers started the process of ramping up for the 2026-27 season with rookie camp last week.

It was a chance for some of the best young players in the organization to get on the ice and log some sessions before the veterans arrive for the start of training camp this week. After a few practices, the Rangers partook in scrimmages against the Philadelphia Flyers.

While the results don’t mean much of anything, it would have certainly been nice to perform at a higher level. New York lost both games, going down 3-2 and then 4-1. The Rangers were outmatched by the Flyers, who featured some incredibly talented forwards on their rookie camp roster.

Not helping their cause were self-inflicted wounds throughout. New York struggled with turnovers during the game, which will assuredly be a point of emphasis in practice moving forward, as things need to be cleaned up in that area.

NY Rangers prospect, and first round draft pick, Alberts Šmits (63) works against Felix Farhammar (56) during a prospect development camp at the NY Rangers practice facility in Elmsford on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“Our puck management was not at an all-time high, and it fueled a lot of their transition and our problems, especially in the second period,” Jay Leach, the new Hartford Wolf Pack coach who oversaw rookie camp, said via Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic (subscription required). “We obviously tried to clean that up. In the third, it was a bit better, and you saw us in their zone a little bit more than what you had seen in the first two periods. Some of that is some rust. Some of that is some junior habits, some college habits, and our guys getting used to professional hockey.”

Some of their issues stemmed from a lack of chemistry and cohesion. There wasn’t a lot of time for the guys to get to know each other on the ice, learning little nuances about each other to click on all cylinders.

Also, their defensemen were at a disadvantage because of an unbalanced roster. The Rangers had only one right-handed player available on the blueline, which meant guys playing on their offside. That responsibility fell mostly on Drew Fortescue and Felix Färhammar, but Alberts Smits, the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, also had some opportunities on the right side.

It was an incredibly small sample size for Smits, but some time in the AHL to begin his career would do him some good. There is room for development in his puck-handling, as he had multiple turnovers on Friday, according to Mercogliano, and that continued in the scrimmages.

He wasn’t the only one with giveaways, leading to offensive changes for the Flyers. That put some pressure on the goalies, who stepped up as much as they could given the circumstances surrounding them.

Fans can be sure that when some of these players get to Hartford under Leach’s watch once again, puck-handling and turnover prevention will be keys to their sessions.