It’s finally here, folks. A lifetime ago, Jeff Gorton, Glen Sather and Jim Dolan released “The Letter,” signifying the Rangers’ rebuild. Staples of the last half-decade of Rangers hockey — most notably Ryan McDonagh, J.T. Miller and Rick Nash — were traded on trade deadline day. Alain Vigneault was kicked out Ari Gold-style and David Quinn was hired to get the most out of the youth. The draft and free agency came and went without major changes, as the Rangers essentially decided to run it back.

Now we look forward to a new era. There are fresh faces in town fighting for roster spots, and no veteran should feel safe just because they have tenure. The new core — which won’t feature highly-touted prospects such as Vitali Kravtsov, Igor Shestyorkin, K’Andre Miller and Nils Lundkvist — is ready to make its push. Let’s be honest with ourselves though: this is a rebuilding year that needs to prioritize the future over short-term success. Players and coaches should try and win every game, but a big-picture outlook is necessary.

Here are some training camp storylines:

Will Lias Andersson force the team’s hand?

Is there a more divisive player on the Rangers right now than Lias Andersson? The 2017 seventh-overall pick certainly gets the people rowdy on Twitter. Some people (like myself) thinks the kid’s got a ton of talent and is going to be just fine; some just can’t get over the fact the Rangers took him over Casey Mittelstadt and Gabriel Vilardi; others think he’s just a flat-out bum and a waste of a pick. Despite what people tell you, no one will be proven right or wrong here for a while; I really don’t care who his SHL comparables are because I believe every player, especially fucking teenagers, develop differently.

But Andersson is in an incredibly interesting spot. The Rangers weren’t expected to bring back all their centers. But the offseason rolled on without Mika Zibanejad, Kevin Hayes, Vladislav Namestnikov or Ryan Spooner getting traded. On top of that, Filip Chytil — last year’s other first-round pick — is likely to make the roster because he showed out more during his call-up stint and has more offensive upside than Andersson.

Andersson played well in the AHL in a top-line role, registering a 5–9–14 line in 25 games and notched two points in his first seven NHL games, but at times looked like a rookie. The question is a fascinating one: is it better for Andersson to play 20 minutes a night in Hartford, or 10 minutes a night in the NHL? No one knows the right answer, but the coaching staff has to.

So far, the Rangers’ new coaching staff has talked the talk: they say no one’s roster spot is safe just because they’re a veteran, but that spots still have to be earned. Andersson can put the pressure on the staff if he balls out during preseason and camp.

An old coach of mine used to say this to me and my teammates when we were freshmen: “Make us have to play you. Make it so we don’t have any choice but to put you in the game.” I feel like that’s a good allegory for what Andersson needs to do to make the team.

Can any young defensemen crack the roster?

The Rangers defense was flamingtrashcan.gif last year, making one think they’d completely overhaul the unit. In the words of John Pinette: “I say nay nay!” Everyone — Brady Skjei, Kevin Shattenkirk, Brendan Smith, Marc Staal, Tony DeAngelo, John Gilmour, Neal Pionk and Rob O’Gara — is back, and there have been some new additions as well. The Rangers signed Fredrik Claesson to a cheap one-year deal and (surprisingly) traded for Adam McQuaid late last week. That’s 10 defensemen right there before mentioning any of the youngsters.

Libor Hajek, Ryan Lindgren, Joey Keane and Sean Day are starting behind the eight-ball. They’re in the same boat as Andersson. It’s going to take an impressive showing (or god forbid a major injury) for one of them to make the team.

If we’re being honest, I don’t think that’s the worst thing. I’d rather the team be patient with prospects than thrust them into situations they aren’t ready for. It’d be cool as hell to see a kid make the roster, but I wouldn’t hold my breath

What changes will Quinn make?

After five seasons of counter-attack, quick-strike offense under Alain Vigneault, the Rangers hired David Quinn from Boston University. How the Rangers will look tactically is a mystery to everyone. But it’ll be fascinating to see what changes he makes and who benefits the most from them. The obvious answers are guys like Pavel Buchnevich, Brady Skjei and Kevin Hayes, but Chris Kreider, Vladislav Namestnikov and Jimmy Vesey are names I’d keep an eye on for positive changes in a new system.

Who will back up Lundqvist?

The King is going to be in his palace, and if the last are years are any indication, he’ll be under siege. But while Lundqvist is the least of the Rangers worries, his backup is an intriguing roster battle.

Alexandar Georgiev was called up after an injury to Ondrej Pavelec and played pretty well in his few games. Georgiev seemed to be penned into the Rangers’ backup goalie spot, but Jeff Gorton inked Dustin Tokarski — forever engraved into in the brains of Rangers’ fans — to a one-year deal in free agency, creating a competition for the backup goalie spot. Obviously, both will get plenty of time in the preseason, but there’s no clear-cut favorite in this position battle

Will there be any other surprises?

I’ve been on record saying Artemi Panarin will be a Ranger by opening night. That, folks, would be fucking dope. But it’s more of an example of a surprise happening during camp. Maybe the Rangers, impressed by Andersson or Howden, decides to move Kevin Hayes now instead of at the trade deadline. Same goes for Hajek or Lindgren on defense. Someone could get hurt, forcing the Rangers to keep a Ty Ronning or Tim Gettinger. Hopefully, the front office and coaching staff stay true to its word, keeping players who have earned a spot no matter their age. Competition is good for the soul, so I’m happy the Rangers didn’t just hand a bunch of roster spots to unproven kids.

Either way, I’m excited about the season starting. Like last year, I’ll be GIFing every game I can on Twitter (@FitzGSN_) and dropping blogs throughout the year. I’m excited, ladies and gentlemen. Let’s drop the puck.