Andersson Carrying Confidence into Prospect Camp After Success Last Year

When he was asked on Monday who he felt from this year's development camp roster had a realistic chance at making the team's roster out of training camp, Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton began with Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil.
And for good reason, as both spent time with the club last season after being selected in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft last June.
Both players will still be teenagers when the season begins Oct. 4 against the Nashville Predators at Madison Square Garden, but Andersson said he doesn't feel any pressure with those expecations. In fact, the team's confidence in him in turn gives him confidence to succeed.

"I don't think so," he said when asked if he felt pressure. "It's fun that [Gorton] believes in us and the organization believes in us. We were drafted high last year because they like us and they think we can be part of the future.
"[I] just try to relax and do [my] thing and learn as much as I can from the guys around me and do my own thing."
Andersson, who won't turn 20 until Oct. 13, is coming off a successful year of hockey, both with the Rangers' organization and out. He captained Sweden to a silver medal at the 2018 World Junior Championship, and was part of its gold medal club at the World Championships in May.

And of course, he made his NHL debut on March 26 and finished with two points, including a goal, in seven games with the Rangers down the stretch.
After all that hockey, Andersson said he was able to take a few weeks off between the end of the World Championships and this week's development camp, which he said is a little more "relaxed" than 12 months ago when he was just a few days removed from being taken seventh overall in Chicago.
"Last year was the first time obviously and there were lots of new things and I didn't know anyone," Andersson said. "This year, I know a lot of the coaches and the trainers. A little bit more elaxed this year and hopefully I can show that on the ice, too. Lead the way on and off the ice and show the new guys and a lot of new Swedes, too. Show them around and make them feel welcome."
That experience down the stretch in New York - and in Denmark at the Worlds - no doubt left Andersson with a different level of confidence heading into what can only be described as an important offseason as he prepares for what he hopes will be his first season in the NHL.
"I learned a lot," Andersson said of his stint with the Rangers. "Playing those seven games was huge for me. There's a lot of good players out there on Tampa and Washington. They were good teams. I learned a lot. When you play those games, you realize you've got to keep working to become a superstar in this league. Gotta keep working and one day hopefully I can go out there and dominate.
"Of course that helps when you go into summer training," he added. "When I was with the National team, too, with the NHL superstars that we had, was pretty cool. It helped my confidence and hopefully I can bring that into camp here."