Tagged: New York Rangers

22Feb

Mackenzie Skapski(70) New York Rangers

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Mackenzie-Skapski2

New York Rangers‘ 6th round pick in the 2013 draft (#170 overall) rookie goalie Mackenzie Skapski(70) had been playing well for minor league affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack earning him a first recall to the parent club.

He got pressed into action as King Henrik is injured and the complete workload is tough to unload solely on back up Cam Talbot.

In his first NHL game he saved 24 of 25 shots in the 3-1 victory, which gives him a 1.00 GAA and .960 SV%, quite literally a very good start.

The 6’3″ 198 lbs. net minder has a 12-7-3 record in 24 AHL games with a 2.38 GAA and .916 SV%.

In three years of juniors with Kootenay Ice, he consistently put up better numbers each season and was a workhorse playing 65 then 53 games in his last two campaigns.

The 20-year is signed to a three year entry level deal so has plenty of time continue his development but no doubt now that he’s had a taste of the big league it will be tough to go back to riding buses.

He is also one of the few players each year to appear in all three premiere leagues in one hockey season, as he started his pro career with a game in the ECHL for Greenville Road Warriors.

12Feb

Mat Bodie (2)

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Mat-Bodie2

New York Rangers‘ undrafted rookie defenseman Mat Bodie(2) was captain of the Union College team  that won their first, a Cinderella Story style, 2014 NCAA Championship in his fourth and final season.

They did win back-to-back ECAC Championships in 2012 and 2013.

He slipped under the radar possibly due to where he was playing and even though his numbers have been good, his somewhat small 6′ 175 lbs. size may have been slightly prohibitive for other clubs to take the chance.

They were definitely missing a pretty smart playing blue liner that’s a sharp thinker on ice and can put up points, which is necessary because his physical game is definitely low impact.

He already seems to be out there as a player with more pro experience despite this being his first season. It’s likely it’s due to him already being 24-years old when he started.

Signed to only a one-year entry level deal, he was a bit of a late cut from training camp.

Reassigned to start with minor league affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack, he’s managed to get 3 goal, 14 assists and has a +1 rating in 48 AHL games with a squad that’s fighting for their playoff life.

The parent club will probably want to continue to watch this prospect develop.

He’s set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season and it would be a surprise to see them step away from a qualifying offer to stay put.

15Dec

Tim Erixson(34) Chicago Blackhawks

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Tim Erixon2Chicago Blackhawks love their Swedes and defenseman Tim Erixson(34) becomes their latest addition via trade.

He was actually born in America but spent much of his time growing up, playing juniors and his first three years of pro hockey as a teenager in the SHL with Skelleftea.

Originally drafted in the 1st round by Calgary Flames, he was traded when he refused to sign to New York Rangers, where he spent most of his rookie season on reassignment to then differently named affiliate Connecticut Whale/Hartford Wolf Pack and went right to work on the score sheet with 3 goals and 30 assists.

The sort of smaller looking than his stats suggest 6’2″ 200 lbs. blue liner did play his first 18 NHL games in his first campaign registering two helpers.

He lasted only one season of his three-year entry level deal as he was a prospect part of the huge Rick Nash off season transaction that sent him to Columbus Blue Jackets.

He spent the first half of his sophomore campaign with their farm club, Springfield Falcons putting up more fantastic offensive marks (5-24-29).

Recalled to the parent club, where he stayed for the remainder of the season he managed to appear in 31 games with 5 assists and a +4 rating to his credit.

Not sure what the factors were that had him fall off the depth chart but even though he was summoned half a dozen times he only appeared in two games in his third season, while he increased his point totals to a point-per-game player in the minors.

The 23-year old signed a one-year one-way extension to stay put and would only skate contests in the show for his fourth run.

He finally got his first NHL goal but once again found himself on the dispensable list and lands in probably the best situation he could possibly ask for.

See related: 3/22-12

30Nov

Ryan Malone(6) Hartford Wolf Pack

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Ryan Malone12th year veteran left wing Ryan Malone(6) has played a whopping 647 NHL games with only three teams throughout his lengthy pro career.

He was a Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 4th round pick in the 1999 draft (#115 overall) and spent his first 4 years, minus the 2004/2005 lockout, with the team, where he reached the 20/20 scorer three times.

The big 6’4″ 224 lbs. forward went on to sign a lucrative 6-year deal with Tampa Bay Lightning and once again averaged the 20/20 mark through his first four seasons in south Florida.

A few seasons ago though, his numbers started to tank.

This led the Lightning to rethink their contract and eventually moved to buy out the remaining two seasons of his agreement.

After a summer of uncertainty as a freshly released unrestricted free agent, the 35-year old signed a one-year, two-way contract for virtual pennies to see if he could fill in some offensive spots lost by New York Rangers after their run to the Stanley Cup Finals.

He was on the opening night roster and was almost reassigned once until an injury kept him up. Failing to connect, he was eventually put on waivers and reassigned to minor league affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack.

It was his first time in the AHL since playing 3 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins fresh out of four years of college at St. Cloud University.

He’s appeared in 5 contests thus far recording a pair of assists in one game on a veteran heavy squad that may require him to sit out more often than not.

07Oct

Nickolas Latta (39)

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Nickolas Latta

Undrafted, German-born rookie center Nickolas Latta(39) takes an interesting route to starting his pro career.

After 4 years in the OHL with Sarnia Sting, under the watchful eye of New York Rangers he signed an ato with minor league affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack late last season.

In 11 AHL games he scored 1 goal, added one assist and held a +1 rating.

He was the team captain and a point-per-game player in his last campaign of junior hockey.

The 5’11” 195 lbs. skater plays a bit bigger on the ice than his size might indicate and could definitely develop into a form of a power forward style.

He was an invite to the Blueshirts‘ training camp but released early to the Pack where he would potentially signed a contract with the farm team.

A week later the 21-year old decided he was going back to Germany and signed with Kolner Haie of DEL.

His Canadian father Kenneth Latta spent the majority of his playing time in the country and still coaches.

06Oct

Andrew Yogan(6) San Antonio Rampage

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New York Rangers‘ 4th round pick in the 2010 draft (#100 overall), center Andrew Yogan(6) was quickly falling off the depth chart with the parent club and found himself reassigned down the pro hockey ladder to their ECHL affiliate Greenville Road Warriors through his two years in the system.

The big-ish 6’3″ 203 lbs. power forward excelled fairly big in the lower league performing at nearly a point-per-game level through 31 games and recording 7 goals and 11 assists in 17 Kelly Cup Playoff contests.

After a quick start on his first ato with AHL farm club Connecticut Whale, where he notched a quick pair of goals in his debut and added an assist in another, his totals slumped upon signing his 3-year entry level deal.

He played 5 seasons of juniors in the OHL showing he could connect with the score sheet on a regular basis.

The 22-year old was recently involved in a minor trade that sends him back home down south to Florida Panthers.

He’ll start 2014/2015 with San Antonio Rampage to see if he can find that spark in his game that got folks talking about his potential as the first player ever drafted from the Sunshine State.

05Oct

Tommy Grant(17) Aalborg Pirates

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Tommy Grant4th year undrafted left wing Tommy Grant(17) decided to take his game overseas to Denmark, joining Aalborg Pirates after tearing it up for a season under contract with Idaho Steelheads.

In 64 ECHL games he had 23 goals and 27 assists.

It wasn’t his first time skating in the league either. While under contract with San Jose Sharks he was double reassigned to San Francisco Bulls where he had one tally and four helpers in 5 contests.

The pretty big 6’2″ 194 lbs. forward was initially property of New York Rangers playing exclusively for their minor league affiliate the then Connecticut Whale, once again Hartford Wolf Pack.

He was signed to a 2-year entry level deal after three outstanding seasons of college hockey at University Of Alaska-Anchorage and joined the team at the completion of school for 7 regular season games (3 assists) and 8 Calder Cup Playoff matchups (1-1-2).

He had decent enough campaigns with the team too, scoring 9 goals and 9 assists in 34 AHL games before getting dealt.

When he reported to Worcester Sharks all the air seems to be let out of the tires. Maybe he potentially realized the time on his 2-year entry level was up and he’d be looking for a new place to play for his third year.

He seems to be fitting in kind of nicely in his new surroundings as he’s credited with a pair of goals and 1 assist in 4 games.

17May

Dane Byers (38)

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Dane Byers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hershey Bears‘ 9th year veteran Dane Byers(38) needs not worry where he’ll play next season as the team captain been invited back to continue his role in Chocolatetown.

Maybe a bit of a less than surprise move, as the 28-year old left wing signed his first minor league deal to join the much-storied AHL team last season.

The solid 6’3″ 203 lbs. forward has appeared in only 14 NHL games, 6 with New York Rangers (drafted 2nd round, 46th overall in 2004) and 8 with Columbus Blue Jackets.

He was able to pot one goal.

A proven leader on and off the ice, he plays a gutsy style that never shies away from delivering a crushing hit or fisticuffs if called upon to drop the gloves.

He had the most penalty minutes last season, 211 since his rookie campaign in 2006/2007.

No doubt what will be foremost on his mind will be returning the club to a postseason berth, which they missed for the first time in 8 straight years of appearances.

See related: 11/14-10, 12/25-10, 9/8-11, 9/6-12

05Apr

Brodie Dupont(91) Iserlohn Roosters

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Brodie Dupont

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7th year center/left wing Brodie Dupont(91) circled back to rejoin the AHL team he spent the first four years of his pro career with.

He signed a pto with minor league affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack at the beginning of the season to return to North American hockey after winning the 2013 Italian Cup Championship with Valpellice Bulldogs.

That followed a less than fruitful stint traded to Nashville Predators organization and reassigned to Milwaukee Admirals.

The fairly large-looking 6’2″ 210 lbs. power forward was averaging 40 points per season in his first three years.

Appearing in only 26 games on a veteran heavy roster, he managed a goal and 5 assists with a -9 rating, when he decided to accept an offer from Iserlohn Roosters of DEL to head back across the pond to skate the remainder of 2014.

The move seemed to work as he got some of his mojo back, putting up 2 goals and 6 assists in 13 contests and another pair of tallies and helpers in the playoffs.

Impressed enough with his performance, the 27-year old re-signed to return for a full season.