New York Rangers | CollegeHockeyPlayers

28Nov

John Mitchell (79)

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After being acquired in a trade with Toronto Maple Leafs for a bag of rocks (7th round pick), center John Mitchell(79) spent the rest of the 2010/2011 season with New York Rangers‘ AHL affiliate Connecticut Whale and basically put up a point per game in 20 regular season and playoff games.

He was re-signed quickly in the offseason to a two-way, one-year deal and has been taking up with the Whale where he left off, notching a point in every game.

He received his first call-up to the Blueshirts and continued in the scoring column already putting up a couple of assists in his first two games with the team.

Originally a Maple Leafs‘ 2003 5th round pick (#158 overall), he has accumulated 161 games of NHL experience for 20 goals and 37 assists.

11/29: Mitchell gets his first goal with the Rangers.

In 4 games he has one goal and a pair of assists. Nice start (and hat).

11Nov

Jyri Niemi(8)

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In a bit of a head scratcher move, Connecticut Whale have reassigned 2nd year defenseman Jyri Niemi(8) to their ECHL affiliate Greenville Road Warriors after posting only 1 assist in 8 games played.

He was injured late last season and it may be a move to give him some time to play a bit of a different style of hockey and build his confidence.

It would be really strange for him to stay in AA, unless he’s really fallen off New York Rangers‘ depth chart.

He was originally picked by New York Islanders in the 3rd round of the 2007 draft (#77 overall).

08Nov

Jordan Owens (46)

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5th year undrafted wing Jordan Owens(46) signed a pto to rejoin the team he’d played most of his professional career with, Hartford Wolf Pack/Connecticut Whale and was bumped up to standard players contract for 2011/2012.

In 12 games this season he’s shown himself to be a reliable veteran that no doubt provides strong leadership for the newer players on the squad.

He’s also put in a couple of goals.

He played for the last year and a half in the Detroit system with their AHL affiliate Grand Rapid Griffins after he was traded for Whale fan-favorite, now teammate Kris Newbury.

04Nov

Ryan McDonagh(17) New York Rangers

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2nd year defenseman Ryan McDonagh(17) is stepping it up big time with the only NHL team he has ever played for, New York Rangers.

He was originally picked by Montreal Canadiens in the 1st round of the 2007 draft (#12 overall).

Last season in 40 games with the Rangers he put up 1 goal and 8 assists but most impressively was a +16 for the team. In the first 11 games of the 2011/2012 season he already has 3 goals to go along with a pair of assists.

Very doubtful that he’ll be back in Connecticut anytime soon, unless he gets injured and it’s on a conditioning stint.

03Nov

Jonathan Audy-Marchessault(18) Connecticut Whale

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My new favorite last name in pro hockey is Jonathan Audy-Marchessault(18).

Undrafted, he was signed by Connecticut Whale to a AHL player contract in early summer but by all means is one-year property of New York Rangers.

He’ll definitely get some looks and before the end of the season he could sign himself an NHL contract. He’s small at 5’9″ 175 lbs. but he’s quick and plays a tough enough game to survive out there. In 10 games he already have 4 goals and 4 assists.

Reminds me a tiny bit of a small Teemu Selanne or maybe a Paul Kariya?

His name beats older favorite Harry Zolnierczyk.

01Nov

Andre Deveaux(7) New York Rangers

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Responding to a need for some grit in their game after a lackluster 3-3-3 in 9 games start, New York Rangers‘ call up their extra large-sized offseason free agent signing, 8th year pro, center Andre Deveaux(7).

He has 22 games of NHL experience with the Maple Leafs putting up only one assist but more importantly 75 penalty minutes, which is mostly what he’s called upon for.

In recent years he has shown an ability to find the back of the net though; this season already putting up 6 points in 9 games played in the AHL with Connecticut Whale.

Born in the Bahamas, he is the first from there to play in the NHL. He was originally drafted by Montreal Canadiens in the 6th round of the 2002 draft (#182 overall) but never signed with them.

30Oct

Sean Avery(16) Connecticut Whale

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13 year veteran Sean Avery(16) was waived by New York Rangers and reassigned to their AHL affiliate Connecticut Whale, where he suited up for just his second game on Saturday night vs. Worcester Sharks. It’s his second stint with the Whale/Hartford Wolf Pack. He played there briefly in 2008 under the assumption the Rangers would sign him after Dallas parted ways.

He is the final year of his 4-year contract that is split between the two teams at $4. million per season.

In his first game he scored the empty-netter insurance goal and last night he got the game-winner in the sixth round of the shootout to give his team the 3-2 victory. All well and good and although it might be unlikely that he’ll get called up, he could potentially sign on with another team that has some salary cap room to play the agitator role that he’s one of the league’s best in the business at providing.

27Oct

Devin DiDiomete(24) Chicago Express

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After being released only a couple of games into the 2011/2012 season on a pto with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 4th year pro winger Devin DiDiomete(24) was given the option of being reassigned to their ECHL affiliate Wheeling Nailers. He took them up on that offer signing a deal to return to the E for the first time since ’09/’10, when he was with Charlotte Checkers as reassigned by Hartford Wolf Pack for 15 games of seasoning.

Last season he had 303 pims in 63 games and even put up 6 goals and 4 assists. Turns out that after his entry level contract expired and three years in the system, New York Rangers were done with him.

Originally drafted by Calgary Flames in 2006, 5th round (#187 overall), he was scooped up by the Rangers to groom.

Follow him on Twitter @deeds2424. He’s quite the comic.

Wheeling waived him a few days ago but on 11/8 he signed with Chicago Express.

14Oct

Chad Johnson(29) Connecticut Whale

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3rd year goaltender Chad Johnson(29) posted a 41 save shutout in his first game of the ’11/’12 season with Connecticut Whale in the opening weekend of action.

Originally drafted by Pittsburgh Penguins in the 5th round of the 2006 draft (#125 overall) and traded before he ever skated a game with the team. He has only tended net for New York Rangers and their AHL affiliate in his pro career.

He’s appeared in 6 NHL contests over the past couple of seasons and is obviously vying for an early season call-up.

12Oct

Kris Newbury(11) Connecticut Whale

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9th year pro, the tough-as-nails center, Kris Newbury(11) is in the second year of his contract extension he signed with New York Rangers in 2010 and started of the new season with their AHL affiliate Connecticut Whale with his second career hat trick.

He’s played games in the NHL in each of the last five seasons (59 games, 4 goals and 4 assists). While those totals aren’t anything to keep him up in the show, he’s still an effective agitator.

Maybe not the biggest guy on the ice (5’10” 205 lbs.), he’s one guy that it’s never any fun to tangle with.

Kris Newbury was recalled by New York Rangers 10/16.