The New York Rangers have decided it is time to give one of their other young players a chance. The team has recalled forward Lias Andersson from the minor leagues prior to their game tomorrow night against the Montreal Canadiens. The move comes as Brett Howden missed this morning’s practice, leading to doubt he’ll be able to suit up against Montreal. The team is taking it “day by day” with Howden according to head coach David Quinn, but now have another impressive rookie to consider.
Andersson, 20, was the seventh overall pick in 2017 and put on quite a show at training camp that fall before ultimately being assigned to Frolunda in the SHL. His return to Sweden wouldn’t last the whole season though, as soon after competing in the World Junior Championship he was brought over to join the Hartford Wolf Pack before eventually making it up to the Rangers for seven games. He registered two points in those seven contests, while performing well at the AHL level in 2017-18.
This season has started out even better for the young center, as he has 12 points in 14 games for the Wolf Pack and looks like he is ready to take the next step. A dominating presence on the ice in the minor leagues, Andersson is set to be a huge part of the rebuild in New York along with fellow top prospects Howden and Filip Chytil. The team is already off to a better start than many expected, sitting at 6-7-1 through their first 14 games and coming off three straight wins. Though it seems unlikely that they’ll challenge for a playoff spot this season, seeing the likes of Andersson take a step forward to prove he is an NHL talent would be a positive development.