Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Rangers Rumors

Metropolitan Notes: Carlsson, Cammarata, Lundqvist

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Columbus Blue Jackets have assigned Gabriel Carlsson to the Cleveland Monsters, bringing him over from the Sweden earlier than expected. The 2015 first-round selection is expected to join the Monsters this weekend and play on Saturday against the Chicago Wolves. The defenseman signed his entry-level contract last summer.

20-years old, Carlsson has the makings of an excellent shutdown defender in the NHL. His size, skating and positioning are all good enough for him to make an impact in professional hockey already, as he has in Sweden for the past two and a half years. In 40 games for Linkopings this season, he recorded four points and generally established himself as a presence in the defensive zone. With the Blue Jackets’ depth on defense, Carlsson will likely be given time to adjust and develop in the AHL next season, but will be pushing for a call-up before long.

  • The New York Islanders have signed Taylor Cammarata to an amateur tryout with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers after his season at the University of Minnesota. A former third-round pick of the Isles, Cammarata never did replicate the outstanding scoring pace he found in the USHL, often out-muscled by bigger players in the college ranks. While he still possesses excellent skill, his 5’7″ 150-lbs frame is holding him back from making the most of it. He’ll try to show that he can be a difference maker in the AHL and try to secure an entry-level contract down the road.
  • Henrik Lundqvist will apparently play four out of the five remaining games for the New York Rangers, only getting a break in one of the back-to-back matchups to end the season next weekend. Since hitting rock bottom by allowing seven goals on 27 shots to the Dallas Stars on January 17th, Lundqvist has turned his season around and shown that he can still be an elite goaltender in this league. With a 12-6-2 record and .922 save percentage in the 21 games since then, he’s ready for another long playoff run for the Rangers. He’ll likely face the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, a team he has struggled with in his career. Holding a 12-17-3 record and .898 save percentage against the Habs all-time, he’ll have to improve on those numbers if the Rangers want to advance to the second round.

Minor Moves: Fucale, Renouf, Pedrie

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Montreal Canadiens won the most important game of the season on Saturday night against the Ottawa Senators, putting them up by three points in the Atlantic Division. That had them flying high until this morning when the team announced that Al Montoya has suffered a lower-body injury and will be unavailable for the game tonight against the Dallas Stars. Instead, the Canadiens have recalled Zach Fucale from the ECHL Brampton Beast to back up Carey Price tonight.

Fucale was drafted in the second round in 2013, and Montreal still has high hopes for the 21-year old. The young netminder has struggled since his draft year at different levels, but still has the raw talent to put it all together as his body matures. Goaltenders often put it together much later than skaters, meaning Fucale could still improve drastically. For now, he’ll get a taste of the NHL from the bench.

  • The Detroit Red Wings have re-assigned Dan Renouf to the AHL after making his NHL debut just last night. He was called up on an emergency basis, and will now return to Grand Rapids for the time being. The 22-year old was an NCAA free agent last spring, and has had a solid professional debut this season. With 15 points in 58 games, he has provided a little offense for the Griffins in addition to his normal physical brand of defense. Renouf’s departure likely means the return of Niklas Kronwall to the Detroit lineup for the game against Carolina tonight.
  • As expected, the Rangers have signed Vince Pedrie to an entry-level contract. The Penn State defenseman broke the news himself last night on Instagram, before deleting it and waiting for the team’s announcement. 23-years old and just finished his sophomore year, Pedrie will instead turn to the professional ranks for the next chapter in his hockey career. The puck-moving defenseman is a nice addition to a Rangers prospect system that has been stripped bare in recent years.

Morning Notes: Gaudreau, Street, Pedrie, Vermin

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Don’t worry Flames fans, the headline “Islanders Sign Gaudreau” shouldn’t scare you, at least not in 2017. The New York team has signed Johnny’s younger brother Matt Gaudreau to an amateur tryout for their AHL affiliate. The younger Gaudreau has just completed his senior season at Boston College, where he scored 35 points in 40 games.

Not blessed with the exceptional skill of his brother, Gaudreau is similarly sized at 5’9 150-lbs and must rely on his quickness and playmaking ability. While he does have potential to play at a higher level, his offensive upside isn’t as high as his brother and thus will have a hard time getting a look at the NHL level.

  • The Detroit Red Wings have called up Ben Street on emergency condition, but Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports that it will turn into a regular recall should he not play in tonight’s game. The team is playing the third of three consecutive games, likely leading to some soreness and minor injuries.
  • Steve Zipay of Newsday reports that Vince Pedrie of Penn State may be close to a deal with the New York Rangers, as the free agent forward sent out a now deleted Instagram photo with the caption “It comes with a heavy heart that I announce I will not be returning to Penn State for my remaining two years…I am extremely excited to start my professional hockey career with the New York Rangers.”  Pedrie scored 30 points in 39 games in just his sophomore season, though he is already 23-years old.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have sent Joel Vermin back to the AHL after playing in the previous four games for the club. The 25-year old winger has just three points in 15 games in the NHL this season, and with the team getting healthier, he’ll now return to help the Syracuse Crunch into the playoffs.

Vinni Lettieri Signs Two-Year Deal With New York Rangers

at CDT | by 6 Comments

After it was rumored yesterday that Vinni Lettieri was being pursued by both the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers, he has signed a two-year deal with the Rangers and will join Hartford for the rest of the season on an amateur tryout.

The University of Minnesota forward had a breakout season this year with 37 points in 38 games but saw his squad eliminated by Notre Dame in the NCAA tournament. He’ll now head to professional hockey at 22-years old and try to continue his big year. Finally putting his exceptional offensive skill to work, Lettieri’s skating took a step forward this year.

Lettieri always looked like he should be putting up more points than he was, but could never quite dominate like his skill level showed. Now moving to a bigger, faster league it could take him a while to adjust again. If he can though, he has a high offensive ceiling and the drive to compete at the next level.

Michael Russo of the Star Tribune was the first to report that Lettieri had come to an agreement.

Snapshots: Lettieri, Renouf, Wallmark

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After the University of Minnesota was eliminated from the NCAA tournament yesterday by the upstart Notre Dame team, it was the beginning of a whole new chapter for senior Vinni Lettieri. According to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune, the free agent center is being pursued by the New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks.

Lettieri had 37 points in 38 games this season for the Gophers, breaking out and scoring double-digit goals for the first time in his college career. The undersized forward should decide in the next few days where he’ll make his professional debut.

Metro Division Notes: Shattenkirk, Provorov, Konecny, Ryan

at CDT | by 3 Comments

Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, in the midst of a career season offensively, is poised to become one of, if not the most sought after free agent of the 2017 offseason. We ranked the Capitals blue liner #1 in our mid-season free agent power rankings in January and since moving to Washington from St. Louis at the trade deadline, the 28-year-old has only helped his cause, tallying six assists in 10 games for his new employer. Shattenkirk reportedly rebuffed overtures from three different clubs since the 2016 entry draft who were interested in acquiring the seven year veteran on the condition they could lock him up to a contract extension. With nearly every team in the league looking for skilled, puck-moving defensemen, particularly those that happen to shoot right-handed, there figures to be a robust market for Shattenkirk’s services in July.

Elliotte Friedman, appearing on Toronto’s Sportsnet 590 Friday morning (H/T to Chris Nichols of Fan Rag Sports for the transcription), speculated that one team who may go all-in on Shattenkirk this summer is the New Jersey Devils. The Devils currently rank 28th overall in the NHL in scoring and have just one blue liner, Damon Severson, who has tallied at least 20 points on the season. Clearly they could use a point-producing defender and Shattenkirk will far and away be the top free agent option. Friedman notes that New Jersey will have the cap space ($19.5MM in projected cap space with 17 players under contract for 2017-18 according to Cap Friendly) to essentially outbid any other interested suitor if they so choose.

“I don’t know if Kevin Shattenkirk is going to go there – I still think he wants to be a Ranger. But I could see them throwing a big number at him. They’ve got a lot of cap room. They’ve got a spot for him on their blueline. He’s exactly what they need. It would not surprise me in the least if New Jersey is a team that goes out there and just throws bags of money at him and says, ‘Turn us down.’”

It’s interesting to note that Friedman also believes that Shattenkirk has his sights set on joining the Rangers. The Blue Shirts were among the teams that spoke to the Blues about dealing for the blue liner at the deadline but simply had no desire to meet St. Louis’ high asking price. The thought then was that they were content waiting for the summer when they can add the skilled blue liner without sacrificing any assets to do so. However, given the Rangers heavy, long term commitments to Marc Staal and Dan Girardi, it stands to reason they will have to be creative in fitting a projected Shattenkirk contract under the salary cap. That may mean trading or buying out one of the aforementioned duo.

Elsewhere in the Metro Division:

  • While the Philadelphia Flyers are a likely bet to miss the playoffs this season, the development of Ivan Provorov and Travis Konecny has been a bright spot, as Sam Carchidi of Philly.com writes. Provorov, just 20, has recorded 28 points as a rookie blue liner and has shown the potential to be a top-pair defender for years to come. Konecny, meanwhile, has registered 11 goals with 16 assists and has the elusiveness and creativity the Flyers sorely lack on their roster, according to Carchidi. Flyers GM Ron Hextall wisely avoided the temptation to be a buyer at the trade deadline and instead chose to remain patient with his retooling. The continued development of Provorov and Konecny demonstrate that Hextall’s decision was the correct one.
  • Carolina center Derek Ryan has taken an unusual route to becoming a NHL regular, playing professionally in both Austria and Sweden prior to joining the Hurricanes organization. Ryan, who played for current Hurricane head coach Bill peters for the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs, went undrafted and spent four seasons playing collegiate hockey at the University of Alberta before turning pro. Now the 30-year-old rookie is Carolina’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, writes Chip Alexander of The News & Observer. Playing on a one-year, two-way contract this season, Ryan has registered 11 goals and 24 points while playing all over the Hurricanes lineup and has likely earned a raise on his $600K salary when he reaches free agency this summer. While he doesn’t qualify as a game-breaking talent, Ryan has proven he belongs in the NHL and is a solid, bottom-six contributor.

Snapshots: Brodzinski, Rod, Ronning

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

As expected yesterday, the Los Angeles Kings have recalled Jonny Brodzinski today from the Ontario Reign to give him a taste of NHL action down the stretch. The minor-league sniper will not play tonight, but is expected to get into the lineup at some point over the remaining ten games. Armed with a howitzer of a shot, Brodzinski is an option for the Kings next season, as he’s proven everything he needs to at the AHL level.

With the Kings needing scoring wherever they can find it—they currently rank 27th in the league in goals for—Brodzinski may actually get a chance to move up in the lineup quickly. If he can show an ability to replicate his goal-scoring touch at the highest level, he’d instantly become one of their best options. Jeff Carter and Tanner Pearson alone have accounted for more than 30% of the Kings’ goals this season, with no other player even eclipsing 15 on the season. Brodzinski would be a welcome addition if he can find enough open space to release that shot.

  • The San Jose Sharks are closing in on a contract with second-round pick Noah Rod, according to Kevin Kurz of CSN. The 2014 draft pick has continued to play in the NLA (Switzerland) for the past three seasons and may be ready to come across the pond. Known for his feisty game and ability to get under opponent’s skin, Rod showed an increased offensive game this year scoring 14 points in 27 games despite dealing with multiple injuries. He is likely still at least a year away from making a real impact in the NHL, but getting him over and into the AHL would help his transition to the North American game.
  • After signing NCAA goaltender Chris Nell earlier today, the New York Rangers—or rather their AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack—have signed Ty Ronning to an amateur tryout. The seventh-round pick last summer just finished his season with the Vancouver Giants of the WHL, leading the team in scoring for the second straight season. At 5’9″ 170-lbs, Ronning is undersized to say the least, but has a role model on how to succeed at that size pretty close to home. Cliff Ronning, Ty’s dad, played 1137 games in the NHL and recorded 869 points despite actually coming in an inch shorter than his son is now. One of the all-time “small guys”, Cliff was exceptionally talented and even scored 85 points one season while skating for Vancouver with greats like Pavel Bure and Trevor Linden. Perhaps the younger Ronning was overlooked just as his father was in his day—Cliff went in the seventh-round too, but scored more than all but five of his draft class.

New York Rangers Sign NCAA Goaltender Chris Nell

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The New York Rangers have inked another NCAA free agent, signing goaltender Chris Nell out of Bowling Green State. The netminder has decided to turn pro after his junior season, another one in which he ranked among the nation’s best in most categories.

Undrafted, Nell debuted at Bowling Green in 2014 and has never looked back. With a .930 save percentage last season, he led the WCHA and has had another solid year with a .917. Though he’s not a huge target, Nell is known for his ability to recover after playing an initial shot aggressively and will need to keep that attitude at the professional level. If you’ve heard of a “battling” goaltender, you’ll recognize it in Nell who will never give up on a play.

A former state champion in high school hockey in Green Bay, Nell should be looked at down the road as an AHL starting goaltender. As with any goalie though, it is hard to project how their game will develop as they enter their mid-twenties and the Rangers are hoping he can advance all the way to the NHL. At just 22 years of age, he still has a lot of time to develop the skills to be a solid professional.

Snapshots: Playoff Format, Sedlak, Lightning

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

If you’re an Atlantic Division team looking at the current playoff seeding, why would you want to go after the division crown? That’s what Pierre LeBrun wonders in his latest column for TSN. The top Atlantic team will have to face one—most likely the New York Rangers—of the four dominant Metropolitan teams, all of which have more points than the currently leading Montreal Canadiens.  That system may need some tweaking argues LeBrun, who suggests going back to the straight divisional playoffs that brewed long-standing rivalries.

For what it’s worth, it doesn’t seem like the GMs have much interest in changing the format, with one telling LeBrun “it’s all cyclical. Some years some divisions are stronger.” It may not even matter, as Montreal has dominated the Rangers this season. With a 3-0 record, they are likely looking forward to  a first round matchup.

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have activated Lukas Sedlak from injured reserve today, as he has healed completely from the oblique strain that’s kept him out for a month. The 23-year old has 12 points in 55 games this season, his first in the NHL. Never much of an offensive player, Sedlak prides himself on his defensive and faceoff success and the analytics show it. The young centerman has been an elite shot suppressor in his first season, exactly what you want from a fourth-line player.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning will look to Brayden Point to lead their team again tonight as Tyler Johnson, Vladislav Namestnikov and Cedric Paquette remain out. Byron Froese was recalled earlier today and will figure into a lineup that was already missing Steven Stamkos, Valtteri Filppula and Brian Boyle from the start of the year. Point will have to get by a former teammate in Morgan Rielly, who he played as a 15-year old for the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL.

Minor Moves: Froese, Hellberg, Lashoff

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Yesterday, Byron Froese was sent down by the Tampa Bay Lightning after it appeared they were on the verge of getting one of Tyler Johnson or Vladislav Namestnikov back from their recent injuries. Well not so fast, as the team has recalled Froese again for their matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight.

Froese knows Toronto well, as he has spent most of the past three years with the organization before being dealt along with a second-round pick for Brian Boyle just prior to the trade deadline. Froese had been leading the Toronto Marlies in goals with 24, and looks like he’ll get his second chance in the Tampa Bay lineup tonight.

  • The New York Rangers have indeed called Magnus Hellberg back up from the AHL on an emergency basis. The goaltender was sent down this week most likely to save some money, as Henrik Lundqvist is out for at least another two weeks. Hellberg has gotten into just one game for the Rangers this season, stopping all four shots he saw in relief. The former second-round pick has posted underwhelming numbers during his time in the AHL, but still has time to grow.
  • The Detroit Red Wings have decided to recall Brian Lashoff according to Brendan Savage of MLive. The 26-year old defenseman has a total of 122 games of NHL experience, and gives them a big body on the blue line to insert if they feel it necessary.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top