Rangers Roundup: Free Agency Rumors and Day Four of Development Camp
Here are the latest rumblings around Rangerstown.
Leo Komarov
After reports came out yesterday that the Rangers and free-agent Leo Komarov were close to an agreement, Rangers insider Rick Carpiniello says that may not be true.
#NYR GM Jeff Gorton does his due diligence on all FAs. But there is no indiction of substantive discussions on Komarov, I'm told. I'm not saying if Komarov's still out there in a few weeks, at a bargain price and short-term, he won't be considered.
— Rick Carpiniello (@RickCarpiniello) June 28, 2018
As I noted yesterday, Komarov would be a nice piece to add into the Rangers room of youngsters. But based on Carpiniello’s report, it would appear that Rangers GM Jeff Gorton isn’t leaping out of his chair to sign the veteran forward.
James Van Riemsdyk
The New Jersey native is coming off of a 36 goal season with the Maple Leafs, and there have been rumors that link JVR and his childhood team.
A number of teams in the East, including NJ, NYR and BOS, have expressed interest in James van Riemsdyk. Unclear when decision comes, but he has plenty of options.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) June 28, 2018
Van Riemsdyk is 29-years-old and could be a great piece for the future of the Rangers. He is a guy that can play in the corners and isn’t afraid to set himself in front of the net for a greasy goal. Having a guy like this who has been around the NHL for close to ten years could go a long way with the baby Blueshirts.
Ryan Reaves
The role of the “enforcer” may have gone the way of the dodo bird, but that doesn’t mean that a team shouldn’t have a “tough guy.” And according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post, Jeff Gorton is interested in one such player.
Post has learned that Rangers will target Ryan Reaves when market opens on Sunday. https://t.co/SELIXJJxdE via @nypostsports
— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) June 28, 2018
Reaves is a grinder, the kind of player that you stick on a fourth line and will score an occasional goal or two. If the report is true, there is not a whole lot of downside to bringing in this kind of player. If he performs better than expected, you have yourself a steal in free agency. If he plays worse than expected, he can become a healthy scratch and you won’t be wasting your money on someone sitting in the press box.
One other point here is the Rangers have this kind of player already in their organization. Matt Beleskey, who the Rangers acquired in the deal for Rick Nash, plays a similar type of game to Reaves. Beleskey is under contract for the next two seasons at $1.9 million per year; a reasonable salary for a bottom-six forward. Beleskey has shown that he can produce offensively, putting up seasons of 32 points and 37 points in 2014-15 and 2015-16, respectively. With Beleskey being in the organization for the next couple of seasons, the Rangers might as well give him a look for this role before spending money outside the organization.
NYRPDC Day 4
The Rangers held their second scrimmage of the prospect’s camp and it was not short on highlights.
Before we get to the goals, and there were 12 of them in regulation, check out this fantastic save by Adam Huska on Morgan Barron’s penalty shot.
Huska with the pretty glove save to stop Barron on a penalty shot. #NYRPDC https://t.co/pLVGqbku5x
— x – New York Rangers (@NYRangers) June 28, 2018
After his delicious deke on Wednesday, Gabriel Fontaine scored with a quick backhand-forehand snipe on a penalty shot.
.@Fonty_37 on a penalty shot gives Blue the 1-0 lead. #NYRPDC https://t.co/5EI0RXrBGI
— x – New York Rangers (@NYRangers) June 28, 2018
Brett Howden scored a pair of goals in this scrimmage, showing his offensive prowess that had him score 75 points this year for the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL.
Another goal, this time it’s @B_Howdy21 for White. #NYRPDC https://t.co/c0KWD3dHDu
— x – New York Rangers (@NYRangers) June 28, 2018
.@B_Howdy21 with his second of the game, this one on a penalty shot. #NYRPDC https://t.co/kkkAIbZ6Ba
— x – New York Rangers (@NYRangers) June 28, 2018
Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil also got in on the action. Andersson found a loose puck in the slot and wired it past Adam Huska. Chytil got himself an assist, sliding a pass over to K’Andre Miller on a 2v1. Miller stepped into it and sent a rocket into the back of the net.
.@liasandersson scoops up the pick and fires a shot through Huska to get White on the board. #NYRPDC https://t.co/ilmhGfdg8q
— x – New York Rangers (@NYRangers) June 28, 2018
.@filip_chytil ▶️ @kandre_miller. #NYRPDC https://t.co/bElDS7jqT2
— x – New York Rangers (@NYRangers) June 28, 2018
Miller’s fellow first-rounder Vitali Kravtsov got himself an assist as well, sending a cross-crease pass to fifth-round pick Lauri Pajuniemi for a nice goal.
Kravtsov with the feed to Pajuniemi ⤵️, which was followed right after by a penalty shot goal from Meskanen. #NYRPDC https://t.co/yqfkcXCTu2
— x – New York Rangers (@NYRangers) June 28, 2018
But the goal of the day, and probably the goal of the camp, came from 2016 seventh-round pick Ty Ronning.
.@TyRonning7 pulls out the Malik(!!) for shootout winner for Team White. #NYRPDC https://t.co/ENHYTyOhws
— x – New York Rangers (@NYRangers) June 28, 2018
“It was getting late in the rounds and I thought it would be cool, wearing the Rangers jersey. Malik did it a long time ago. I said why not?,” Ronning said. “I just kind of stuck with my guns, did a fake and kind of put it between my legs and it went in. It was cool.” – NYRangers.com
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