From now until the All Star break on February 4th, all teams have the optional use of a 4-6 man taxi squad.

New York Rangers announce taxi squad

Today, the New York Rangers recalled six players to form their taxi squad.

Morgan Barron (F): New York has already called him up a few times and played in two games this season with no points. While there’s an argument to keep him in Hartford for game action, the fact that he doesn’t require waivers made him an attractive option.

Zac Jones (D): Many argue he should have made the team out of camp, and it would be hard to refute. He leads all Wolf Pack d-men in points with 17 in 21 games. Similar to Barron, it would be better to play but his waiver exempt status comes into the decision.

Tim Gettinger (F): A big man that has NHL experience, who could contribute decent 4th line minutes if needed. Gettinger has 16 points in 21 AHL games, but that has never translated to the NHL level. In 8 games with the Rangers he has one point. Gettinger requires waivers.

Jonny Brodzinski: He’s the captain of the Wolf Pack and has received praised for his leadership and playing a complete game every night. The 28 year-old also has 62 games of NHL experience. In 23 games with the Pack he has 24 points. Brodzinski requires waivers.

Adam Huska: Once Georgiev returns from COVID protocol, Kinkaid will take this spot. For now, the 24 year-old Huska will play the role of taxi-squad goalie. He is waivers exempt.

Matthew Robertson: A bit of surprise that Robertson was chosen over Anthony Bitetto. The 20 year-old was taken in the second round of the 2019 Draft. He’s been steady in Hartford with 5 assists in 20 games. Robertson is also waivers exempt.

UPDATE: #NYR have recalled the following players to the taxi squad:

Morgan Barron
Jonny Brodzinski
Tim Gettinger
Adam Huska
Zac Jones
Matthew Robertson

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 28, 2021

Taxi Squad rules

Now that taxi squads are back, the New York Rangers have wisely chosen to use them. Here are the full rules:

• Optional and max six players
  • No player can be on it for more than 20 days
• Players are ineligible if they meet the following three criteria
  • No player on an NHL roster as of 12/22 can be on it
  • Waiver Exempt
  • Anyone who was on the roster for 75% of the season or 16 of last 20 games

Emergency call-ups will be cap exempt if the team is in danger of dressing less than your standard 18 skaters and two goalie lineup. However, that player’s salary can’t exceed $1 million.

NHL Rumors

Check out the latest NHL Rumors regarding the Oilers, Rangers, Penguins, and Maple Leafs. Read here.

Hartford is looking to resume where they left off prior to going on the pause.

Wolf Pack Weekly: Hartford’s First Game Back

As expected, the Wolf Pack struggled in their first game back against Lehigh Valley with limited practice time. On the plus side, Hartford collected a point out of the contest as the group dropped a 4-3 shootout decision.

Morgan Barron snapped his four game drought while Zac Jones continued to produce on the blue line. Austin Rueschhoff recorded Hartford’s second goal of the game while Jones tied the contest with a few minutes to play in the third. Adam Huska performed well despite getting the loss in net stopping 26 of 29 shots and one of three shooters in the skills competition.

It’s hard to expect a club to be sharp after a long layoff. You have to give the group credit for sticking in the game despite being dominated, especially in the first and second period of the game. Furthermore, a couple of the regular players were out of the lineup (more information provided below).

The Springfield Thunderbirds came out of the pause and were swept last weekend (0-3) and lost players to the Blues due to call-ups. The Providence Bruins played with a depleted roster and posted a 2-1 record on the weekend. These clubs are not back to 100% and patience will be key in Hartford.

Jarred Tinordi Begins Conditioning Stint

Assigned by the Rangers on December 10th, the defenseman will play in five games with Hartford during his two week conditioning stint.

UPDATE: #NYR have assigned Jarred Tinordi to @WolfPackAHL (conditioning).

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 10, 2021

Tinordi started his first game with the club on a rusty, struggling note. However, the defenseman had a nice huge hit early on in the contest.

He was lost his position several times and had to adjust to Hartford’s schemas. As the games pass by, I expect the defenseman to settle in. Zac Jones had Tinordi as a partner on the blue line for top minutes. Jones also helped Libor Hajek on his conditioning stint while he was in Hartford.

Player Scratches

In Hartford’s first game back, a few players that normally are in the lineup were out. Ty Ronning, Anthony Greco, and and Alex Whelan could return next weekend.

Some regulars out of @WolfPackAHL (NYR) lineup today vs #LVPhantoms in their first game back from their COVID troubles.

It's Hartford's 1st game since 11/27.

HFD Scratches: Anthony Bitetto, Jeff Taylor, Ty Ronning, Alex Whelan, Hunter Skinner & Anthony Greco

— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) December 12, 2021

While Jarred Tinordi conditions in Hartford, the Wolf Pack’s blue line will have continual rotation going for players. Hunter Skinner was scratched and could return next week as well.

Transaction Wire

• Adam Huska and Morgan Barron returned to Hartford on December 9th.
• Keith Kinkaid recalled to New York on December 9th.
• Jarred Tinordi assigned to Hartford for two weeks (conditioning).
• James Sanchez called up from Jacksonville on December 10th.

Standings Update

Despite playing in one game, Hartford found themselves now in first place in the Atlantic Division. The standings are based on point percentage this season.

Hartford’s record entering the weekend is 12-4-2-1 for 27 points (.711). That ranks the club first in the division, second in the Eastern Conference, and fifth in the league (tied for fourth). Despite Springfield having three more points, the Wolf Pack have a better point percentage. Keep in mind that teams in the divisions are playing 72 or 76 games.

One Timers

• Zac Jones kept his point streak active. The defenseman has points in four straight games. In that span, Jones recorded three goals and four assists. Jones also has points in the last 11 of 14 games.
• Ty Ronning was scratched on Sunday. However, he enters the week on an active point streak when he resumes play. Ronning has points in five straight games. In that span, the forward recorded two goals and four assists.
• Tarmo Reunanen recorded two assists on Sunday. The defenseman has four assists in the last two of three games.
• Morgan Barron recorded a season high of shots on Sunday (six).

Upcoming Games

Friday, December 17th vs Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia) at 7pm, XL Center

• This is the third of six meetings in the season series. Hartford dropped the previous meeting in the shootout, 4-3 on December 12th. Hartford won the first meeting on October 23rd by a score of 3-1. This is the first visit of the season to Hartford for Lehigh Valley.
• Entering the weekend, the Phantoms compiled a record of 5-11-4-1 for 15 points (.357) in the Atlantic Division. This ranks the club last (eighth) in the division and 15th in the Eastern Conference. However, Lehigh Valley has won two straight games. The Phantoms are 2-5-2-1 in their last ten games.
• Forwards Gerry Mayhew and Garrett Wilson leads the Phantoms in points (13) on the active roster. Lehigh Valley’s top scorer Morgan Frost is up with Philadelphia.
• Listen – Mixr. Watch – AHLTV.

Saturday, December 18th vs Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis) at 7:05pm, Mass Mutual Center

• This is the fifth of 12 meetings in the season series. Entering the weekend, the series is tied at two. The sixth meeting will be on Sunday in Hartford as this is a back to back.
• Entering the weekend, the Thunderbirds compiled a record of 14-6-2 for 30 points (.682). This ranks the club second in the Atlantic Division and third in the Eastern Conference. Springfield has dropped three straight games and are 6-4 in the last ten outings.
• Springfield is missing multiple key cogs on the roster as the players are with the Blues. The Thunderbird’s top four point producers are currently on recall. On the active roster, prospect Hugh McGing leads the Thunderbirds in points (13). The forward recorded five goals and eight assists in 22 games. Veteran Sam Anas is second on the active roster for points (12).
• Listen – News Radio 560 WHYN. Watch – AHLTV.

Sunday, December 19th vs Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis) at 3pm, XL Center

• After the sixth meeting, Hartford will not face the Thunderbirds until January 26th at the XL Center.
• Hartford is 8-1 at home thus far. The lone loss was against the Charlotte Checkers.
• Springfield is 5-3-1 on the road thus far.
• Listen – Mixr. Watch – AHLTV.

NHL Rumors

The NHL Rumor mill has slowed down, but Phil Kessel is still a name out there and one the Rangers are attached to. Read more.

Adam Huska was making is NHL debut and it was baptism by fire as the Avs poured it on a jet lagged Rangers team.

Recap: Avalanche 7 vs Rangers 3

Mikko Rantanen opened the scoring using Adam Fox as a screen. His shot eluded Huska just 4:11 into the game on just the third shot he faced. Instead of wilting, Huska toughened up and stopped the next 16 fired his way for 18 saves on 19 shots in the first 20 minutes.

The Rangers also wasted no time lifting his spirits when Jacob Trouba, who has been red-hot, fired a cannon by Darcy Kuemper to even the score just 2:45 later. Artemi Panarin and Ryan Reaves would pick up the helpers.

Colorado tried to get the momentum back with Ryan Strome in the box for tripping. However, it was the PK unit of Kevin Rooney and Barclay Goodrow that actually created two odd man rushes to keep the pendulum in the Blueshirts favor.

“Goody is a great penalty killer and we are starting to gel here,” Rooney said about their big PK in the first.

Then the Rangers PP went to work, and it was the second unit that cashed in. Highly touted rookie Nils Lundkvist would rifle a shot over Kuemper’s shoulder to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead on his first ever NHL goal. Trouba and Filip Chytil notched the assists, while Kaapo Kakko retrieved the keepsake for Lundkvist.

In the second period, Nathan MacKinnon would even it early by using his strength and reach to poke a puck past Huska. It was one the 24 year-old would likely want a do-over on as he looked surprised on the play.

Colorado would go on to score four more and bury a sloppy Rangers squad in the middle stanza. The only highlight, if you want to call it that, was Trouba catching Nathan MacKinnon with a solid hit. He would fight Gabriel Landeskog to pick up his second straight Gordie Howe Hat Trick (1G, 1A, FIGHT).

Second straight night with a monster hit from Jacob Trouba. This time on Nathan MacKinnon. He heads to the quiet room pic.twitter.com/pniFWoAS8c

— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) December 9, 2021

MacKinnon would leave the ice due to concussion protocol but returned for the third period.

The Rangers and Avalanche would trade goals in the final stanza with Chytil breaking a long goal drought of 10 games. When it was all said and done, the Blueshirts winning streak ended at 7 games. Their 8 game winning streak at MSG also came to a close.

“We had a lot of good games in a row – you lose one, not going to dwell on it,” Trouba said afterwards. “We’re in a heavy stretch of hockey until Christmas. You’ve got to move on quick and worry about the next game.”

New York will be back at in Buffalo against the Sabres on Friday night.

“We’ve been on a good run,” head coach Gerard Gallant said. “We’ll bury it and go on to the next one. I’m not worried about it one bit. I’m not happy about losing, but we move on to Buffalo.”

Notable Rangers

• Adam Huska stopped 32 of 39 shots in his NHL debut
• Artemi Panarin extended his point streak to 3 games (3G – 5A)
• Jacob Trouba has 5 goals in 8 games (and 5 points in his last 3 games)

Tomorrow (Thursday, December 9): Travel Day

Next Game: Friday, December 10 at Buffalo Sabres (7:00 p.m. ET – TV: MSG+)

*Schedule subject to change

NHL Rumors

TSN releases their trade bait board and more here.

A tweet by Slovak goalie coach Peter Kosa wished Huska well ahead of the matchup.

“It’s gonna be another special event tonight for Slovak goaltending,” he wrote. “Enjoy the moment and good luck Adam Huska.”

Adam Huska NHL debut

Head coach Gerard Gallant will address the media at 5 PM tonight. Until he makes it official, consider Huska to be probable.

Huska, 24, was drafted in the 7th round of the 2015 draft. In August, the New York Rangers re-signed the 6-4 goalie to a 1-year two-way contract. He earns $750,000 when called up to the big club and $80,000 when playing in the minors per CapFriendly.

This season he is 2-3-1 in six games with the Wolf Pack but has a stellar GAA of 2.20 and a .924 SV% to boot.

Regardless who starts, Gallant won’t be changing his style. “You’ve got to play the same way whether it’s Georgiev or Huska in net,” he said. “Once you start changing the way you play you get in trouble.”

Forbes ranks Rangers #1

Forbes has valued the New York Rangers at $2 Billion, the highest of any NHL team. The Maple Leafs come in second at $1.8B and the Canadiens at $1.6B.

In our new set of valuations, the average is up to $865 million, an increase of 32% from last year and the biggest jump since the 50% gain of 2013, when the league signed its massive Canadian television deal. At the top of the ranking, the New York Rangers have climbed 21% since last year, becoming the first NHL team worth $2 billion while claiming the No. 1 spot for the seventh year in a row.

Forbes

NHL Rumors

Rangers shopping, and will trades come now for the Flyers and Canucks? Read more.

Last night, with the Rangers nursing a one goal lead in the third period, he was thrusted into action. Igor Shesterkin came up limp with 15 minutes left to play and was unable to put weight on his right leg heading to the locker room.

Ice cold and in a big spot, Georgiev was challenged early. He came though with flying colors.

Alexandar Georgiev gets praise

Georgiev made at least three great saves on the eight shots he faced to combine with Shesterkin for the shutout.

“He made three great saves, especially coming in on that power play,” an enthusiastic Gerard Gallant said of his backup. “He looked solid, I was really happy. It was a good opportunity for him to step up.”

With Shesterkin and Georgiev teaming up for the shutout, it became just the second time in franchise history the Rangers have had a combined shutout. Henrik Lundqvist and Antti Raanta worked the feat against the Dallas Stars on December 15, 2016.

“He’s a good goaltender and he’s been waiting for an opportunity,” Ryan Strome said after the Rangers blanked the Sharks. “He went in there and finished her off and he’ll probably get in there tomorrow. That’s what good teams do, next man up. It was a good example of that tonight.”

This season, Georgiev is 2-1-1 with a GAA of 3.89 and a SV% of .867.

Rangers call up Adam Huska

As expected, the Rangers have called up Adam Huska to back up Georgiev as we await word on Shesterkin’s injury.

#NYR have called up Adam Huska

— Forever Blueshirts (@4EverBlueshirts) December 4, 2021

“They’re telling me it’s not as bad as it looked,” Gerard Gallant said after the game. “They told me not to worry.” Shesterkin will likely have an MRI with an update to follow this weekend.

Huska, 24, is 2-3-1 in six games with the Wolf Pack but has a stellar GAA of 2.20 and a .924 SV% to boot. He is also waivers exempt.

Georgiev is expected to get all games while Shesterkin is out, if the injury is indeed short term. It is also been brought to my attention that the Rangers could also be looking at what goalies become available at the trade deadline.

On another note, the Rangers have sent Morgan Barron back down.*

*The AHL transaction sheet actually shows Barron sent down on 12/3 and recalled again on 12/4.

NHL Rumors

Braden Holtby and Marc-Andre Fleury expected to lead a hot goalie trade market, and more rumors here.

Starting tomorrow, the Blueshirts will begin a stretch where they play the Islanders twice, the Bruins, and Flyers before a back to back set against the Sharks and Blackhawks over the span of 11 days.

Igor Shesterkin should be starting the next four games, which means Georgiev is unlikely to see a start for awhile.

Adam Huska a better call up option

After the Rangers 5-4 win over the Sabres, MSG Analyst Steve Valiquette felt a A demotion to the Hartford Wolf Pack would be a good option for Georgiev.

Of course, there is the problem of waivers. If this was a standard demotion, Georgiev would need to clear waivers and someone would surely claim him despite his poor numbers.

The Rangers could go the conditioning stint route, similar to what they did with Libor Hajek recently. That would require Georgiev to agree to it, and can last no more than 14 consecutive days. Financially, Georgiev would still be paid his NHL salary.

If Georgiev does agree, the Rangers would likely want to recall Keith Kinkaid, who played well as a backup last season. The problem there is he would need to pass waivers as well, and since the plan could be eventually to trade Georgiev and have Kinkaid backup Shesterkin the rest of the way, it isn’t worth the risk.

That’s why Adam Huska, who is waivers exempt should be the goalie called up.

Huska, 24, has yet to make his NHL debut. The Blueshirts drafted him in the 7th round of the 2015 Draft and he’s developing nicely with the Wolf Pack.

The 6-4 netminder is a big goalie that covers his angles well. This season for the Pack he’s registered a 2-2-1 record with a solid .938 SV% and a sparking 1.81 GAA.

A conditioning stint would get Georgiev playing time

Georgiev, 25, has been on a decline from the moment Igor Shesterkin joined the team and created a three-headed goalie monster in the 2019-20 season.

Last season, he appeared in 19 games (out of 56) going 8-7-2 with a GAA of 2.71 and a .905 SV%. Not bad, but there was a stretch where he lost playing time to Keith Kinkaid as Shesterkin was out with a groin injury.

This season, in 6 appearances (out of 18) he’s struggled mightily. His GAA is a bloated 4.08 SV%, but his rapidly descending SV% of .858 is the bigger concern.

The Wolf Pack will play two games this coming weekend, and he would likely play both. There is another game on December 1st that Georgiev could also start. That would be three games before returning for the Rangers back-to-back set on December 3rd (SJ) and 4th (CHI).

Georgiev would benefit from more playing time. It can only help him find his game and work on his next contract. He is a pending RFA as season’s end.

NHL’s top surprising teams

The Anaheim Ducks have been the most surprising team in the NHL, but the Rangers and Flames deserve a mention too. Read more.

For the month of October the Pack’s record was 5-2-1. That ranks the club fourth in the Atlantic Division with a .688 point percentage (standings are based on points percentage this season). After a slow start in the first weekend of the season, the Wolf Pack kept improving in all areas.

Within the last two weeks of play, the club has performed well, finding ways to win and maintain steady defense. The club looks to keep on rolling with divisional play in the month of November which features five home and away games. In those 10 games, Hartford faces Bridgeport (three), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (one), Springfield (three), Providence (two), and Hershey (one). This upcoming weekend will feature another three in three weekend for the group.

Wolf Pack Weekly: Key Players

Anthony Greco, 28, has found his offensive game recently. The forward has points in the last five of six outings (three goals, five assists). In that span, Greco has notched three two point games in the last three of four outings. The veteran is part of the key group that has to drive offense. Greco has delivered and is noticeable on a nightly basis. The forward is not afraid to put shots on net as well, as he peppers goalies consistently. Whether it’s goals or assists, Greco is getting it done. He’s tied for the team in points with 8 along with Jonny Brodzinski.

🎥: we scored first today

🚨 Greco
🍎 Gettinger
🍏 Brodzinski pic.twitter.com/PWylGX9f6W

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) October 31, 2021

Captain Jonny Brodzinski Leads the Way: The captain found his offensive game on opening night and continues to sparkle. Brodzinski has found himself on the scoresheet, practically on a nightly basis (was held without a point in one game). The experienced leader is another dependable forward on the Hartford roster. While generating offense, the forward is mentoring the prospects as well through various situations. He is great to have in the locker room regardless of the outcome, ensuring the team learns from their mistakes and move on to the next opponent.

🎥: let’s ⏪ and take a look at Jonny Brodzinski’s game winning goal pic.twitter.com/lxzjzb9JXk

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) October 24, 2021

Tim Gettinger Provides Depth Offense: Gettinger is on a four game point streak (one goal, four assists). The prospect has points in the last five of six games as well. Gettinger also provided the game winning goal in Hartford’s two shootouts this season. His specialty in shootouts has helped give Hartford wins in the early season. Gettinger is on his way to have another solid season with the club.

50% of @WolfPackAHL games have ended in OT so far– Tim Gettinger is responsible for their 2 OT wins! Check his latest below ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/adFEoi8stS

— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) October 30, 2021

Lauri Pajuniemi Adjusts: Despite the prospect registering two points in eight games, Pajuniemi continues to adjust on North American ice. His work ethnic along with the team is high which is compliment. He gets into puck battles, he generate chances, and he also tries to use his developing skill set to gain further confidence on the ice. The prospect will be rewarded as the season progresses. He continues to get top six minutes, and he should be able to contribute when he finds his game here. There’s plenty of potential for the rookie. Once he finds it, the other teams will have to lookout.

Morgan Barron Returns: The talented Rangers prospect has continued his solid play in the American Hockey League. Prior to his call up in October, Barron had points in three straight games. He played in three games last weekend, earning a point in two out of those contests. While his totals are low because he missed multiple games, Barron is a great addition for more firepower on the roster. I expect him to continue to dominate the AHL for the remainder of the season. He has proved he can play at this level and I can see him up multiple times throughout the season with New York, depending on the injury situations. To date, Barron has three goals and one assist in five games.

Keith Kinkaid Shines: The Wolf Pack continue to have strong performances by the netminder Keith Kinkaid. The veteran has recorded a record of 4-0-1 with a 1.73 goals against average and a .943 save percentage. In addition, Kinkaid was clutch in the two shootouts for Hartford. He faced six shooters against Providence, stopping six of six. Last Friday he faced four shooters against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and was able to pitch a shutout, four of four.

Adam Huska Earns First Win: Despite playing in three games and having a win in only one of them, Huska has performed well. Unfortunately, the prospect fell short in both loses (against Springfield and Charlotte). In the games Hartford lost, they were unable to generate offense to tie each contest. Despite a strong effort in the two losses, Hartford was able to bounce back the following games. Huska is 1-2 with a 2.02 goals against average and a .932 save percentage.

Hartford’s coach, Kris Knoblauch has a rotation in place for his two goalies. Kinkaid has the role of starter while Huska is the backup. Neither goalie has played in back to back games.

Pack Mentality on Defense

One of Hartford’s strength is a dynamic and stellar core on the blue line. They continued to improve as the season progresses.

Tarmo Reunanen is beginning to find his game after he was unavailable at the start of the season. The promising prospect has points in the last two games (three assists). While he has good offensive ability, he can hold it down in Hartford’s own end, giving opponents difficult in various situations. If the Rangers need another prospect up, he would be next in line.

Zac Jones is adjusting to the AHL ranks and had a solid weekend. The prospect recorded two assists in the last three games. He’s able to shoot well and help out on the power play when needed. He also shown flashes of good defense when the pressure is on Hartford. He keeps it simple and can adapt to situations.

Braden Schneider and Matthew Robertson have struggles, but that that is expected. Both rookies are a defensive pairing this season. They shown potential, but there are mistakes which they’ll learn from. They may not make noise offensively, instead, they can be capable of shutting down the opposition. They work hard each shift and aren’t afraid to sacrifice their bodies if need be.

Veteran Anthony Bitetto had a mixed bag for his performance. For instance, he played well against Lehigh Valley two weeks ago, then he had a few hiccups this past weekend. He was a scratch this past Sunday to have an all young defensive core. The veteran is able to mentor the prospects on the blue line. He has to stay consistent though. Otherwise, he could sit for other players as Hartford has eight defenseman.

Pack One Timers

• Hartford’s enforcer, Pierre-Cedric Labrie has points in two straight games (one goal, one assist).
• Tanner Fritz had a two point performance on Sunday against his former team, Bridgeport (one goal, one assist).
• Jeff Skinner recorded his first goal of the season Sunday in Bridgeport.
• Hartford’s eighth defense, Jeff Taylor has been a healthy scratch except for opening night.
• Last Sunday’s game was the first game of the season where Hartford scored first. The other games featured the opponents scoring first, which Hartford has to comeback from a goal or more.
• Cristiano DiGiacinto registered his first professional goal on Sunday in Bridgeport.

Upcoming Games

Hartford will be home two of the three games this weekend.

Friday, November 5th vs Bridgeport Islanders (New York) at 7pm, XL Center

• This will be the third of 10 meetings of the season series. Hartford is 2-0 thus far in the series. This also finishes a home at home series as the previous game was last Sunday in Bridgeport (5-1 win).
• The Islanders are ranked 6th in the Atlantic Division with a record of 3-3-0-2 for eight points (.500).
• Arnaud Durandeau and Otto Koviula are tied for the team lead in points (six). However, both only have one goal. Forward Anatolii Golyshev leads Bridgeport in goals with four.
• Listen – Mixr. Watch – AHLTV.

Saturday, November 6th vs Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh) at 7pm, XL Center

• This will be the third of six meetings in the season series. Hartford is 1-0-1 thus far. After dropping the first meeting in overtime, 2-1 on October 22nd, Hartford secured a win in the previous meeting on October 29th in the shootout (2-1 win).
• The Penguins are ranked 2nd in the Atlantic Division with a record of 5-1-0-1 for 11 points (.786). Wilkes-Barre/Scranton enters the weekend on a 4-0-0-1 streak.
• Penguins prospect Valtteri Puustinen continues to have a strong season in the AHL. The forward leads the team in points (eight).
• Listen – Mixr. Watch – AHLTV.

Sunday, November 7th vs Bridgeport Islanders (New York) at 3pm, Webster Bank Arena

• The fourth of 10 meetings in the season series. After Sunday’s outing, the next meeting will be in Hartford on November 17th.
• Listen – Mixr (Bridgeport’s feed). Watch – AHLTV.

Per a team release:

New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the team has agreed to terms with restricted free agent forward Tim Gettinger on a one-year contract, restricted free agent goaltender Adam Huska on a one-year contract, and restricted free agent forward Ty Ronning on a one-year contract.

Rangers sign Tim Gettinger

The New York Rangers signed Wolf Pack forward Tim Gettinger to one-year two-way deal worth $750,000 and $75,000 respectively.

Last season, the 23 year-old forward scored 19 points in 23 games at the AHL level. He also appeared in two games for the Rangers towards the end of the season.

The 6-6, 218-pounder has played in 140 career AHL games picking up 39 goals and 34 assists for 73 points, along with 61 penalty minutes. The Blueshirts selected him in the 5th round of the 2016 Draft.

Rangers sign Adam Huska

The New York Rangers re-signed goaltender Adam Huska on a 1 year two-way contract. He will earn $750,000 if called up to the big club and $80,000 when playing in the minors per CapFriendly.

This past season for the Hartford Wolf Pack, the 6-4 netminder from Slovakia had an average season. Huska posted a 9-4 record with a 2.70 GAA and an .890 SV%.

For his AHL career with the Pack, he’s 21-17-9 with a SV% of .892 and a GAA of 3.02 with no shutouts.

The 24 year-old goalie was drafted in the 7th round of the 2015 draft. This would be his fourth season with the Wolf Pack. He is expected to backup Tyler Wall or Keith Kinkaid or he could join the Rangers new ECHL affiliate the Jacksonville Icemen.

Rangers sign Ty Ronning

The Blueshirts also signed the son of Cliff Ronning who played for the Vancouver Canucks in the 1994 Final. It is a one-year two-way deal worth $750,000 and $75,000 respectively.

Ty Ronning played 18 games for the Wolf Pack last season and scored 18 points. He notched 10 goals and 8 assists, setting career highs for the 23 year-old forward.

Drafted in the seventh round of the 2016 Draft, he has totaled 31 points in 79 AHL career games with Hartford.

OFFICIAL: #NYR have agreed to terms with restricted free agent forward Tim Gettinger on a one-year contract, restricted free agent goaltender Adam Huska on a one-year contract and restricted free agent forward Ty Ronning on a one-year contract. pic.twitter.com/aH8IeSqgHi

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) August 6, 2021

Rangers sign Adam Huska

This past season for the Hartford Wolf Pack, the 6-4 netminder from Slovakia had an average season. Huska posted a 9-4 record with a 2.70 GAA and an .890 SV%.

For his AHL career with the Pack, he’s 21-17-9 with a SV% of .892 and a GAA of 3.02 with no shutouts.

The 24 year-old goalie was drafted in the 7th round of the 2015 draft. This would be his fourth season with the Wolf Pack. He is expected to backup Tyler Wall or Keith Kinkaid or he could join the Rangers new ECHL affiliate the Jacksonville Icemen.

Rangers current cap situation

According to CapFriendly, the Rangers have 24 players signed for the upcoming season. That will eventually be reduced to either 22 or the max 23 before the 2021-22 season begins.

Current cap space = $13,662,698

They also have two RFAs to sign in Igor Shesterkin and Libor Hajek. Both received their qualifying offers and Shesterkin did not file for salary arbitration. Many believe a deal is either imminent or already agreed to but not finalized.

So what’s the hold up?

It’s quite possible a deal is in place but not yet finalized. Chris Drury is still working on potential trades and would like to hold his cap position secretive. A page out of Lou Lamoriello’s playbook,

For arguments sake, if the Rangers were to complete a trade for Jack Eichel without moving any significant salary the other way, they would have an estimated $3M to $4M in cap space left.

If Drury were to sign Shesterkin to a 6 year deal around $6 million before that, they’d be over the cap. That would clearly show they a need to shed salary and consequently diminish the return on other players.

Sharks trying to trade troubled Evander Kane

As the issues mount, the Sharks reportedly are trying to trade Kane as some of his teammates don’t want him back. Read more.

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Adam Huska on the way back to NY

Adam Huska in expected to be with the Wolf Pack once the season gets going. He spoke with us in October about being on loan with HKM Zvolen, the team he rooted for as a kid. “I am happy to be here and I am glad that the Rangers organization let me come here for 2 months before the season starts back in US.,” Huska said. “Last time I played in the rink in Zvolen was 6 or 7 years ago.”

The 23 year-old goalie was drafted in the 7th round of the 2015 draft. This would be his second full season with the Wolf Pack should the AHL get going on February 5.

NHL on NBC, Rangers on National Television twice

The NHL on NBC opens the season with a triple header.

The Rangers will get three games on the national schedule and the are as follows:

• NYR @ BOS 2/10/21
• NYR @ PHI 2/24/21
• WSH @ NYR 5/5/21

Latest NHL Rumors on Zdeno Chara and more

Check out the latest NHL Rumors here.