However, it does mark a fitting, anticlimactic end to the infamous trade of Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller, with Henriksson being the last remaining piece in the Rangers organization from that 2018 deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

On February 8, 2018, Rangers president Glen Sather and general manager Jeff Gorton released a letter to their fans, warning that the team would seek to acquire young talent and potentially part ways with familiar faces as the upcoming trade deadline, setting the course for a rebuild after a string of successful seasons and deep playoff runs.

They ended up trading several key players, including McDonagh who had served as captain for the previous four seasons, and Miller, who was an exciting forward and former 15th-overall pick.

This particular deal saw McDonagh and Miller shipped to the Lightning, who were pushing to make a Stanley Cup run. In exchange, the Rangers received Vladislav Namestnikov, Brett Howden, Libor Hajek, and two early draft picks — the Lightning’s first-rounder in 2018 and a second-rounder in 2019. New York took Nils Lundkvist with the first-round pick and selected Henriksson 58th overall with the second-rounder.

Six years later, not a single piece from the trade package remains in the Rangers organization. It remains a black mark on the Rangers’ rebuild, arguably the worst move in general manager Jeff Gorton’s tenure, and one of the worst trades in Rangers history.

Related: Early look at 2024-25 Hartford Wolf Pack roster, including Brennan Othmann

Trading Ryan McDonagh, J.T. Miller to Lightning in 2018 one of worst in Rangers history

Unable to pry away prized young talent like Brayden Point or Mikhail Sergachev from Tampa Bay, Gorton built the deal around Hajek, a former second-round pick with exciting upside as a 20-year-old defenseman. But Hajek never sniffed his lofty expectations.

Given numerous chances to seize playing time and a permanent spot in the Rangers defense corps, Hajek never played more than 44 games in a single season across five years. The Rangers let him go after the 2022-23 season, and he has not played a game in the NHL since. He played 110 games as a Blueshirt, managing just 12 points and a minus-9 rating.

Namestnikov had four and a half years of experience at the time of the trade, all with Tampa Bay. The 27th overall pick in 2011 had already set NHL career highs in the 61 games prior to the trade, scoring 20 goals and 44 points. He scored two goals and four points in his subsequent 19 games with the Rangers, and to this day, has not scored 20 goals or 40 points since.

Early in the 2019-20 season, the Rangers dealt him to the Ottawa Senators for an unremarkable return. Namestnikov played 99 games with the Blueshirts and scored just 13 goals and 35 points. He’s stayed in the League but bounced around frequently, closing out this past season with the Winnipeg Jets, his sixth different team since leaving the Blueshirts.

Howden won a Stanley Cup ring and enjoyed a two-goal performance in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. It just so happens he did it for the Vegas Golden Knights last season.

Of the five players in this package, Howden had the best career with the Rangers by default, playing 178 games with New York, scoring 16 goals and 49 points. Advertised as an exciting two-way forward, the 27th overall pick in 2016 ended up being a solid fourth-line center in New York but was dealt to Vegas in the summer of 2021, finding success in a bottom-six role there.

For a little while, there was some hope that Lundkvist would be the pize of this trade, after the defenseman drew attention with some nice offensive play in the SHL. Given 25 games of run as a 21-year-old with the Rangers in 2021-22, Lundkvist managed a goal and four points, failing to do enough to stay in the lineup. The Rangers traded him to the Dallas Stars that offseason, getting a first-round pick in return which was flipped ahead of the 2023 trade deadline to the St. Louis Blues for Vladimir Tarasenko and Niko Mikkola.

Henriksson failed to garner the same hype and, after struggling in the AHL for two seasons, has elected to return to the SHL.

The return for McDonagh and Miller resulted in a combined 412 games at the NHL level with the Rangers and just 100 points produced. No one from the trade has played for the Rangers since 2022-23, with Hajek being the last one.

Meanwhile, McDonagh played a major role in the Lightning’s three consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final, getting his name engraved on the Cup in 2020 and 2021. After two seasons with the Nashville Predators, he’s returning to the Lightning next season after a recent offseason trade.

Miller wasn’t able to stick in Tampa long enough to hoist the Cup. He was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in the summer of 2019. Nonetheless, he’s become one of the League’s top offensive centers, scoring an NHL career-high 37 goals and 103 points this past season.

👏 J.T. 👏 MILLER 👏 pic.twitter.com/6M3hvLOlMX

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) April 27, 2024

It’s pretty clear cut — New York got the short end of the stick on this trade.

There are still loose ties in the organization from the trade tree. The fourth-round pick Ottawa gave up for Namestnikov was used to take forward Kalle Vaisanen, who signed late this season and played three games for Hartford.

The fourth-rounder from Vegas in the Howden deal was used on Noah Laba, who has yet to sign an entry-level contract. Laba just wrapped up his second season at Colorado College and was named the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Defensive Forward of the Year as well as All-NCHC First Team.

The Rangers’ fire sale in 2018 resulted in a lot of big-name players being shipped out. Along with McDonagh and Miller, Rick Nash, Kevin Hayes, and Mats Zuccarello were all traded as Gorton tried to accumulate draft picks and young talent.

While the Nash trade netted them Ryan Lindgren and helped the Rangers move up to select K’Andre Miller 22nd overall in the draft, it’s hard to feel like the Rangers got the return value they should have from the talent they parted with.

Fans need to look no further than the colossal failure of the trade with the Lightning, as Henriksson’s departure marks the final blow, cementing it as one of the worst trades in Rangers history.

Per the team’s press release it will begin this Sunday (7/2) and run through Wednesday (7/5) at the MSG Training Center in Tarrytown.

The camp schedule is as follows:

Sunday, July 2

Group 1: 9:30 AM-10:55 AM

Group 2: 11:20 AM-12:45 PM

Monday, July 3

Group 1: 9:00 AM-10:15 AM

Group 2: 10:30 AM-11:45 AM

Tuesday, July 4

Group 2: 9:30 AM-10:30 AM

Group 1: 10:45 AM-11:45 AM

Wednesday, July 5

10:00 AM-11:30 AM (Scrimmage)

New York Rangers Prospect Development Camp

The invites to camp include Rangers top prospects Brennan Othmann, Adam Sykora, and Bryce McConnell-Barker. In addition, all five 2023 draft picks will be there as well.

Forwards: Gabriel Perreault, Adam Sykora, Noah Laba, Zakary Karpa, Brody Lamb, Bryce McConnell-Barker, Jaroslav Chmelar, Dylan Roobroeck, Ty Henricks, Oliver Tarnstrom, Nate Lewis, Luke McNamara, Brett Berard, Brennan Othmann, Max McCue, Ryder Korczak, Sahil Panwar, Maxim Barbashev, Sean Chisholm, Kalle Vaisanen

Defense: Drew Fortescuse, Ramsus Larsson, Ryan Siedem, Zach Bookman, James Petrovski, Ryan McCleary, Victor Mancini, Matthew Basgall, Hank Kempf, Joe Arntsen, Luke Krys, Damien Carfagna

Goalies: Talyn Boyko, Olof Lindbom, Stephen Peck, Hugo Ollas

Our 2023 Development Camp roster is in.

See you Sunday! pic.twitter.com/8ixJLYrEXb

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) June 30, 2023

Libor Hajek not qualified

The Libor Hajek saga has come to an end. Per NY Post’s Larry Brooks, the Rangers have opted not to tender him a qualifying offer and making him a UFA for July 1.

The 25 year-old defenseman played in 16 games this past season with one goal and no assists. For his NHL career, he’s recorded 12 points in 110 games all with the Rangers.

Last summer, he signed for one-year worth $800,000. It’s obvious the Rangers do not see a future for Hajek, who was part of the blockbuster deal with that sent Ryan McDonagh to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018.

With Hajek not qualified and becoming UFA, final tally on the McDonagh-JT Miller return from TB is:
178 games from Howden, 99 games from Namestnikov, 110 games from Hajek, 25 games from Lundkvist, 31 games from Tarasenko, 31 games from Mikkola.

Total 43-81-124 minus-40 474GP

— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) June 30, 2023

Per PuckPedia, it’s estimated that GM Chris Drury will have around $11,762,918 to fill out a roster that has just 14 out players from this past season signed. Several unsigned players are restricted free agents.

Here’s our predictions for what the Blueshirts will do.

Related: New York Rangers roster

New York Rangers RFAs

Alexis Lafreniere: When the Ottawa Senators announced an 8-year contract extension for Tim Stutzle in September worth $66.8 million ($8.35M AAV) a league source told me to bust out my calculator because he didn’t see Lafreniere signing for less. However, here we are after another okay season followed by a disappointing playoffs and there’s no chance Alexis will see anything close to that this summer. The first overall pick in 2020 has amassed just 91 points in 216 regular-season games.

Prediction: Rangers sign him to a two-year bridge deal likely in the neighborhood of $2.5M to $3M with bonuses.

K’ Andre Miller: I wanted the Rangers to extend him during the season, and if they did it would’ve been for more than what he’s likely to get now. After an excellent regular-season where he set career-highs for goals (9), assists (34), and points (43) the 23 year-old regressed defensively down the stretch and in the playoffs. All of that will factor into his next deal.

Prediction: Rangers sign him to a two-year bridge deal likely in the neighborhood of $3.5M with bonuses.

Zac Jones: The 22 year-old left defenseman struggled to crack the lineup under Gerard Gallant, who preferred size above all else on his third pair. With Gallant dismissed and Niko Mikkola likely leaving via unrestricted free agency, Jones has a real chance to make it next season. His biggest competition at the moment will be prospect Matthew Robertson, who is big (6-4′, 201 lbs) but still looks like he needs more seasoning in the AHL. Jones has been great for Hartford recording 31 points in 54 games and posting 6 points in 8 playoff matches to date.

Prediction: Rangers sign him to a one-year deal likely in the neighborhood of $1M with bonuses.

Libor Hajek:  It’s difficult to see a future for Hajek with the Rangers. Especially after the team extended Ben Harpur for two seasons to be their seventh defenseman. With his value at an all-time low, the Rangers will likely be looking to maximize their return in a trade. Of all the restricted free agents, he’s the only one with arbitration rights.

Prediction: Rangers qualify him and trade his rights at the NHL Draft.

Other RFAs

• Patrick Khodorenko, F
• Lauri Pajuniemi, F (leaving for Europe)
• Brandon Scanlin, D
• Ty Emberson, D
• Cooper Zech, D (leaving for Europe)

The Blueshirts called up those players to load up for what they hoped was a long postseason run. However, the New Jersey Devils spoiled those Cups dreams with a thorough 4-0 beating in Game 7 on Monday night.

Wolf Pack gets players back

Jonny Brodzinski played 17 contests this year with the Rangers recording a goal and an assist. After being sent back down to the Pack in January, he went on a scoring tear to push the team to their first Calder Cup playoffs appearance since 2015. He finished the AHL season as the Pack’s leading scorer with 48 points (21 goals, 27 assists) in 47 matches.

Jake Leschyshyn was claimed off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights in January and played a solid fourth line center role for 13 games. He did not register a point in those contests but showed his offensive skills for the Pack. In 18 games with Hartford, the 24 year-old notched 5 goals and 10 assists.

Libor Hajek has been in the Rangers organization since coming over from the Tampa Bay Lightning as part of the Ryan McDonagh blockbuster deal in 2018. The 25 year-old blue line played in 16 games for the big club this year and recorded a goal. He registered 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) in 24 AHL games.

Finally, goalie Louis Domingue impressed the Rangers with his gutsy performance first-round to push the series to 7 games last season. Tristan Jarry returned from injury in the final game which Artemi Panarin scored in OT to propel the Blueshirts on. The 31 year-old veteran was a big reason for the Pack ending their playoff drought posting a 22-12-8 record. He also finished with a 2.51 GAA and a .911 save percentage with 4 shutouts.

The Hartford Wolf Pack currently hold a 2-0 lead over the Providence Bruins in their best-of-three series. They will have a chance to advance to the third-round on Wednesday night at the XL Center. Face-off is scheduled for 7.00 pm.

Tanner Fritz leads all Pack players in playoff scoring with 1 goal, and 5 assists for 6 points through 4 games. The additions, especially Brodzinski will help Hartford’s offense tremendously.

Late Friday night, they announced the call ups of goalie Louis Domingue, defenseman Libor Hajek, along with forwards Jonny Brodzinski and Jake Leschyshyn.

This gives the Blueshirts a 25-man roster for the postseason.

Note: The Rangers can add more players currently under contract in the AHL. However, the Hartford Wolf Pack are in the playoffs and need to fill out a roster of their own.

How to Watch the New York Rangers in 2023

New York Rangers bolster playoff roster

Rangers fans should be familiar with all four additions as three of them suited up for the team this regular-season and one earned a free agent contract after a strong showing in last year’s playoffs.

Jonny Brodzinski played 17 contests this year with the Rangers recording a goal and an assist. After being sent back down to the Pack in January, he went on a scoring tear to push the team to their first Calder Cup playoffs appearance since 2015. He finished the AHL season as the Pack’s leading scorer with 48 points (21 goals, 27 assists) in 47 matches.

Jake Leschyshyn was claimed off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights in January and played a solid fourth line center role for 13 games. He did not register a point in those contests but showed his offensive skills for the Pack. In 18 games with Hartford, the 24 year-old notched 5 goals and 10 assists.

Libor Hajek has been in the Rangers organization since coming over from the Tampa Bay Lightning as part of the Ryan McDonagh blockbuster deal in 2018. The 25 year-old blue line played in 16 games for the big club this year and recorded a goal. He registered 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) in 24 AHL games.

Finally, goalie Louis Domingue impressed the Rangers with his gutsy performance first-round to push the series to 7 games last season. Tristan Jarry returned from injury in the final game which Artemi Panarin scored in OT to propel the Blueshirts on. The 31 year-old veteran was a big reason for the Pack ending their playoff drought posting a 22-12-8 record. He also finished with a 2.51 GAA and a .911 save percentage with 4 shutouts.

The NHL released the full first-round schedule on Friday. Here’s a look at the Rangers vs Devils series.

New Jersey Devils (M2) vs. New York Rangers (M3)

Tue., April 18: Rangers at Devils, 7 p.m. ET, TBS, SN360, TVAS2

Thu., April 20: Rangers at Devils, 7:30 p.m. ET, TBS, SN360, TVAS

Sat., April 22: Devils at Rangers, 8 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN+, SN1, City, TVAS

Mon., April 24: Devils at Rangers, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN, SN360, TVAS

Thur., April 27: Rangers at Devils, TBA

Sat., April 29: Devils at Rangers, TBA

Mon., May 1: Rangers at Devils, TBA

As we enter the final week of February, Hartford has two games remaining on docket. In addition, the club has two games remaining until the 2023 National Hockey League trade deadline. Hartford will play the night after the trade deadline passes on March 3 in a match against Springfield.

Depending on moves made by the Rangers, the roster could be altered for that game. More roster moves likely as the American Hockey League trade deadline approaches in mid-March.

Hartford Wolf Pack Weekly

Schedule Outlook for Hartford

Twenty two games remain on the schedule for Hartford. The playoff push continues and despite recent three game losing streak, the club righted the ship in last weekend’s action. While the group is out of a playoff spot, we have to remain optimistic. One point separates the Wolf Pack from the final playoff spot. In fact, the Pack showed resiliency in the last two games.

Hartford was down by two goals in each contest and they managed to fight back. That is encouraging, especially where the group is at now compared to the first half of the season. Those would have been losses but they’ve become a more confident and resilient team.

Even in Friday’s loss to Bridgeport the Wolf Pack attempted to claw their way back in the third. At one point, it was 4-3 Islanders with five minutes remaining before a late penalty resulted in critical tally to put the game out of the Pack’s reach.

While it was a tough game to lose, Hartford still controls their own fate. They will be playing Bridgeport, Springfield, and other divisional opponents for a good number of games in March and April. All the Wolf Pack have to do is win out. It will be a tough and tall order, but if they can find their spark and go on a point or win streak, that will bode well.

Ready or not, it’s showtime.

Entering the week, Hartford is once again above .500 on the season. The club’s record stands at 21-20-3-6 for 51 points. That ranks the group seventh in the Atlantic Division, 10th in the Eastern Conference, and 20th in the AHL. The Wolf Pack are 5-5 in their last ten outings.

Taking a look at the 22 games remaining, Hartford has 10 home and 12 away games. Hartford is in the midst of a five game road-trip and will be road heavy for the next seven of eight games over the next couple of weeks. Once complete, the Wolf Pack will have a favorable home schedule in mid to late March, featuring six of eight at the XL Center.

In April, the Wolf Pack will have three home and three away games. The record for home and away is nearly identical. While seasons past had Hartford playing well at home while struggling on the road, this season is well more rounded. At the XL Center, Hartford is 11-0-0-5 and 10-10-3-1 away from it.

Stay tuned for the AHL’s Playoff Primer as that will become available soon. The primer will be updated daily to show the magic number for teams to clinch a 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs spot.

Standings Outlook

Two points behind the Wolf Pack are the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The Penguins are eighth (last) in the Atlantic Division with a record of 21-21-2-5 for 49 points. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has two wins in their last ten outings (2-6-0-2). Despite the struggles, Hartford has to keep an eye on the Penguins as they are in the playoff race and within striking distance.

In the final playoff spot in the division, the Bridgeport Islanders are holding onto the spot one point ahead of Hartford. Bridgeport is 22-19-7-1 for 52 points. The Islanders are on a three game winning streak and are 5-4-1 in their last ten outings. Hartford is 2-5 against Bridgeport, which is not ideal for the current situation the Wolf Pack are in. Keep in mind that the season series is 12 games. There is still time for the club to win the season series, but they have little margin of error.

In fifth place with little cushion, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms are 25-20-3-2 for 55 points in the standings. Hartford is four points behind the Phantoms. Lehigh Valley is finding ways to stay afloat and maintain in playoff positioning in the division. However, indications has shown that the Phantoms are struggling slightly more than usual. They are 5-5 in the last ten outings. They have lost their last three of five games as well.

Looking upward in the standings, the Springfield Thunderbirds are in fourth with 56 points (25-18-2-4) and five points ahead of Hartford. Then a large jump occurs as the Charlotte Checkers are in third with 62 points. In second are the Hershey Bears at 69, followed by the Providence Bruins in the first with 70 points.

Wolf Pack Watch

Gustav Rydahl’s Best Game of Season

The 28 year-old forward recorded his best game of the season last Sunday after struggling for most of the year. Prior to the game, Rydahl was in and out of the lineup often, depending on the opponent. His last goal prior to the hat-trick was on December 22. While the experienced forward provides a good two-way game, the offense many expected was missing.

always ready 😤 pic.twitter.com/CQus4iBtVE

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) February 19, 2023

Rydahl’s game found a spark as he excelled throughout the contest. In fact, the forward secured the hat trick after the Phantom’s Garrett Wilson recorded his. Rydahl was noticeable all over the ice and generated numerous chances. He recorded a season-high six shots on net.

Gus = 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/sQLBHNr0yx

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) February 20, 2023

This is just what the doctor ordered for the forward. He needed a game that boosts his confidence by letting out his frustrations out on the ice with goals. As we approach the two games this week, I am expecting Rydahl to carry over momentum and become a late season consistent forward for the group.

HE IS HIM pic.twitter.com/tzY57KNQoL

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) February 20, 2023

Captain Leads by Example

Jonny Brodzinski snapped his two game point drought in Friday’s contest and led the group to two well earned victories over the weekend. The veteran played with an edge, and was physical. Brodzinski recorded two goals, with one of them being the game winning goal in Saturday’s win against Providence. He now has 100 career AHL goals.

GWG courtesy of the Captain 🤩 pic.twitter.com/OUrtyMMLAZ

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) February 19, 2023

Libor Hajek scores for Pack

The 25 year-old defenseman skated in each of the three games last weekend. Hajek is playing solid for Hartford, despite a few defensive hiccups, he was noticeable on the ice. In Friday’s game, Hajek recorded two assists and had five shots on net. In Sunday’s contest, he recorded the game winning goal (yes, you read that right!).

Go ahead, Libor 🤩 pic.twitter.com/q6llqwIKLH

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) February 20, 2023

Bobby Trivigno With Good Weekend

In his rookie year and first full season in the AHL, Trivigno is progressing well. Trivigno has struggled offensively but carries a good work ethic and does generate offensive opportunities. While the competition is stiff to remain in the lineup, Trivigno’s appeared in 43 of the 50 games this season recording seven goals and 14 assists for 21 points.

This past weekend, he registered one goal and one assist on Saturday followed by two assists on Sunday.

NO QUIT FROM BOBBY T pic.twitter.com/jCcqWEVb7Y

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) February 19, 2023

Wolf Pack One Timers

• Tanner Fritz is two assists away from tying his career season high of assists of 28. After Sunday’s contest of recording three assists, Fritz has 26 assists in 45 games with Hartford. I expect the veteran to break his career season high this season.
  • Fritz also leads the team in points with 30. Fritz also has four goals.
• Turner Elson recorded one goal and on assist on Sunday.
• Ryan Carpenter and Tim Gettinger each recorded one goal and one assist over the weekend.
• Zac Jones recorded two assists over the weekend. Jones has points in the last 14 of 20 games. The prospect has five goals and 11 assists.
• Zach Giuttari recorded two assists over the weekend.

Wolf Pack Upcoming Games

Wednesday, February 22nd vs Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis) at 7:05pm, Mass Mutual Center

• This is the sixth of 12 meetings in the season series. Hartford is 1-3-0-1 against the Thunderbirds. The seventh will be on March 3rd and the eighth meeting will be on March 8th. Both will be in Springfield.
• The Thunderbirds are 8-1-1 in the last ten outings and are on a two game point streak (1-0-1). Springfield’s nine game winning streak was snapped last Friday.
• Veteran Martin Frk leads the active roster in points with 44. Through 44 games, Frk has 19 goals and 25 assists. Will Bitten is second on the active roster for points with 30. Through 42 games, the forward has 14 goals and 16 assists.
• Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.

Saturday, February 25th vs Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay) at 7pm, Upstate Medical Arena at The Oncenter War Memorial

• This is the second and final meeting in the season series. Hartford dropped the first meeting by a score of 7-3 on January 28th.
• Entering the week, Syracuse is 23-18-4-3 for 53 points. That ranks the group second in the North Division and 7th in the Eastern Conference. The Crunch are on a two game winning streak and are 5-4-1 in the last ten outings.
• Experienced forward Alex Barre-Boulet leads the Crunch in points with 61. Through 46 games, the forward has 16 goals and 45 assists. Defenseman Darren Raddysh is second for points with 49. Through 47 games, the veteran has 13 goals and 36 assists.
• Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.

NHL News and Rumors

NHL Recaps. All the latest scores here.

Check out the latest NHL Trade Bait Tracker right here!

Jonathan Toews dealing wint illness, will not be traded. Read more.

When the weekend concluded, Hartford remained in sixth place until Wednesday night as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins won their game against Hershey, which bumped Hartford out of the final playoff spot in the division and into seventh.

Entering the weekend, the Wolf Pack are out by one point for a playoff spot. The club has six points on the line this weekend as the group will play their second three-in-three weekend.

These matches are going to be huge, especially Friday against Bridgeport as the Islanders are a point behind the Wolf Pack. On Saturday, they’ll take on the tough Providence Bruins followed by Sunday’s game against Lehigh Valley which is critical in order to move up the standings.

The Wolf Pack will be also begin a five-game road trip staring against Providence. There are 25 games remaining on the docket and the crunch continues for the Rangers affiliate.

Hartford Wolf Pack: Standings Update

Entering the weekend, the Wolf Pack are 19-19-3-6 for 47 points. That ranks the group sixth in the Atlantic Division, 12th in the Eastern Conference, and 22nd in the American Hockey League. The club has held at .500 or above for the last two months from their consistent play.

A bounce back performance is in order this weekend and hopefully they can build momentum for a playoff push.

In eighth (last), the Bridgeport Islanders have 46 points as the New York Islanders AHL affiliate is a .500 club as well. After having strong success in the first half of the season, Bridgeport is struggling, which brought them to last in the Atlantic Division.

In sixth place, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have struggled in the last month. Through 47 games, the Penguins are 21-20-2-4 for 48 points. Similar to the Islanders situation, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton had success in the first half of the season, then began to taper off gradually in the standings. Hartford has to focus on winning both these season series.

Fifth place belongs to the Springfield Thunderbirds. Springfield is 24-17-1-4 for 53 points. Currently the Thunderbirds are on a nine game winning streak after being in similar standings with the Wolf Pack. The difference is that Springfield has strung together important wins as of late and continued to roll.

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms built themselves a cushion as the club is in fourth. The Phantoms are 24-19-3-2 and have gradually maintained playoff positioning in the division.

Charlotte is currently in third with 60 points, followed by Hershey in second with 66 points. The Providence Bruins are in first with 67 points.

To view the standings, click here.

Wolf Pack Watch

Good Efforts Remain with Club

Despite dropping two games, the Wolf Pack played well in each of those contests. Hartford outshot Lehigh Valley 35-24, then outshot Hershey 34-20 but were simply unable to manufacture wins. In both games, they ran into a hot goalie and were unable to get pucks by them.

An observation I noted from Friday’s game, was the Pack had trouble adjusting to the Phantoms’ grind game. Lehigh Valley popped in goals from secondary opportunities and crashing the crease. Meanwhile, Hartford’s shots were mostly from the outside as they were unable to generate greasy goals.

On Saturday, the Pack were done in by their power play having six opportunities and could not convert once. Unfortunately, they even gave up one short-handed goal which ultimately was the game winning goal. To make things more frustrating, Hartford hit the post three times.

Libor Hajek Joins Hartford

After clearing waivers and assigned to Hartford from New York, Hajek played his first game of the season with Hartford last Saturday. The defenseman had a quiet, yet effective game. Hajek was a +1 and adjusted to in game action.

Currently, the Wolf Pack are carrying eight defenseman. A spot in the lineup will continue to be competitive in Hartford for the defensive group. Hajek will add further experience to the lineup when he’s in.

Penalty Kill Remains Strong

Entering the weekend, Hartford’s penalty kill units continue to be effective. Hartford is ranked 14th in the American Hockey League, operating at 81.5%. The Wolf Pack registered three goals thus far while down a man. Hartford killed two of three penalties Friday, followed by a perfect six for six in Saturday’s action.

One Timers

• Turner Elson has goals (two) in the last two of three games.
• Tanner Fritz continues his production. The veteran has points in three straight (one goal, three assists) and in the last four off five games (one goal, four assists).
• Zac Jones has points (one goal, one assist) in the last two of three games.
• Tim Gettinger has points (two goals, four assists) in the last three of four games.
• Matthew Robertson has points (three assists) in the last two of three games.

Wolf Pack Upcoming Games

Friday, February 17th vs Bridgeport Islanders (New York) at 7pm, XL Center

• This is the seventh of 12 games in the season series. Hartford is 2-4 against Bridgeport thus far. The eighth meeting will be in Bridgeport on March 4th.
• Entering the weekend, Bridgeport is 19-19-7-1 for 46 points. That ranks the group eighth (last) in the Atlantic Division and 13th in the Eastern Conference. The Islanders are on a three game losing streak (0-2-1) and are 4-5-1 in the last ten outings.
• Veteran Chris Terry leads the Islanders in points with 44. Through 41 games, Terry has 14 goals and 30 assists. The forward is ranked 16th in the league for points. Andy Andreoff is second for points with 38. Through 46 games, the center collected 20 goals and 18 assists.
• Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.

Saturday, February 18th vs Providence Bruins (Boston) at 7pm, XL Center

• This is the eighth of 10 meetings in the season series. Hartford is 3-3-1 against Providence thus far. The ninth meeting will be on March 31st in Hartford, then the final meeting will be in Providence on April 8th.
• Entering the weekend, Providence is 29-9-7-2 for 67 points. That ranks the group first in the Atlantic Division and second in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins are on a five game winning streak and are 7-1-2 in the last ten outings.
• Bruins prospect Georgii Merkulov leads the Bruins active roster in points with 35. Through 43 games, the forward collected 14 goals and 21 assists. Justin Brazeau is second for points with 28. Through 43 games, Brazeau has 13 goals and 15 assists.
• Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.

Sunday, February 19th vs Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia) at 5:05pm, PPL Center

• This is the third of four meetings in the season series. Hartford is 1-1 against Lehigh Valley. The final meeting will be held in Allentown on April 1st.
• Entering the weekend, Lehigh Valley is 24-19-3-2 for 53 points. That ranks the group fourth in the Atlantic Division and fifth in the Eastern Conference. The Phantoms are on a two game losing streak and are 5-5 in the last ten outings.
• Forward Tyson Foerster leads the Phantoms active roster in points with 33. Through 48 games, the forward has 17 goals and 16 assists. Flyers prospect Elliot Desnoyers is second for points with 30. The prospect has 17 goals and 13 assists in 45 games.
• Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.

The 25 year-old defenseman played in 16 games this season with one goal and no assists. For his NHL career, he’s recorded 12 points in 110 games all with the Rangers.

In one of the big moves to start the rebuild, he was acquired in the blockbuster deal that sent Ryan McDonagh to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018.

UPDATE: Libor Hajek has been assigned to @WolfPackAHL.

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 10, 2023

Libor Hajek assigned to Wolf Pack

Hajek is no stranger to the Wolf Pack having played in 86 games from 2018-19 to 2021-22 and recording 10 points.

By sending Hajek down, the Rangers current cap space is $1,077,208 according to CapFriendly. This will also allow them to possibly add another $1.6 million in salary at the trade deadline.

This past summer, Hajek re-signed with the Rangers on a one-year, one-way deal worth $800,000 because according to the coach, he felt there was an opportunity here.

“He skates well and looks strong,” Gerard Gallant said. “He looks confident and he tested really well. Everything is leading to him being a real good player on our team. We’ll see what happens because there’s a few guys battling for that spot.”

Unfortunately for Hajek, neither he or Zac Jones could seize the third pair left defense spot with Braden Schneider. Eventually they lost out to journeyman Ben Harpur and now that spot will go to trade acquisition Niko Mikkola.

Mikkola, 26, was part of the Vladimir Tarasenko deal made on Thursday. He’s recorded just 3 assists in 50 games. However, at 6-4′ and 210 pounds it’s not points the Rangers are looking for. This season, he ranked third on the Blues in hits (96) and blocked shots (68) prior to the trade.

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Even if it was going higher, several players likely don’t see a future with the Blueshirts and will want opportunities in other organizations.

Here’s a look at those players, including their current cap hit, qualifying offers (QO), and expiry status.

New York Rangers restricted free agents

So which of these players will the New York Rangers extend and when? That’s a great question and one we posed to NY Post reporter Mollie Walker in an interview we conducted Monday, which you can watch in its entirety on the Forever Blueshirts YouTube channel. Please remember to Like and Subscribe!

“I think a lot of those conversations are going to come after the season,” Walker noted. It wouldn’t surprise me if K’Andre Miller were signed sooner rather than later. I haven’t heard of any conversations happening this early but the Rangers are in a precarious position due to the cap. I just don’t see a scenario where everyone can stay.”

In attempt to answer these difficult questions, I’ve broken down each key RFA’s situation and outlook going forward.

Alexis Lafreniere: When the Ottawa Senators announced an 8-year contract extension for Tim Stutzle in September worth $66.8 million ($8.35M AAV) a league source told me to bust out my calculator because he didn’t see Lafreniere signing for less. Flash forward a few months later and the first overall pick in 2020 has struggled with 22 points in 48 games. There’s no chance Alexis will see that contract this summer, and he’s heading for a bridge deal likely in the neighborhood of $2.5M to $3M with bonuses.

Filip Chytil: After struggling with consistency since being drafted 21st overall in 2017, Chytil has now been a reliable offensive threat. With 29 points though 41 games this season, he’s definitely set up to cash in. According to Arthur Staple of The Athletic (subscription required), the Rangers and Chytil’s camp have had preliminary contract talks but no extension is expected soon. A league source informed me that Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett ($4.425M) is a fair comp for Chytil’s next deal. The Rangers will want to avoid arbitration here if they can and sign him after the season ends.

Julien Gauthier: It took the big and fast winger awhile to stick with the Rangers but he’s doing a good job this season with 9 goals in 35 games on the fourth line. Teams may be interested in him at the trade deadline, but it’s unlikely Drury will move him. As younger players like Will Cuylle are knocking on the door next season, Gauthier will have his rights traded at the draft or allowed to walk as a UFA.

K’ Andre Miller: I’ve been screaming for the Rangers to extend him for awhile. The young defenseman has already surpassed previous career highs in points and assists. Miller enters the All-Star Break with 25 points in 49 games and the best odds of being extended during the season. This summer, the Rangers will get back $3,427,778 in buyout penalties per Cap Friendly. All of that and some more should be allocated to extending Miller for at least four seasons. That would be beneficial for both parties as the Rangers can likely find an AAV around the $4.5 million mark and Miller’s camp can ride that contract to unrestricted free agency at 27 years of age.

Libor Hajek: Similar to Gauthier, it’s hard to see a future with the Rangers for Hajek. Especially after the team extended Ben Harpur for two seasons. With his value at an all-time low, the Rangers will likely hold onto him at the deadline for depth. If someone wants his rights at the draft, so be it. Otherwise, the Rangers could let him walk.

Vitali Kravtsov: By far the most interesting restricted free agent. If he isn’t packaged at the deadline for either Patrick Kane or Vladimir Tarasenko, then the Rangers should absolutely qualify him and try to keep him around. Should the Rangers fail to retain Chytil or Lafreniere, despite how unlikely that seems, it will be good to have the talented winger in the fold. Plus, his next contract won’t be for too much more than his current $875K even if he gets to salary arbitration.

Zac Jones: Much like Kravtsov, Jones is likely going to be a trade asset for the upcoming deadline. With his path currently blocked by Ben Harpur’s extension and the Rangers plan to give Matthew Robertson a real shot on left defense next season, the writing is on the wall. I’m not even sure Jones would want to re-sign with the Rangers this summer. If he’s still here after the deadline, expect him to go the same route Nils Lundkvist did demanding a trade.

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Why is that significant? Well, teams that usually are in playoff position come Thanksgiving make the playoffs around 77% of the time. With games against the Kings and Ducks this week, the Rangers will be pushing hard to get those wins.

Another unwritten rule about Thanksgiving is it’s considered the first benchmark for general managers to assess their teams and prepare for possible trades.

For this article, I will rank the current roster and prospects into three categories: Untouchable, Probable, and Trade Bait.

This could very well change for Chris Drury from now until the NHL Trade Deadline for March 3, 2023. Let’s take a look at where players land.

New York Rangers trade tiers: Untouchables

The untouchables tier is pretty straight forward. These players are considered the foundation of the team this season, and many go well beyond that. In some cases, the player’s contract has trade protection.

• Adam Fox (NMC in 2025-26)
• Alexis Lafrenière (RFA)
• Artemi Panarin (NMC)
• Barclay Goodrow (NMC- Modified)
• Braden Schneider (ELC)
• Brennan Othmann (ELC)
• Chris Kreider (NMC – Modified in 2024-2025)
• Igor Shesterkin
• Jacob Trouba (NMC – Modified in 2024-2025)
• Jaroslav Halak (NMC)
• K’Andre Miller (RFA)
• Mika Zibanejad (NMC)
• Ryan Lindgren
• Vincent Trocheck (NMC – Modified in 2025-2026)

This list has 8 players that have either a full no-move clause or a modified no-trade. They also happen to players the Rangers consider important for any run they make for a championship this season.

Also named here are young players like Alexis Lafreniere, K’Andre Miller, Ryan Lindgren, and Braden Schneider. All can be traded, but they’re the foundation for the future of the franchise.

Igor Shesterkin does not have trade protection, but his elite goaltending makes him untouchable. Finally, I have one prospect on this list and that’s Brennan Othmann. He’s got future first-line right wing written all over him.

Probable for a trade

Despite the salary cap jumping to possibly $88 million in 2024-25, it’s only expected to jump by $1 million next season to $83.5 at this time.

The Rangers are up against the cap, and that means they’ll eventually need to make some hard decisions regarding certain players.

This list below is comprised of some of those players that Chris Drury may move due to cap considerations (in italics) and some prospects to sweeten trade deadline deals.

• Dylan Garand (ELC)
• Filip Chytil (RFA)
• Jimmy Vesey
• Julien Gauthier (RFA)
• Kaapo Kakko
• Lauri Pajuniemi (RFA)
• Matthew Robertson (ELC)
• Ryan Carpenter (UFA)
• Ryan Reaves (UFA)
• Sammy Blais (UFA)
• Will Cuylle (ELC)
• Zac Jones (RFA)

This is usually the hardest and most intriguing tier to assemble. Most experts believe the Rangers may be looking to add a top scorer as a rental for a long postseason run. It will take at least one player from this list to get it done as well as multiple pieces from the next grouping.

Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko are the top assets on this list, but only if the deal is right.

The Rangers are also in need of cap space, which is why sparingly used Ryan Reaves and his $1.75M salary are listed.

Correction: Kakko was mistakenly listed as an RFA. He signed a 2-year deal this summer.

Trade Bait – Likely to be traded

The Rangers likely to be traded list is very small. It includes their own first round pick in 2023, and the one that the Dallas Stars gave them (w/conditions) in the Nils Lundkvist deal.

• 2023 1st Round Pick (2)
• Libor Hajek (RFA)
• Vitali Kravtsov (RFA)

Defenseman Libor Hajek has been in this spot for two seasons and I should wisen up and take him off. However, he will be an RFA and has yet to be a mainstay in the lineup.

The most obvious moveable piece is winger Vitali Kravtsov. He’s the 9th overall pick in the 2018 draft and has tremendous upside. Alone, he won’t be enough to land a Patrick Kane, even with a first-round pick attached at the trade deadline. Plus for cap purposes, the Rangers will still need to move out about another $2 million in salary to accommodate Kane at 50% salary retention.

That’s why I mention either Chytil or Kakko as being a key piece in such a move.

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