So with his preferred digits retired by his new team, the veteran forward reportedly will flip the numbers and wear No. 91 in 2024-25 with the Rangers.

F Reilly Smith will wear jersey number 91 for the New York Rangers. Number last worn by Alex Wennberg in 2023-24. #NYR pic.twitter.com/fTU3nrGlXS

— NHL Jersey Numbers (@NHLNewNumbers) August 12, 2024

Smith was acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 1. The 33-year-old wore No. 19 for his one season with the Penguins, after wearing the same number for six seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights. He had much good fortune with No. 19 in Vegas, scoring 20+ goals three times and winning the Stanley Cup in 2023.

Before arriving in Vegas, Smith wore No. 18 with the Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers. That number currently belongs to forward Riley Nash in the Rangers organization. Nash played one game with the Rangers last season and spent the remainder of the campaign with Hartford in the American Hockey League.

So, Smith will try something new this season on Broadway.

Related: How Rangers impacted by rival ‘probably moving on’ from 2 veterans

Rangers history with No. 91

Smith will be the sixth player in Rangers history to wear No. 91. Of all the numbers in the nineties, it is the one used most often all-time by the Blueshirts, ahead of No. 90, which three players wore, most recently Justin Richards in 2021.

Interestingly, this will be the fourth straight season a Rangers player wears No. 91. And Smith will be the fourth different player in that stretch to do so, accepting the torch, if you will, from forward Alex Wennberg who wore it last season but signed with the San Jose Sharks in July.

Like his predecessors wearing 91 with the Rangers, Smith could be handing the jersey back soon. Smith is set to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

That said, let’s examine the first five players to wear No. 91 in Rangers history.

Markus Naslund – 2008-09

The best player to wear No. 91 for the Rangers was also the first to do so. Markus Naslund, the former Vancouver Canucks captain who scored 395 goals and 869 points in the NHL, wore 91 during his one season in New York, his final one in the League.

Naslund wore No. 19 when he played for the Canucks and was one of the elite forwards in the NHL. After signing with the Rangers, he switched digits because Scott Gomez already had No. 19. That sweater number was not retired until 2018, so after Gomez, it was also worn by Ruslan Fedotenko, Brad Richards and Jesper Fast.

But we digress.

Naslund scored 24 goals and had 46 points for the Rangers in 2008-09, his 10th straight season with at least 20 goals. He retired even though there was another year remaining on his contract.

Evgeny Grachev – 2010-11

Next to wear No. 91 for the Blueshirts was Evgeny Grachev, though not for long. An intriguing forward prospect, who scored 16 goals with Connecticut in the American Hockey League, Grachev played only eight games with the Rangers in 2010-11. He never recorded a point and played for the St. Louis Blues the following season.

After scoring one goal in 26 games with the Blues, it was back to Russia in 2013-14 for Grachev, who played the remainder of his career in the KHL.

Sammy Blais – 2021-2023

It took 11 years before another Rangers player wore No. 91. Sammy Blais took it after being acquired from the Blues in the Pavel Buchnevich trade. Blais wore No. 9 previously in St. Louis, but that number was already retired in honor of Adam Graves and Andy Bathgate by time the energetic forward arrived on Broadway.

Blais was limited to 54 games over two seasons with the Rangers because of a knee injury. He never scored a goal with the Rangers and ended up with nine assists.

On Feb. 9, 2023, Blais was sent back to the Blues as a part of a package for defenseman Niko Mikkola and the next player to don No. 91 …

Vladimir Tarasenko – 2023

Vladimir Tarasenko was happy to take over No. 91 from Blais since that’s the number he wore with great success for the Blues for 11 seasons, including 2018-19 when they won the Stanley Cup.

Unlike Blais and Grachev before him, it didn’t take long for Tarasenko to score his first goal wearing No. 91 for the Blueshirts. Tarasenko lit the lamp in his Rangers debut on Feb. 10 against the Seattle Kraken at MSG. He went on to record 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 31 regular-season games with the Rangers, and four points (three goals, assist) in seven Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Tarasenko left after the 2022-23 season, signing as a free agent with the Ottawa Senators. After being traded ahead of the 2024 deadline, Tarasenko helped the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup last spring. He scored the series-deciding goal in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Rangers.

Alex Wennberg – 2024

Like Tarasenko, Alex Wennberg was a trade-deadline acquisition, who also wore No. 91 in New York. Unlike Tarasenko, Wennberg didn’t have a connection to the number after having worn 41, 10 and 21 previously for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Panthers and Kraken.

Wennberg was a solid third-line center, who played well defensively and on the penalty kill. He did not, however, produce much offensively, scoring one goal in 19 regular-season games and one in 16 playoff games. However, his lone postseason goal was the memorable OT winner in Game 3 of the conference final against the Panthers.

The awarding of the hat is a tradition that dates back to 2011, when forward Brad Richards introduced the snazzy cap and ritual to the team. It starts with the first win of the season, where the captain decides who gets it first. After each victory, the previous winner decides who wears it next until the final game of the campaign.

Although the 28 year-old defenseman finished the game with no points and a -2 rating, it was his two bone crushing hits (six in total) followed by fights that earned him the admiration of his teammates.

Alexis Lafreniere, who scored the game-winner and earned First Star of the night honors, had some praise for his captain.

“He’s playing hard– couple of big hits and fights,” Lafreniere said. “He’s our leader and he plays a tough game that’s fun to watch. A defenseman that plays like that is good to see and he was a leader for us again today.”

Jacob Trouba a throwback

When you think of hockey back in the 1990’s, hits like those thrown by Trouba last night were considered a dime a dozen. Defensemen like Scott Stevens, Darius Kasparitis, and Niklas Kronwall were guys you had to watch out for on the ice at all times. There were also bruising forwards like Eric Lindros, Cam Neely, and Wendel Clark that had you on your toes.

If there was a fight for every time they caught someone with a huge hit, an NHL contest would take double the time it does today to complete.

However yesterday, the Rangers took it to a Flames team that ran over them in two games last season. Led by Trouba’s big-time hits, the Blueshirts did not relent an inch of ice and actually pushed Calgary back leading to the eventual win.

“It’s always been a part of how I play hockey,” Trouba said Tuesday. “[The opposition overreacting] is not something I can control and not something I worry about.”

Jacob Trouba blows up Nazem Kadri 😳 pic.twitter.com/KEOPygUDWS

— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) February 7, 2023

Of course, Trouba doesn’t mind answering the challenge for his hits, but coach Gerard Gallant had no issue voicing his displeasure after the match.

“It’s a shame [Trouba has] to do that every time you throw a hit,” Gallant explained. “For me, the first one was a good, clean hockey hit. It wasn’t a dangerous hit. You wouldn’t think there would be retaliation to that, but there was, and that’s fine. But the second one he hit Kadri pretty hard… I just think sometimes it gets a little overreaction.”

New York Rangers Big, Bad Fourth Line

The New York Rangers unveiled a big new fourth line with the return of Sammy Blais from his conditioning stint with the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Jake Leschyshyn centered Will Cuylle and Blais to give the Blueshirts a formidable trio with great size and decent speed. The unit had several scoring chances but went out there and handed the Flames some punishment.

Today at practice, the line was taking regular rushes together again suggesting they will be out there when the Rangers host the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday.

“From what we need those players to do, I was happy with their game,” Gallant said today. “I really was.”

This will be noteworthy to watch as the trade deadline approaches. Both Vitali Kravtsov and Julien Gauthier are the odd men out.

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“There’s 33 games left and I we see there’s a lot of company in the standings,” Gerard Gallant said on Sunday. “Try and play well to get two points every night. That’s the goal.”

The Rangers currently sit six points behind the New Jersey Devils for second-place in the Metro with each team even at 49 games. Both squads are in action on Monday as the Devils host the Canucks.

Here’s tonight’s game and broadcast info:

New York Rangers (27-14-8) vs. Calgary Flames (24-17-9)
Date/Time: February 6, 2023 at 7:30 PM ET
Arena: Madison Square Garden
TV: MSG
Radio: ESPN 98.7

New York Rangers host Calgary Flames

The New York Rangers practiced on Sunday with a fully loaded 23-man roster after recalling both Will Cuylle and Sammy Blais.

Based off of yesterday’s line rushes, Cuylle looks like he will be back on the fourth line left wing with Jake Leschyshyn after impressing in his two previous games before being returned to the Hartford Wolf Pack during the break. Vitali Kravtsov appears to be a scratch again.

The question will be if Blais is going to replace Julien Gauthier after he scored four goals in five games with the Pack during his conditioning stint.

“It was big for me to go down there during the break playing 20 minutes a night,” Blais said. “For sure more confidence now driving the puck with more ice time. Hopefully I can bring that here.”

#NYR lines at practice today:

Panarin-Zibanejad-Vesey
Kreider-Trocheck-Goodrow
Lafrenière-Chytil-Kakko-Kravtsov
Cuylle-Leschyshyn-Gauthier-Blais

— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) February 5, 2023

New York is playing second contest of a four-game home stand against the Flames. They opened it up with a 4-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights as Cuylle made his Garden debut and was victorious in his first NHL fight. The stand concludes with games against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday and the Seattle Kraken on Friday.

Expected to get the start in net tonight is Igor Shesterkin, who made his first All-Star appearance over the weekend stopping 5 of 9 shots in his 10 minutes of action.

For his career versus the Flames, the 27 year-old netminder is 0-2-0 with a GAA of 5.50 and a .851 save percentage.

Update: Per Vince Mercogliano, Jaroslav Halak is the first goalie off indicating he’ll be getting the start. Per Larry Brooks, both Will Cuylle and Sammy Blais will play with Julien Gauthier scratched.

Leading the team in scoring is Artemi Panarin with 50 points in 49 games to date. He registered 3 assists at the All-Star Game but is now focused on the Rangers season.

“The sky’s the limit,” Panarin said via a translator. “There’s always something to achieve and that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

Things have really turned around for the Blueshirts after captain Jacob Trouba went off on the team during an embarrassing loss to the Chicago Blackhawks at the Garden. The Rangers are on a 16-4-3 run since the helmet toss on December 5.

“It’s time to get back to work,” Trouba noted. “It’s a tight race for the playoffs– we’re in the mix and we’re looking forward to a good stretch run.”

Flames fighting for the playoffs

When the Flames hit the ice, they will be a hungry and desperate hockey squad that sits outside of the playoffs.

The team beat the Kraken 5-2 before the All-Star break and are winners in three of their last four contests. They’re tied with the Colorado Avalanche at 57 points for the final wild card spot, but are have played two more games keeping them on the outs.

Elias Lindholm leads the team in scoring with 45 points in 49 games this season. Free agent acquisition Nazem Kadri paces the Flames in goals with 19.

Jacob Markstrom has struggled this year in net but is coming on strong as of late. He has a record of 13-13-5 with a GAA of 2.86 and a .893 save percentage.

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The team will host the Calgary Flames on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 PM ET.

UPDATE: Will Cuylle has been recalled from @WolfPackAHL. In addition, Sammy Blais has been recalled from his conditioning assignment in Hartford.

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 5, 2023

It’s possible that one of them will be a healthy scratch for the contest, but it’s more likely that both could play. That would mean Julien Gauthier may be scratched and it’ll keep Vitali Kravtsov out of the lineup.

New York Rangers recall Cuylle and Blais

Cullye, 21, has recorded 21 points in 41 games for the Wolf Pack this season. In his two game stint prior to the NHL All-Star Break, he did not register a point, but drew a penalty and one his first fight.

“He fought a tough guy but did really well,” Gerard Gallant said. “Good for him. Willy came up and played two games which is pretty exciting… [Keegan] Kolesar is a tough kid and I had him in Vegas… Good for [Cuylle], he showed up.”

Sammy Blais conditioning stint is over and he didn’t waste a single minute by scoring four goals in five games with the Pack. Prior to being sent down, the 26 year-old was struggling with just 5 assists in 38 games and being scratched often.

The moves will now put the Rangers at the 23 max roster and bring them to under $1 million in available cap space. This indicates another transaction is likely coming as the team will want to accrue as much space as possible leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline on March 3.

When it comes to likely trade candidates, Vitali Kravtsov is atop the team’s trade bait list.

Kravtsov, 23, has 3 goals and 3 assists in 27 games this season. He will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer.

The Rangers are believed to be looking at acquiring a top-six right wing rental with Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko being their prime targets despite all the noise surrounding Timo Meier. That’s because the Sharks winger is not a UFA at the end of the season and has a $10 million qualifying offer the Rangers simply can’t give him.

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Blais, 26, finishes his conditioning stint with four goals (two on the power play) in five games and a -6 rating. He accomplished that registering 10 shots on goal and added 8 penalty minutes.

New York Rangers recall Sammy Blais

It’s been a tough year for the big forward, who showed promise in 14 games with the Rangers last season. After being the main return for Pavel Buchnevich from the St. Louis Blues, Blais recorded 4 assists and was strong on his skates with a willingness to hit. Unfortunately, an uncalled trip by New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban tore up his knee leading to season-ending surgery last November.

It took nearly 10 months of rehab for Blais to get back to playing competitive hockey. That long layoff impacted his game tremendously, and getting limited minutes wasn’t helping. Prior to agreeing to the conditioning stint, Blais had just 5 assists in 38 games and was often a healthy scratch.

“He’s played 8 or 9 minutes most games,” Gerard Gallant noted. “He hasn’t gotten into a groove and he hasn’t had any luck. He’ll go down there and play a lot of minutes… Hopefully some good thing happen to him.”

When Blais’ was sent down, Will Cuylle got called up allowing the Rangers’ struggling forward to slot on to the top line and assume Cuylle’s spot on the power play.

The Rangers were pleased to see Blais seize the extra playing time using his size, speed, and hands to impress. In his last game with the Pack, Blais scored the game-tying and game-winning goals with a flash of skill we’ve yet to see in New York.

GWG 🥹 pic.twitter.com/vbrQhnK2sS

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) February 4, 2023

Blais signed a one-year deal with the Rangers this past summer for an AAV of $1.525M and will be a UFA in July. He’s yet to score a goal for the Blueshirts in 52 games spanning two seasons.

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Artemi Panarin, Adam Fox, and Igor Shesterkin will dress for the Metro Division as they look to win the All-Star Game which begins with the Central and Pacific Divisions facing off at 3 PM ET on ABC. The winner will play the victor of the Metro vs Atlantic matchup at 4 PM ET.

Rangers All-Star Fun

In a pre-recorded event that took place on Thursday, Fox and Shesterkin teamed up in the Splash Shot event. It was a dunk-tank competition where the shooter of one team has to hit five surfboards before taking aim at an NHL logo to sink their opponent. Fox was able to win round one, but was unfortunately all wet in the round two final.

Avalanche teammates Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen won the event despite a valiant effort by Shesterkin, who attempted to beat Rantanen’s laser accurate shooting using a goalie stick.

BTS: Best part of the “Splash Shot” was watching Igor Shesterkin continue shooting to dunk Mikko Rantanen. #NYR #NHL @NYRangers @SNYtv pic.twitter.com/Oz44Zhaf8Q

— Julie Stewart-Binks (@JSB_TV) February 4, 2023

Shesterkin then teamed up with close friend Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders in the Tendy Tandem. Oddly, Shesterkin was not the shooter for the event as he watched Sorokin miss the net on all his tries. The Rangers netminder missed scoring a goal just prior to the break missing an empty net by inches.

Canadian Women’s National Team star Sarah Nurse scored a Peter Forsberg-style goal against Shesterkin to the cheers of fans in attendance. The Central Division’s tandem of the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck and Preds’ Juuse Saros were the winners.

Panarin competed in the Accuracy competition and advanced to the semi-finals only to fall to Brock Nelson of the rival Islanders, who eventually won the event.

The Breadman was asked earlier in the day if he was going to win the event and he delivered one of his trademark comedic responses.

“I told you, I have 13 goals in 50 games,” he laughed. “How I win this?”

Bread remains the whiteboard MVP ☠️ pic.twitter.com/pc4iEanEyJ

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 3, 2023

Sammy Blais scores twice

The Rangers and Sammy Blais agreed to an AHL conditioning stint before the All-Star Break which appears to be achieving the desired results.

“He hasn’t played bad for us,” Gallant said regarding the stint. “He’s played 8 or 9 minutes most games. He hasn’t gotten into a groove and he hasn’t had any luck. He’ll go down there and play a lot of minutes… Hopefully some good thing happen to him. Just restart him…I think he’s going to play 5 or 6 games hopefully and come back.”

Blais, 26, now has 4 goals in 5 games with the Wolf Pack after scoring the game-tying and winning tallies on Friday night.

How did Sammy tie it? It looked a little like this ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/U1MX8OihYz

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) February 4, 2023

On the game-winning goal, Blais showed not only a burst of speed but some silky mitts as well.

GWG 🥹 pic.twitter.com/vbrQhnK2sS

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) February 4, 2023

Prior to being sent down for more playing time, Blais struggled with just 5 assists in 38 games this season. He has yet to record a goal with the Blueshirts since being part of the return from the St. Louis Blues in the Pavel Buchnevich trade over the span of 52 games dating back to last year.

Blais signed a one-year deal with the Rangers this past summer for an AAV of $1.525M and will be a UFA in July.

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Despite significant struggles in two of their three previous games, Hartford is two points away from a playoff spot as we enter February’s slate of games. The club began a five game home-stand last Saturday against the Syracuse Crunch and it will conclude on February 10th against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Hartford has a home heavy slate until the last week of February, which bodes well for the club as they’re generally better on home ice. Although this past week was exactly the opposite as Hartford dropped their first game against Bridgeport by a score of 6-2, then their second straight home loss by a score of 7-2. The Wolf Pack’s only win was against the Providence Bruins on the road by a score of 2-1 in overtime.

Even with the addition of Sammy Blais (conditioning stint) and the Rangers returning Will Cuylle after a two-game stint, the group only secured two of six possible points. While a rough outing was due for Hartford, they have to shake this off fast as the division continues to be tight.

Hartford Wolf Pack Weekly: Standings Update

Entering the first week of February, Hartford is 17-16-3-6 for 43 points. That ranks the group eighth (last) in the Atlantic Division. However, the Wolf Pack are still the race for a playoff spot.

The teams ranked fourth through sixth are ahead of Hartford by two points. Essentially, four teams are tied in the standings and are not far off from the Wolf Pack. A good streak could push the Wolf Pack over the edge. The season series are critical, especially against the rivals of Bridgeport and Springfield as Hartford plays each club in a 12 game series.

Currently the breakdown is:

• 4th: Lehigh Valley Phantoms (45 points, .549 pts%, RW 14)
• 5th: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (45 points, .536 pts%, RW 14)
• 6th: Springfield Thunderbirds (45 points, .523 pts%, RW 14)
• 7th: Bridgeport Islanders (45 points, .549 pts%, RW 13)
• 8th: Hartford Wolf Pack (43 points, .512 pts%, RW 12)

Hartford plays a six game season series against the Penguins and four against the Phantoms. What benefits Hartford further is the remaining schedule as the club will be facing Springfield, Bridgeport, and Wikes-Barre/Scranton often. Add in the three games remaining against the Phantoms, these games will all be pivotal.

Hartford has 30 games remaining on the docket.

Wolf Pack Watch

Sammy Blais Building Confidence

Announced on January 23rd, the Rangers elected to send Sammy Blais to Hartford through for a conditioning stint. The loan will be in effect for two weeks as the Wolf Pack will have six games in that span.

The 26 year-old made an immediate impact scoring in two of three games to date and is being given top minutes. The forward skated with Johnny Brodzinski and Tanner Fritz in his first game. In the last two games, there were lineup adjustments and Blais was mixed and matched with others. Despite the changes, Blais continued to perform well and was noticeable in each contest, especially in Hartford’s previous game where the club struggled as a whole.

WELCOME TO HARTFORD, SAMMY BLAIS! pic.twitter.com/o011X2xFcO

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) January 26, 2023

From the Rangers perspective, this is great as he was struggling in the lineup after returning from last year’s major knee injury. Blais is beginning to find his scoring confidence as he’s getting power play time as well. With three games remaining, I expect the forward to further work on his game and be prepared for the return to New York on February 6th.

""Just tap it in. Give it a little tappy. Tap Tap Taparoo.” — Happy Gilmore" – Sammy Blais pic.twitter.com/9sQ6tUDiba

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) January 29, 2023

Goaltending Updates

The Wolf Pack made a few adjustments over the week:

• Louis Domingue missed the last two games and was out of the lineup. The goaltender was bumped in last Wednesday’s game. However, the veteran finished the remainder of the game. Domingue played for 50:30 and in relief for Dylan Garand.
• Dylan Garand started in Hartford’s last three outings. He went 1-2 and was pulled on Wednesday and Saturday. Despite recent struggles, the rookie performed well in Friday’s game in Providence to give Hartford a win, stopping 27 of 28 shots. Garand is known to bounce back after rough games. He did that again this week. For his next game, I expect him to be refocused and ready to go again.
• Rangers prospect Olof Lindbom was called up to Hartford as Domingue was unavailable. Lindbom had a taste of action in the American Hockey League as he relieved Garand. The prospect stopped 9 of 11 shots in a span of 34:10. Despite the brief appearance, Lindbom held his ground.
• NOTE: Olof Lindbom was called up on January 26th and returned to Jacksonville on the 28th.

Ryan Carpenter Continues Push for Points Leader

The 32 year old veteran continues to be reliable for offense. In 21 games, Carpenter netted 11 goals and nine assists for 20 points. He is ranked fourth (tied for third with Will Cuylle) among the roster for points. He is four points away from tying Hartford’s point leader (Turner Elson). Since joining the Wolf Pack, Carpenter continues to be a bright spot and a needed player to jump start the struggling offense.

Carpy starting things out on #NYR night with this beauty 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OH64haEOrc

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) January 29, 2023

Entering the week, Carpenter is on a eight game point streak (two goals, seven assists). The veteran is ranked second on the team in goals. His point per game rate currently sits at 0.95 (team high).

Zac Jones Joins Will Cuylle as AHL All-Star

Announced on January 27th, Zac Jones will be the second player from Hartford to attend the AHL All-Star weekend on February 5th and 6th.

The 22 year-old prospect continues to be superb in Hartford. Despite his struggles in New York, Jones has become one of the key cogs on defense, contributing on the power play to playing strong defense in key moments of games.

And with this All-Star ending, goodnight fam 🫶🏻 pic.twitter.com/q8YmzZlI6R

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) January 28, 2023

While Jones could be blocked from a return to New York this season with the recent contract extension of Ben Harpur, he continues to focus on his play and become a noticeable asset in the organization as the season progresses.

Unfortunately, his time with the organization could be ticking away. While he benefits the Wolf Pack, he’ll likely be moved at the trade deadline for a key piece in the Rangers quest for a Stanley Cup. It’s also noteworthy that Jones will be an RFA in July.

Will Cuylle Back with Pack

The New York Rangers reassigned Will Cuylle back to the Wolf Pack in time for their 2-1 win over Providence on Sunday. He failed to record a point in his return, but has 13 goals and 20 points in his rookie season.

In his two-game NHL stint, Cuylle averaged 6:10 per contest looking strong on the team’s fourth line using his formidable size and speed to his advantage. Although he didn’t register a point, he drew a penalty and won his first fight. The Rangers know what they have in the talented forward and may choose to call him up again.

Wolf Pack News and Notes

Injury Updates

• C.J. Smith continues to be out of the lineup with an undisclosed injury. His timetable of return is now week to week.
• Patrick Khodorenko is considered month to month (out for season).

One Timers

• Hartford compiled a 6-3-2-1 record for January.
• Hartford has four power play goals in the last three games.
• Zac Jones is on a three game point streak. The defenseman has one goal and two assists.
• Jonny Brodzinski has points in four straight. The captain has two goals and two assists.

Upcoming Games

Hartford has 10 games on tap for February. Six will be at home and three will be on the road.

Wednesday, February 1st vs Providence Bruins (Boston) at 7pm, XL Center

• This is the seventh of 10 meetings in the season series. Hartford is 3-2-1 against the Bruins. The eighth meeting will be on February 18th in Hartford.
• Entering the week, Providence is 24-9-7-2 for 57 points. That ranks the group second in the Atlantic Division and third in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins are 5-3-2 in the last ten outings and have lost their last three of five. Of those losses, Hartford gave Providence two of the losses.
• Old friend Vinni Lettieri leads the Bruins in points with 37. Through 41 games, Lettieri has 16 goals and 21 assists. Bruins prospect Georgii Merkulov is second in points with 26. The left winger has eight goals and 18 assists in 38 games.
• Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.

Friday, February 3rd vs Utica Comets (New Jersey) at 7pm, XL Center

• This is the final meeting in the season series. The first meeting was in Utica on January 6th as the Wolf Pack dropped the game by a score of 3-2 in the shootout.
• Entering the week, Utica is 22-14-5-1 for 50 points. That ranks the group second in the North Division and fourth in the Eastern Conference. The Comets are 5-5 in their last ten outings. In addition, the Comets lost the last three of five games.
• Devils prospect Graeme Clarke leads the Comets in points with 34. Through 41 games, the forward recorded 16 goals and 18 assists. Experienced forward Nolan Stevens is second for points with 27. Through 38 games, Stevens has 12 goals and 15 assists.
• Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.

Saturday, February 4th vs Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh) at 7pm, XL Center

• This is the fourth of six meetings in the season series. Hartford is 1-0-1-1 against the Penguins. The fifth meeting will be on March 26th in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
• Entering the week, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is 20-16-2-3 for 45 points. That ranks the group fifth in the Atlantic Division and eighth in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins are 5-5 in the last ten outings and lost the last three of five games.
• Veteran Alexander Nylander and prospect Valtteri Puustinen are tied for the team lead in points at 34. Nylander has 17 goals and 17 assists in 40 games. Puustinen has 16 goals and 18 assists in 41 games. Forard Drake Caggiula is third for points with 30. He has nine goals and 21 assists in 36 games.
• Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.

NHL News and Rumors

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In the team’s 7-3 defeat to the Syracuse Crunch, Blais put home a rebound of a Blake Hillman shot on the power play giving him two power play goals in three games with the Pack. It’s worth noting that Blais slotted into Cuylle’s spot on the Pack power play unit.

Unfortunately, in Blais’ quest for offense he’s posted a -6 rating in those contests.

Sammy Blais scores again

Blais is expected to play in the Wolf Pack’s next three games and complete his assignment before returning back to the New York Rangers for their February 6 matchup against the Calgary Flames at home.

• Wed, 2/1 vs Providence (7 pm)
• Fri, 2/3 vs Utica (7 pm)
• Sat, 2/4 vs Wilkes-Barre Scranton (7 pm)

Blais, 26, has registered only 5 assists in 38 games and been recently scratched more often than this season. He has yet to record a goal with the Blueshirts since being part of the return from the St. Louis Blues in the Pavel Buchnevich trade over the span of 52 games dating back to last year.

Will Cuylle, who returned to action against Syracuse after a two-game audition with the big club was held scoreless. He and defenseman Zac Jones will represent the Wolf Pack in the All-Star festivities.

The AHL All-Star Game takes place on Sunday, February 5 through Monday, February 6 at Ball Place in Laval, Quebec.

Pride Night Statement

The New York Rangers hosted Pride Night on Friday at Madison Square Garden where they defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-1. For the event, the building was lit inside and out in rainbow colors with prominent members of the LGBTQ+ community honored.

However, a promotional email was sent out earlier in the month to fans indicating they would be wearing pride-themed warm-up jersey and tape in support of inclusivity for the LGBTQ+ community that evening. According to a report in the New York Post, there was a last minute change and the Rangers did their pre-game skate in their Reverse Retro jersey, which they wore for the final time this season.

A big thank you to NYC Pride Co-Chair Andre Thomas and Michael James Scott for leading tonight's pregame ceremonies. pic.twitter.com/24bjCyUO4K

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) January 28, 2023

Two players speaking under the condition of anonymity indicated that they were not told of the last minute change and expected to wear the pride warm-up and tape. The Post’s Larry Brooks checked with the league who said teams can proceed with the event as they wish. So this appears to be an executive level decision, likely in response to the fiasco in Philadelphia after Ivan Provorov opted not to participate in the Flyers’ Pride Night Event.

Choosing not to address the change as they should have before the game, the Rangers issued a statement on Saturday.

“Our organization respects the LGBTQ+ community and we are proud to bring attention to important local community organizations as part of another great Pride Night. In keeping with our organization’s core values, we support everyone’s individual right to respectfully express their beliefs.”

It’s also worth noting that the Carolina Hurricanes, who hosted their Pride Night on the same evening did not wear a pride-themed warmup-up jersey. They did use pride-themed tape on their sticks.

Several teams will be hosting Pride Night events into February with many intrigued to see what they will do.

#NYR statement on not wearing pride-themed warm-up jerseys last night:

"Our organization respects the LGBTQ+ community and we are proud to bring attention to important local community organizations as part of another great Pride Night. In keeping…

— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) January 28, 2023

NHL News and Rumors

NHL Recaps. All the latest scores here.

Devils serious players for Timo Meier trade. Read more.

Ryan O’Reilly open to discount to stay with Blues. Read more.

Gary Bettman claims there’s no tanking in the NHL. Read more.

It may not have been the outcome he wanted as the Leafs picked up a 3-2 OT victory, but the Blueshirts second-round pick in 2020 had a solid debut witnessed by plenty of family and friends.

“It’s pretty cool skating out there,” Cuylle said prior to the game. “Obviously growing up here, it feels like being back home… I left a few tickets for close friends and family. A lot of people are here, so I’m pretty grateful.”

Will Cuylle solid in debut

The 20 year-old made the transition from the AHL to the NHL beautifully in a limited capacity on the Rangers fourth line with Jake Leschyshyn and Julien Gauthier. Unfortunately, he was on the ice for the Maple Leafs first goal of the game just a little over two minutes in.

On the play, Cuylle was in the offensive zone looking to pressure the puck but a mix up between Ben Harpur and Gauthier at the blue-line allowed Pontus Holmberg to get behind them to fire a backhand for the early Leafs lead.

Cuylle was unfazed and even drew a delay of game penalty for the Rangers in the third period with his relentless pursuit of the puck.

When the buzzer sounded, Cuylle finished with four hits and a -1 rating in 5:49 of ice time.

Head coach Gerard Gallant opted to roll three lines in the late stages of the final period which limited Cuylle’s action. However, his game translates nicely into the necessary grinding style required by a fourth line.

Look for Cuylle to suit up in the Rangers final game before the All-Star break against the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday at the Garden.

The prospect also will make his first AHL All-Star appearance with Hartford. He’s recorded 13 goals and 20 points in 39 games to date with the Wolf Pack.

Sammy Blais scores for Wolf Pack

Sammy Blais wasted no time making his presence known for the Hartford Wolf Pack in his first game with the Rangers’ AHL affiliate.

Although the Pack lost to Bridgeport by a 6-2 margin, Blais scored a beautiful power play goal on a virtuoso effort. The big winger seized control of the puck and drove to the slot and whipped a shot for the tally.

WELCOME TO HARTFORD, SAMMY BLAIS! pic.twitter.com/o011X2xFcO

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) January 26, 2023

Blais, 26, had been struggling to stick in the Rangers lineup after returning from a major knee injury in 2021-22. This season, he’s registered only 5 assists in 38 games and has been unable to record a single goal since being part of the return from the St. Louis Blues in the Pavel Buchnevich trade.

The Rangers recognized that Blais needed more ice time to get his game on track, so they sent him to Hartford on a Conditioning Assignment. Per the CBA (13.8), a conditioning stint can’t exceed 14 days and requires the player’s consent.

“He hasn’t played bad for us,” Gallant said Tuesday. “He’s played 8 or 9 minutes most games. He hasn’t gotten into a groove and he hasn’t had any luck. He’ll go down there and play a lot of minutes… Hopefully some good thing happen to him. Just restart him…I think he’s going to play 5 or 6 games hopefully and come back.”

Blais signed a one-year deal with the Rangers this past summer for an AAV of $1.525M and will be a UFA in July.

NHL News and Rumors

NHL Recaps. All the latest scores here.

Gary Bettman claims there’s no tanking in the NHL. Read more.

NHL Rumors: Ryan O’Reilly officially in play. Read more.

NHL Rumors: Tarasenko, Karlsson, and Meier. Read more.

This season, Blais is struggling to stick in the Rangers lineup. After suffering a major knee injury in 2021-22, the big winger just can’t seem to keep pace with his line mates. The 26 year-old has registered only 5 assists in 38 games this season.

He now joins a Pack team that for the second straight week, they remain in a playoff spot. The team appears to be turning the corner and has shown steady progress since December.

Despite the Wolf Pack’s point streak ending at seven games last Friday, the club bounced back and completed their first three games in three days weekend strong. They went 2-1 by defeating the Rochester Americans 4-1 and splitting two games against the Providence Bruins (5-3 loss, followed by 4-3 overtime win).

Last season, the Wolf Pack were a club that had a strong start and tapered off in the second half of the season. It looks like they might be reversing that trend as this year’s they struggled in the first half of the season, only to gradually become a competitive team in the second half.

A significant factor for the Wolf Pack is a healthy roster and the impact of players like Ryan Carpenter and Zac Jones, who both started the season with the New York Rangers.

In a nice surprise prior to the weekend, Hartford received their captain back and as Jonny Brodzinski made his presence felt by scoring in first game back. Add in strong performances from Turner Elson and Tanner Fritz and the Pack should be a serious threat to make the AHL playoffs.

Entering this week, Hartford will have three games on tap. As a tough January slate concludes, the Wolf Pack are alive and well.

Wolf Pack Weekly Standings Update

Through 39 games, Hartford is 16-14-3-6 for 41 points. That ranks the group sixth in the Atlantic Division and 10th in the Eastern Conference. They’re 20th overall in the AHL.

The Wolf Pack hold the last playoff spot in their division. However, Hartford is in a three-way tie with the Springfield Thunderbirds and Bridgeport Islanders by points. Hartford owns the tiebreaker by having a game in hand.

While the division is competitive, the Wolf Pack are finding ways to collect points. In their last ten outings, Hartford is 5-1-2-2 and have points in the last 9 of 10 games. They also have points in the last 11 of 13 contests.

Looking ahead, Hartford will have a key match ups against Bridgeport, Lehigh Valley, and Springfield in the next month. The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are fifth and two points ahead of Hartford. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are in fourth and also two points ahead of the Wolf Pack. The third place Charlotte Checkers are ahead of the club by three points.

Another key consideration is the Wolf Pack’s schedule. Hartford will have a home heavy slate which bodes well since they’re better at the XL Center than on the road. The club will be home for the next 8 of 10 games.

Standings are as of Monday, January 23rd

Wolf Pack Watch

Jonny Brodzinski’s First Game Back

After clearing waivers on Sunday afternoon and being assigned to Hartford, Jonny Brodzinski was in the lineup for the first time since November 26th. Brodzinski’s return was his 18th game with the club on the year.

Sure enough, the captain scored immediately as he converted on a rebound from Zach Giuttari 2:51 into the game.

Welcome back, Captain 🫶 pic.twitter.com/Mk1oLiL72b

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) January 22, 2023

The veteran had numerous chances and was paired with Karl Henriksson and Bobby Trivigno. Brodzinski was also a +2 in the game.

The presence of Brodzinski provided a genuine lift for Hartford. The captain is a strong piece for the club and is a very dependable forward. We will see if the lines are altered for the upcoming games this week.

Dylan Garand Continues Strong Performances

The 20 year-old secured his sixth win of the season last Saturday against the Rochester Americans. Garand stopped 23 of 24 shots and was pitching a shutout until the late stages of the third. The goaltender now has wins in two straight starts with giving up only a goal per game.

Oh ok Dylan 🔥 pic.twitter.com/eC17D2AVA8

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) January 22, 2023

The Rangers prospect is 6-7-3 with a 3.06 goals against average and a .894 save percentage with two shutouts. Goaltending in Hartford continues to be a bright and consistent spot for the organization. Garand and Louis Domingue are playing well for the club.

Tim Gettinger Returns

The 24 year-old forward returned to the lineup last Friday and played each game of the three in three weekend. The forward was out nearly two months after leaving the game with an upper body injury (wrist) on November 25.

Gettinger returned on Hartford’s fourth line to get back into game action. Over the weekend, Gettinger had good outings by keeping his play simple and easing himself back.

He’ll be another key piece to have for the second half of the season. Gettinger recorded five shots in Saturday’s game against Rochester. Despite being held off the scoresheet, Gettinger is doing the little things on ice.

Offense Heats Up

Hartford’s average goals per scored game has risen from 2.19 to 2.74 in the last 17 games. The offense is clicking in addition to the power play converting on opportunities.

one big happy fam 🥹🫶🏻 pic.twitter.com/RZgqpWRYUe

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) January 23, 2023

• Turner Elson has points in four straight games. The veteran has two goals and two assists. Elson leads the team in points with 23 (eight goals, 15 assists).
• Tanner Fritz is on a four game point streak. Fritz has one goal and three assists. The veteran is ranked second in points with 21 (three goals, 18 assists).
• Will Cuylle has goals in the last five of eight games. He is ranked third in points with 20 (13 goals, seven assists). The prospect also lead the group in goals.
• Bobby Trivigno had a two point performance in Sunday’s game against Providence. The prospect has three assists in the last two of three outings.
• Ryan Carpenter has points in five straight games (one goal, four assists).
• Ty Emberson leads the defensive core in points with 16 (six goals. 10 assists). He has points in three straight (two goals, one assist).
• Matthew Robertson has points in two straight (two assists).
• Zach Giuttari has points in two straight (one goal, one assist).
• Blake Hillman has points in two straight (two assists).

Struggling Power Play Heats Up

While the power is ranked 32nd (last) in the AHL, the Wolf Pack found momentum over the weekend converting with the man advantage. The power play unit has struggled in the first half of the season despite generating opportunities. However, as of late the club is beginning to find stride as the group collected three power play tallies over six attempts between Friday’s and Saturday’s contest.

Sunday’s game had Hartford gave up a short-handed goal and was unable to convert in their four opportunities. While there is a few flaws and struggles in moments, the power play is improving gradually.

📹 Turk’s Power Play goal! pic.twitter.com/09d1VbSbjQ

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) January 21, 2023

Entering the week, the power play is clicking at 13.4% rate.

On the penalty kill, Hartford is ranked 14th in the league, operating at 81.3%.

Wolf Pack One Timers

• Hartford’s 4-3 win over Providence last Sunday is the first win of the season when they are trailing after two periods of play.
• The Wolf Pack’s front office is doing a superb job off the ice with crowds. Hartford is averaging 4,071 fans per game at the halfway point of the home game slate. This will set them up to potentially having a season average greater than 4,000 for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
  • The Wolf Pack had back to back lower bowl sellouts for the second time in franchise history. The previous time was approximately 16 years ago.
• The Wolf Pack are near healthy as the club is missing forward C.J. Smith. They are no updates on his status.

Transactions

On Tuesday, Will Cuylle was called up to Rangers and Sammy Blais was assigned to the Wolf Pack on a conditioning stint.

Hartford Wolf Pack Upcoming Games

Wednesday, January 25th vs Bridgeport Islanders (New York) at 7pm, XL Center

• This is the sixth of 12 meetings in the season series. Hartford won the previous two meetings (7-3 win on 1/27, 4-3 win on 12/23). The Wolf Pack are 2-3 against the Islanders. The seventh meeting of the season will be on February 17th in Hartford.
• Entering the week, Bridgeport is 17-16-6-1 for 41 points. That ranks the group eighth (last) in the Atlantic Division and 12th in the Eastern Conference. The Islanders are 3-6-1 in their last ten outings. However, the group has won their last three of five games.
• Veteran Chris Terry leads the Islanders in points with 37. Through 37 games, the forward secured 11 goals and 26 assists. He is ranked 19th in the AHL for points. Andy Andreoff is second for points with 34. Through 40 games, the forawrd has 19 goals and 15 assists.
• Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.

Friday, January 27th vs Providence Bruins (Boston) at 7:05pm, Amica Mutual Pavilion

• This is the sixth of ten meetings against the Bruins. Hartford is 2-2-1 against Providence. The next meeting will be on February 1st in Hartford.
• Entering the week, Providence is 23-8-6-2 for 54 points. That ranks the group second in the Atlantic Division and third in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins are 7-2-1 in the last ten games and are on a three game point streak (2-0-1).
• Former Ranger Vinni Lettieri leads the Bruins in points with 33. Through 38 games, Lettieri has 16 goals and 17 assists. Lettieri had two goals against Hartford in the previous meeting and has burned Hartford in the last three meetings with four goals and one assist. Georgii Merkulov is second in points with 25. Through 35 games, the prospect has seven goals and 18 assists.
• Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.

Saturday, January 28th vs Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay) at 7pm, XL Center

• This is the first of two meetings in the season series. Last season, Hartford lost the season series with a 0-2 record. Hartford will wrap up the season series with a visit to Syracuse on February 25th.
• Entering the week, Syracuse is 18-13-3-3 for 42 points. That ranks the group third in the North Division and eighth in the Eastern Conference. The Crunch are 5-3-1-1 in the last ten games and are on a six game point streak (5-0-1).
• Experienced Alex Barre-Boulet leads the Crunch in points with 44. Through 35 games, the center has 10 goals and 34 assists. He is ranked 5th in the league for points. Former Ranger Darren Raddysh is second on the team in points with 42. The defenseman has ten goals and 32 assists in 36 games. Raddysh is ranked seventh in the league in points. He is the second for points among defenseman in the AHL.
• Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.