The New York Rangers have claimed Adam Cracknell off waivers from the Dallas Stars, while Michael Bournival of the Tampa Bay Lightning has cleared and been assigned to the Syracuse Crunch. Cracknell will now compete for playing time in New York, though it will be interesting to see what corresponding move the Rangers make.
As Brian wrote yesterday, Cracknell spent all of last season with the Stars, suiting up for a career-high 69 games. His 10 goals and 16 points were also both easily career bests, and he provided a big body that was versatile enough to play different forward positions. At 32, he doesn’t offer much upside but can provide decent penalty killing and responsible bottom-six play.
The Rangers had been carrying just 22 players on their roster, with Jesper Fast starting the year on injured reserve. While Cracknell’s addition certainly puts his name in the mix for fourth-line minutes, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll get into the lineup right away. The team, who bounced back from an 8-5 loss at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs to shutout the Montreal Canadiens last night, will have a decision to make on young Filip Chytil.
Chytil was a healthy scratch last night after seeing fewer than 13 total minutes of ice time in the first two games combines. While he was impressive in training camp, if the team is unwilling to give him time to develop in-game he’s not long for the NHL. The 18-year old can play seven more games in the league before burning a year of his entry-level contract.