- Larry Brooks of the New York Post provided some injury updates from today’s New York Rangers practice. Forward Ryan Carpenter, who was cut by Dylan DeMelo’s skate during Friday night’s loss at the Winnipeg Jets, did not skate today. Winger Vitali Kravtsov, who was hurt early in the Rangers’ opening night game on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, skated today in a non-contact jersey, a positive step forward for a player trying to finally make it as an NHL-regular. Finally, Sammy Blais, who missed the first three games of this season after a preseason injury, skated on a line in practice with Filip Chytil and Jimmy Vesey, both of whom look to be regulars in the Rangers lineup this season.
Rangers Rumors
Vitali Kravtsov Leaves Season Opener With Upper-Body Injury
The New York Rangers and winger Vitali Kravtsov were both hoping that the former top prospect could finally make an NHL impact this season in a top-six role. Unfortunately for Kravtsov, his season has gotten off to a rough start. After taking a hit early in the first period of tonight’s season opener from Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman, the Rangers said that Kravtsov would not return to the game with an upper-body injury.
New York Rangers Agree To Terms With Talyn Boyko
6:37 pm: CapFriendly reports Boyko’s contract carries an $851K cap hit. The full salary breakdown is as follows:
Year 1: $750K base + $82.5K signing bonus
Year 2: $775K base + $85K signing bonus
Year 3: $775K base + $85K signing bonus
5:19 pm: The New York Rangers have made a big signing – literally, not figuratively. General manager Chris Drury announced today that the team has agreed to terms with goaltender prospect Talyn Boyko on a three-year, entry-level contract. Financial terms have not been disclosed.
Boyko is one of the largest (if not the largest) goalie prospects in the league, standing at 6′ 8″ and 201 pounds. The soon-to-be 20-year-old netminder was drafted by the Rangers with the 112th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
After a rough start to the 2021-22 campaign in the WHL with the Tri-City Americans, Boyko was traded after just eight games to the Kelowna Rockets where he regained form en route to a second All-Star team nod for the WHL’s BC Division. He posted two shutouts, a .913 save percentage, and a 28-12-4 record in 46 games with Kelowna.
Boyko, who attended Rangers training camp this year, will likely play the 2022-23 campaign with the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen due to the goalie logjam with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. As he’s just barely aged out of juniors, the ECHL is probably the best place for Boyko’s development regardless. His gigantic frame makes him a tantalizing prospect, but as with most goalies, it’ll be a few seasons at least before we see Boyko poised for NHL time.
Blackhawks Claim Jarred Tinordi Off Waivers
After moving out Riley Stillman recently, the Blackhawks have made a move to add some grit on their back end as NorthStar Bets’ Chris Johnston reports (Twitter link) that they’ve claimed Jarred Tinordi off waivers from the Rangers.
The fact that Tinordi was picked up might come as a bit of a surprise as he passed through unclaimed back in January but Chicago feels they have a need for the 30-year-old. He’s coming off a season that saw him spend most of his time with AHL Hartford where he had a goal and four assists along with 56 penalty minutes in 32 games. Tinordi also got into seven games with New York, picking up a single goal.
Tinordi has played in 109 career NHL contests over parts of nine seasons, picking up 132 blocks and 242 hits over that span. Being a reserve defenseman is a role that he is accustomed to having and that’s likely what helped convince Chicago to make this claim. As a rebuilding squad, they’re better off having a veteran as the seventh defender that only suits up in certain matchups than having a youngster in the press box. Tinordi is in the final year of his contract which carries a $900K cap hit. He will be eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer.
Snapshots: Canadiens Injuries, Pastrnak, Rangers Leadership Group, Blais
After heading all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020-21, only to finish dead last in the NHL standings in 2021-22, it’s unclear exactly what is to be expected from the Montreal Canadiens this year. Injuries were a large part of what plagued the team last season, and heading into this season, they’re still a part of the headline. Of course, legendary goaltender Carey Price will be on LTIR and is unlikely to play this season, and it’s unclear if he’ll ever return. Still, there are some shorter-term updates available out of Montreal today.
For one, veteran defenseman Joel Edmundson, who is recovering from a back injury, was able to skate this morning and though his rehab is progressing, the team is still unable to provide a timetable for his return. Forwards Joel Armia and Emil Heineman will both be out with injury, Armia out one to two weeks with an upper-body injury and Heineman six weeks with a thumb injury. Defenseman Mike Matheson, who the team acquired in the Jeff Petry deal, is continuing to rehab a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day. Finally, forwards and expected key contributors Nick Suzuki, Mike Hoffman, and Christian Dvorak, who had all been dealing with separate ailments, were back at practice this morning.
- Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney spoke to the media this morning, including Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub, where he discussed a number of Bruins-related topics. Most notably, he touched on extension talks between the team and pending UFA forward David Pastrnak. While many teams and players, in hockey as well as other sports, generally put off contract talks once the season starts, that doesn’t appear to be the case here. Sweeney says the Bruins and Pastrnak have been talking almost every day and are comfortable talking into the regular season. While a deal isn’t done yet of course, the continued dialogue is clearly a good sign for the Bruins and their fans, showing Pastrnak presumably has interest in staying with the team.
- Earlier this summer, the New York Rangers announced defenseman Jacob Trouba would be their next captain, remarkably their first since previous captain Ryan McDonagh was dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018. In the interim, the team has relied on a group of alternate captains to fill their leadership group until they found the perfect fit for the vacant captaincy. Having now chosen Trouba as their man, the Rangers still have their contingent of alternates to go along with him, formally announcing them today. This season, the team will run with veterans Barclay Goodrow, Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin, and Mika Zibanejad as alternates.
- Tough news for Rangers forward Sammy Blais, who had been out with injury since last November, as he’s still dealing with the aftermath of an upper-body injury suffered after taking a hit from New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov in their Saturday evening preseason contest. According to NHL.com’s Dan Rosen, the Rangers have said the forward will not practice today and is doubtful for tomorrow’s season opener against the, Tampa Bay Lightning.
Training Camp Cuts: 10/10/22
A very happy Thanksgiving to all of our readers who are celebrating! Today marks the deadline for NHL clubs to become cap compliant and submit their opening night rosters. More specifically, the 5:00 pm ET deadline is now less than six hours away. With that in mind, we expect to see plenty of players sent to the minor leagues, returned to juniors, or released from their PTOs today, and we’ll keep track of them here.
Arizona Coyotes (via team tweet)
D Cam Dineen (to Tucson, AHL)
G Jon Gillies (to Tucson, AHL)
F Laurent Dauphin (to Tucson, AHL)
F Bokondji Imama (to Tucson, AHL)
Buffalo Sabres (via team tweet)
D Lawrence Pilut (to Rochester, AHL)
G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (to Rochester, AHL)
F Olivier Nadeau (to Gatineau, QMJHL)
Carolina Hurricanes (via team release)
F Jack Drury (to Chicago, AHL)
F Jordan Martinook (to Chicago, AHL)
Colorado Avalanche (via team tweet)
D Wyatt Aamodt (to Colorado, AHL)
F Mikhail Maltsev (to Colorado, AHL)
Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)
F Emil Bemstrom (to Cleveland, AHL)
D David Jiricek (to Cleveland, AHL)
Detroit Red Wings (per team release)
D Jeremie Biakabutuka (released from ATO)
F Kyle Criscuolo (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Taro Hirose (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
G Jussi Olkinuora (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Givani Smith (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
Edmonton Oilers (via team tweet)
D Jason Demers (released from PTO)
F James Hamblin (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Devin Shore (to Bakersfield, AHL)
Los Angeles Kings (per team release)
G Pheonix Copley (to Ontario, AHL)
F Rasmus Kupari (to Ontario, AHL)
F Andre Lee (to Ontario, AHL)
D Jacob Moverare (to Ontario, AHL)
Montreal Canadiens (via two team tweets)
F Rafael Harvey-Pinard (to Laval, AHL)
F Jesse Ylonen (to Laval, AHL)
D Justin Barron (to Laval, AHL)
D Otto Leskinen (to Laval, AHL)
G Cayden Primeau (to Laval, AHL)
D Arber Xhekaj (to Laval, AHL)
Nashville Predators (via team release)
F Jimmy Huntington (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Mark Jankowski (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Philip Tomasino (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Kevin Gravel (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Jordan Gross (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Roland McKeown (to Milwaukee, AHL)
New York Rangers (via team release)
D Matt Bartkowski (released from PTO)
F Julien Gauthier (to Hartford, AHL)
Ottawa Senators (via team tweet)
F Ridly Greig (to Belleville, AHL)
Philadelphia Flyers (per Olivia Reiner, The Philadelphia Inquirer)
F Jackson Cates (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
Seattle Kraken (via team tweet)
F John Hayden (to Coachella Valley, AHL)
D Michal Kempny (to Coachella Valley, AHL)
St. Louis Blues (via team release)
F Josh Leivo (to Springfield, AHL)
F Jake Neighbours (to Springfield, AHL)
Toronto Maple Leafs (via team tweet)
F Kyle Clifford (to Toronto, AHL)
F Adam Gaudette (to Toronto, AHL)
F Pontus Holmberg (to Toronto, AHL)
D Filip Kral (to Toronto, AHL)
D Victor Mete (to Toronto, AHL)
F Nick Robertson (to Toronto, AHL)
F Wayne Simmonds (to Toronto, AHL)
D William Villeneuve (to Toronto, AHL)
Vancouver Canucks (via team tweet)
F Linus Karlsson (to Abbotsford, AHL)
Vegas Golden Knights (via team release)
F Pavel Dorofeyev (to Henderson, AHL)
F Sakari Manninen (to Henderson, AHL)
F Jonas Rondbjerg (to Henderson, AHL)
D Jake Bischoff (to Henderson, AHL)
D Kaedan Korczak (to Henderson, AHL)
G Michael Hutchinson (to Henderson, AHL)
Washington Capitals (via team tweet)
F Henrik Borgstrom (to Hershey, AHL)
D Lucas Johansen (to Hershey, AHL)
Winnipeg Jets (via team tweet)
D Ville Heinola (to Manitoba, AHL)
This post will be kept updated throughout the day.
New York Rangers Sign Jimmy Vesey
Jimmy Vesey has officially found his way back to the Big Apple. The New York Rangers announced this afternoon that they’ve signed the forward to a one-year deal. The team has not yet disclosed the salary or whether the contract is a one-way or two-way deal. The New York Post’s Mollie Walker reports that the deal is worth $750,000, the league minimum. Vesey had been in Rangers camp on a PTO after spending the 2021-22 season as a member of rival New Jersey Devils.
Much like Zach Aston-Reese who signed moments earlier with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Rangers bring in a scrappy two-way forward of their own who should help them round out their game and contribute to the unsung areas of the game. Vesey was in fact one of the league’s better penalty killers during his time in New Jersey, where he also added an additional eight goals and seven assists in 68 games. Now 29, Vesey returns to the Rangers for the first time since the 2018-19 season, a career-year for him, but his last in Manhattan before the team dealt him upstate o the Buffalo Sabres that offseason.
Vesey is perhaps best known as the exciting prospect out of Harvard University who ultimately refused to sign his ELC with either team that held his rights – the Nashville Predators, who drafted him, and the Sabres, who acquired his rights. After becoming a free agent in the summer of 2016, a then-23-year-old Vesey opted to sign with the Rangers. The forward was far from bad during his first stint with the team, but he had failed to live up to the lofty expectations many had set for him. After being dealt to Buffalo in 2019, he bounced around, eventually spending time with Toronto, New Jersey, and even briefly the Vancouver Canucks.
Despite not putting up the offensive numbers he was once able to earlier in his career, Vesey did impress this season with the Devils, his ability to work hard and kill penalties evident, which seemed to give him an opportunity this offseason to prove he still belongs in the NHL. The Rangers gave him that opportunity with an invite to training camp in early September and the winger returned the favor with a strong showing in camp. Now, as the Rangers eye their first Stanley Cup since 1994, they’ll have another veteran to rely on, especially in the difficult situations along the way.
Waivers: 10/06/22
Another day, another set of players on waivers as the regular season approaches. Everyone from yesterday cleared, while today’s group looks like this:
Boston Bruins
Vinni Lettieri
Joona Koppanen
Dan Renouf
Keith Kinkaid
Colorado Avalanche
Edmonton Oilers
Calvin Pickard
Slater Koekkoek
Los Angeles Kings
New York Rangers
Training Camp Cuts: 10/1/22
Even after nearly 150 players were cut yesterday, many teams will be paring down their training camp rosters further today. We’ll keep track of today’s cuts here.
Anaheim Ducks (via team release)
F Bryce Kindopp (to San Diego, AHL)
F Ben King (to San Diego, AHL)
Arizona Coyotes (via Twitter)
G Ivan Prosvetov (to Tucson, AHL)
Buffalo Sabres (via team release)
F Brandon Biro (to Rochester, AHL)
F Filip Cederqvist (to Rochester, AHL)
F Mason Jobst (released from PTO)
F Aleksandr Kosakov (to Rochester, AHL)
F Tyson Kozak (to Rochester, AHL)
F Jiri Kulich (to Rochester, AHL)
F Michael Mersch (released from PTO)
F Brett Murray (to Rochester, AHL)
F Kohen Olischefski (released from PTO)
F Josh Passolt (released from PTO)
F Isak Rosen (to Rochester, AHL)
F Lukas Rousek (to Rochester, AHL)
F Matt Savoie (to Portland, WHL)
F Brendan Warren (released from PTO)
F Linus Weissbach (to Rochester, AHL)
D Zach Berzolla (released from PTO)
D Mitch Eliot (released from PTO)
D Oskari Laaksonen (to Rochester, AHL)
D Ethan Prow (released from PTO)
D Peter Tischke (released from PTO)
G Michael Houser (released from PTO)
G Beck Warm (released from PTO)
Chicago Blackhawks (via team release)
D Nolan Allen (to Prince Albert, WHL)
D Ethan del Mastro (to Mississauga, OHL)
G Jaxson Stauber (to Rockford, AHL)
D Adam Clendening (released from PTO)
G Dylan Wells (released from PTO)
Dallas Stars (via team release)
F Riley Barber (to Texas, AHL)
D Joseph Cecconi (to Texas, AHL)
F Rhett Gardner (to Texas, AHL)
D Ben Gleason (to Texas, AHL)
F Tanner Kero (to Texas, AHL)
D Jerad Rosburg (to Texas, AHL)
New York Rangers (via team release)
F Will Cuylle (to Hartford, AHL)
D Ty Emberson (to Hartford, AHL)
F Tim Gettinger (to Hartford, AHL)
F Lauri Pajuniemi (to Hartford, AHL)
D Andy Welinski (to Hartford, AHL)
Ottawa Senators (via team release)
F Angus Crookshank (to Belleville, AHL)
F Philippe Daoust (to Belleville, AHL)
F Roby Jarventie (to Belleville, AHL)
F Egor Sokolov (to Belleville, AHL)
F Cole Reinhardt (to Belleville, AHL)
D Maxence Guenette (to Belleville, AHL)
D Kristians Rubins (to Belleville, AHL)
D Lassi Thomson (to Belleville, AHL)
D Jorian Donovan (to Hamilton, OHL)
G Kevin Mandolese (to Belleville, AHL)
F Michael Dal Colle (released from PTO)
St. Louis Blues (via team release)
F Andrei Bakanov (to Springfield, AHL)
F Brayden Guy (to Springfield, AHL)
F Mathias Laferriere (to Springfield, AHL)
D Griffin Luce (to Springfield, AHL)
D Brady Lyle (to Springfield, AHL)
F Hugh McGing (to Springfield, AHL)
F Dylan McLaughlin (to Springfield, AHL)
Tampa Bay Lightning (via team release)
F Jack Finley (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Felix Robert (to Syracusa, AHL)
F Grant Mismash (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Gage Goncalves (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Lucas Edmonds (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Bennett MacArthur (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Jaydon Dureau (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Ilya Usau (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Simon Ryfors (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Daniel Walcott (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Jack Thompson (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Declan Carlile (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Trevor Carrick (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Darren Raddysh (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Dmitry Semykin (to Syracuse, AHL)
G Hugo Alnefelt (to Syracuse, AHL)
G Maxime Lagace (to Syracuse, AHL)
Vegas Golden Knights (via team release)
D Layton Ahac (to Henderson, AHL)
F Jakub Brabanec (to Charlottetown, QMJHL)
F Brendan Brisson (to Henderson, AHL)
D Lukas Cormier (to Henderson, AHL)
D Daniil Chayka (to Henderson, AHL)
F Zach Dean (to Gatineau, QMJHL)
F Pavel Dorofeyev (to Henderson, AHL)
F Byron Froese (to Henderson, AHL)*
D Zack Hayes (to Henderson, AHL)
G Michael Hutchinson (to Henderson, AHL)*
F Sakari Manninen (to Henderson, AHL)
F Maxim Marushev (to Henderson, AHL)
F Ivan Morozov (to Henderson, AHL)
D Brayden Pachal (to Henderson, AHL)*
G Jiri Patera (to Henderson, AHL)
F Gage Quinney (to Henderson, AHL)
F Sheldon Rempal (to Henderson, AHL)*
Winnipeg Jets (via team release)
D Tyrel Bauer (to Manitoba, AHL)
F Wyatt Bongiovanni (to Manitoba, AHL)
D Declan Chisholm (to Manitoba, AHL)
F Michael Eyssimont (to Manitoba, AHL)*
D Leon Gawanke (to Manitoba, AHL)*
F Nick Jones (released from PTO)
F Alex Limoges (to Manitoba, AHL)
F Chaz Lucius (to Manitoba, AHL)
D Simon Lundmark (to Manitoba, AHL)
F Jeff Malott (to Manitoba, AHL)*
F Cole Meier (released from PTO)
F Henri Nikkanen (to Manitoba, AHL)
F Evan Polei (released from PTO)
G Oskari Salminen (to Manitoba, AHL)
D Ashton Sautner (to Manitoba, AHL)*
F Daniel Torgersson (to Manitoba, AHL)
*-pending waivers
This post will be updated throughout the day.
Rangers Reach Out To Representatives For Miller And Lafreniere
- It is believed that the Rangers have reached out to the representatives for winger Alexis Lafreniere and defenseman K’Andre Miller in the hopes of beginning discussions on contract extensions, notes Larry Brooks of the New York Post. Both players will be finishing their entry-level deals this season and with New York’s cap situation, they may have to work out short-term bridge agreements with both of them. Lafreniere had 19 goals and 31 points in 79 games last season while Miller had 20 points in 2021-22 while logging over 20 minutes a night for the second straight year.