SIGNINGS GALORE

The New York Rangers have made three signings Friday to go along with another they made Thursday.

Expect that three of them will directly affect your Hartford Wolf Pack.

The best news of the bunch is that the organization rewarded one of the Wolf Pack’s best players, P.A. Parenteau with an NHL contract. It is very likely that Parenteau has played his last game with the Wolf Pack and will be on the wing with the Rangers come October.

Parenteau brings to the table all the things that the Rangers are looking to improve upon at the NHL level. He’s a scoring wing that is sound defensively, has speed and best of all is a terrific passer who can run the power play from along the boards. The Hull, Quebec native plays with a lot of emotion and determination and is a total clutch player who is absolutely ready to take that next step in his career and make an impact at the NHL level.

Parenteau is 26 and skated in 74 games with the Wolf Pack last season before a concussion and some nagging injuries ended his season. Completely healthy and working hard this off season, Parenteau lit the lamp 29 times and helped out on 49 others for 78 points, along with 142PIM.  Parenteau ranked among the AHL leaders in several statistical categories, ranking ninth in points, tying for 10^th in assists and 16^th in goals.  Parenteau led the Wolf Pack in assists, and ranked second on the team in goals, points and power play goals (12).  In addition, he recorded a team-high, 24 multi-point performances, including a four-point effort on November 16 at Lake Erie (two goals and two assists).  Parenteau registered a season-high, eight-game assists/scoring streak from January 6 at Manitoba to January 19 at Portland, including a four-game multi-point streak, collecting 14 points (four goals and 10 assists) over the span.

In 2007-08, Parenteau ranked fourth in the AHL in points, sixth in goals and ninth in assists (47).  He also tied for fifth in the league with 15 power play goals.

The 6-0, 195-pound forward has skated in 415 career AHL games in six seasons with Cincinnati, Portland, Norfolk and Hartford, registering 146 goals and 212 assists for 358 points, along with 390 penalty minutes and a plus-25 rating.  In 2006-07, Parenteau split the season between Portland and Norfolk, and achieved career-highs in assists (49) and plus/minus rating (plus-19).  In addition, he appeared in five NHL games for the Chicago Blackhawks, registering one power play assist.  He made his NHL debut on February 7, 2007 at Vancouver and collected his first NHL point on February 14, 2007 at Pittsburgh.

On Thursday the Rangers signed forward Chris Chappell, a 21 year old from the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The New York beat reporters have already stated that the organization plans on Chappell being in Hartford. These same reporters have also stated that Chappell has a scoring touch and appears to be a keeper for sure.

In the 68 games Chappell skated in the OHL last season, he registered 38g and 38a for 76 points, along with 88 PIM.  Chappell was Saginaw’s leader in goals and points, and tied for second on the team in assists.  The Pickering, Ontario native also led the team and tied for third in the OHL with 18 power play goals, while his 38 goals tied for eighth in the league.  The 6-4, 209-pounder was selected to represent the Western Conference in the OHL All-Star Classic, and had an assist in the contest. 

Over 248 career games with Saginaw, Chappell recorded 70 goals and 84 assists for 154 points, along with 243 penalty minutes. 

Next up was the signing of veteran forward Tyler Arnason.  The 30 year old, skated in 71 games with the Colorado Avalanche last season where he notched five goals and 17 assists for 22 points, along with 14 penalty minutes.  Arnason is  5-11 and 204-pounds. He has skated in 487 career regular season contests with the Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators and Colorado Avalanche, registering 88g and 157a for 245 points, along with 140 PIM.  He established career-highs in goals (22), assists (33), points (55), power play goals (six), and shots (222) as a member of the Blackhawks during the 2003-04 season.  In 2003, Arnason was selected to the NHL All-Rookie Team following his first full season with Chicago.

The Oklahoma City, Oklahoma native was originally Chicago’s seventh round selection, 183^rd overall, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. He will most likely be in Hartford in reserve in case of an injury in the big club or should one of the young guys falter.

Next up was another signing destined for Hartford as the Rangers agreed to terms with another free agent forward, Corey Locke.

Locke, 25, skated in 77 games with the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League (AHL) last season, registering 25g and 54a for 79 points, along with 60 PIM.  He established career-highs in assists and points.  Locke ranked among the league leaders in several statistical categories, ranking fourth in assists, tied for seventh in points and tied for 13^th in power play goals (13).  He also tied for the AHL lead with 29 power play assists.  Locke also registered a career-high, 10-game scoring streak from March 1 to March 25 collecting 12 points (four goals and eight assists) over the span.

Locke is another undersized forward at 5-9 and 175-pounds. Think Petr Prucha but not as talented. The forward has skated in 390 career AHL games in five seasons with the Hamilton Bulldogs and Houston Aeros, registering 110g and 198a for 308 points, along with 251PIM.  Locke is a three-time AHL All-Star (2006, 2008 and 2009) and in 2007 led the Hamilton Bulldogs to the Calder Cup Championship, setting the franchise record for most points in a single postseason (22).

The Toronto, Ontario native was originally Montreal’s fourth round selection, 113^th overall, in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.