RECALLED AGAIN 

According to the AHL transaction wire has three moves being made by your New York Rangers that will be affecting the Connecticut Whale this upcoming week.

As we mentioned in our game story, Tyler Donati has been recalled from Elmira, and the following moves have also been done.

Evgeny Grachev (C) CT         DEL Recalled from loan by N.Y. Rangers (NHL)

Kris Newbury (C) CT          DEL Recalled from loan by N.Y. Rangers (NHL)

Michael Del Zotto (D) CT          DEL Recalled from loan by N.Y. Rangers (NHL)

So of the five players sent back Chad Kolarik and Brodie Dupont remain in Hartford while the rest go back for more time in the Big Apple.

Grachev is not a surprise. He is playing far superior hockey and deserves the chance. One of the key indicators, and you can go back to any of the real good players that have been recalled, is when you’re dominating at the AHL level you will get your shot at the next.

Grachev has 7g and an assist in his last 6 games. He’s playing with more authority and has earned this call-up.

There was almost no doubt that Kris Newbury was going up. He’s been strong defensively on the forth line in New York and has been winning face-offs. At age 28 it’s now or never for the Brampton, Ontario native who turns 29 on February 19th. What is going to be interesting moving forward is what the Rangers do with their captain. Does Drury get exiled to the press box, and what future does he have with this team?

Kolarik and Dupont have just not played all that well since being returned to Hartford and neither looks like they are headed back any time soon.

Here’s the official release:

NEW YORK RANGERS TRANSACTION UPDATE

New York, NY – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that defenseman Michael Del Zotto, and forwards Kris Newbury and Evgeny Grachev have been recalled from the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Del Zotto, 20, has registered seven assists in 10 games with Connecticut this season.  He is tied for second among Whale defensemen in assists and third in points.  Del Zotto recorded a four-game assist streak from January 15 vs. Providence to January 22 at Springfield, tallying five assists over the span.  He recorded two assists vs. Hamilton on January 21, and registered one assist and a plus-four rating vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on January 16.  He recorded an assist in his AHL debut on January 5 at Worcester.  Del Zotto returns to the Rangers where he has registered two goals and seven assists, along with 14 penalty minutes in 37 games this season.  Five of his nine points were recorded on the power play, and he ranks fourth on the team with 60 blocked shots.  Del Zotto made his 100th career NHL appearance at Colorado on November 19.

The Stouffville, Ontario native was originally the Rangers’ first round selection, 20th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Newbury, 28, tallied a power play assist in yesterday’s 3-2 loss vs. Portland, and has registered five goals and 31 assists for 36 points, along with 91 penalty minutes in 43 games with Connecticut this season.  He is tied for sixth in the AHL in assists.  He also leads the team in assists, ranks second in points and fourth in penalty minutes.  Newbury has registered a team-high, 10 multi-point performances this season, including two separate streaks of three games with multiple points – November 13 vs. Springfield to November 19 at Springfield (six assists), and December 3 at Providence to December 11 vs. Manchester (one goal, six assists).  The 5-11, 213-pounder established a career-high with an eight-game assist streak from November 28 vs. Adirondack to December 17 vs. Worcester, recording three goals and 12 assists over the span.  Newbury returns to the Rangers where he has registered one assist and 33 penalty minutes in seven games this season.  He made his Rangers debut at Montreal on January 15, and recorded his first point as a Ranger with the primary assist on the game-tying goal in a 3-2 shootout win at Atlanta on January 22.

The Brampton, Ontario native was originally San Jose’s fifth round pick, 139th overall, in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.  He was acquired by the Rangers from Detroit in exchange for forward Jordan Owens on March 3, 2010.

Grachev, 20, registered one goal in a 4-2 loss vs. Manchester on Friday, marking his fourth consecutive AHL game with a goal (seven goals) and fifth straight game with a point (seven goals, one assist) dating back to January 15 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.  He has registered 13 goals and six assists for 19 points, along with 12 penalty minutes and  a plus-eight rating in 42 games with Connecticut this season.  He is tied for second on the team in goals, while his plus-eight rating leads all team forwards and ranks second on the Whale.  He is also tied for fifth on the team with three power play goals.  Grachev registered his first professional hat trick in a 5-1 win at Springfield on January 22.  He returns to the Rangers where he has skated in eight games this season, making his NHL debut vs. Carolina on October 29.

The Khabarovsk, Russia native was originally the Rangers’ third round selection, 75th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

The Rangers’ practice schedule for tomorrow, January 31, is 2:00 p.m. at the MSG Training Center.

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