NY’S LOSS IS CONNECTICUT’S GAIN

With Vinny Prospal returning to good health, the New York Rangers have sent center Kris Newbury back to the Connecticut Whale.

For Ken Gernander this means he has just about his full contingent of players back. The only ones who are still in New York that started the season with him on his roster are Mats Zuccarello, who’s highly unlikely to return, and Ryan McDonagh, who looks like he’s staying as well. Michael Del Zotto is also back with the big club. His future with the Blueshirts for the present though is still undetermined.

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 forward Kris Newbury has been assigned to the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Newbury, 28, has registered one assist and 35 penalty minutes in eight games with the Rangers this season.  He made his Rangers debut at Montreal on January 15, and recorded his first point as a Blueshirt with the primary assist on the game-tying goal in a 3-2 shootout win at Atlanta on January 22. He returns to Connecticut where he has registered five goals and 31 assists for 36 points, along with 91 penalty minutes in 43 games this season.  He is tied for sixth in the AHL in assists, and leads the Whale 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. 

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.