BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – The NHL trade deadline day on Monday has come and gone and the affects on the Hartford Wolf Pack were minimal with a few pieces overall having some Connecticut connection.
The parent New York Rangers locked up one-time Pack forward, Chris Kreider, to a seven-year at $6.5 million per which will take him under contract until he is 35-years-of-age. It keeps one of the Rangers’ best players from leaving as a UFA this summer.
Breaking up the team was averted as well. The Blueshirts are currently on a 7-1 run and find themselves just four points out of the second wild-card playoff spot. That too was a factor the Rangers kept in mind while deciding how to proceed.
But player-movement wasn’t the only thing that Rangers’ President, John Davidson had to share during his late-morning press conference at the Rangers’ training facility.
Davidson announced that rookie sensation, goaltender, Igor Shesterkin, and forward, Pavel Buchnevich, both former Wolf Pack players, were involved in a motor vehicle accident on Sunday night at 8:30 PM in Brooklyn. Shesterkin was driving the car (Mercedes Benz) when the other driver made a U-turn right in front of them. The airbags deployed and both players were wearing their seat belts, “Thankfully for that,” Davidson said. Both players were brought to the hospital
Buchenvich was “quite shaken up,” according to Davidson, but he suffered “no significant injuries and he’s listed as day-to-day.” Shesterkin, though, suffered a non-displaced rib fracture and was seen by team physicians and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Shesterkin has seemed to be able to stop everything that he’s faced in the net, but apparently his magic in stopping pucks doesn’t translate to stopping cars.
The Rangers utilized two of their four remaining CBA Permitted emergency recalls. They recalled their recently-acquired RW, Nicolas Gauthier, and center Brett Howden, which was a major surprise as he’s been in New York for two years.
Those recalls mean someone presently on the roster will either be in Maine or possibly part of the playoff Black Aces.
In other Blueshirts news, The Rangers are eying their 2017 sixth-round draft pick, Morgan Barron, who’s playing for the #1 nationally ranked Cornell Big Red. Barron has 32 points in 27 games. He rebuffed Pack General Manager and Rangers AGM, Chris Drury, last spring about leaving school early. Apparently, the push is back on.
A knowledgeable source says that Jed Ortmeyer, the Rangers Director of Player Development, has been to Lynah Arena in Ithaca, NY several times. In addition, the team is scouting his brother, Justin Barron, a legit prospect in his own right.
The younger Barron plays for the Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) where he had 17 points in 27 games in his second season of major junior but is presently injured. He developed a blood clot and has been held out of the lineup for nearly two months.
He might be a late-round sleeper like his brother before him.
Over the last few weeks, several sources reported that K’Andre Miller, currently at the University of Wisconsin (Big 10), the Rangers first-round pick in 2018, might leave after his sophomore season with the Badgers. It’ll be determined once the collegiate playoffs end. Miller has seven goals and 18 points in 32 games and is a minus-3.
Miller was the captain of the US WJC team that played in the Czech Republic.
Another defenseman, Nils Lundkvist, who had a strong training camp before being sent back to Europe as a result of the lack of roster space in Hartford.
Once the first place (92 points) Lulea HF (Sweden-SHL) season is completed with the LeMat trophy playoffs, which start next month, are concluded, Lundkvist will likely wind up in Hartford.
That move will require another roster spot to be opened. Lundkvist has six goals and 24 points in 37 games and is a plus-18 for the top team of the 14-team Swedish Hockey League. He also played big minutes for the Sweden WJC team back in early January.
The third player possibly on his way to Connecticut’s capital, could be Matt Robertson of Edmonton (WHL). The 6’4 defenseman in 54 games has registered 13 goals and 41 points. The Oil Kings have clinched a playoff ticket with 14 games left in their season and are in first place in the Central Division with 87 points. The team is second-best in the WHL behind Portland tied in points, but trail by percentage points.
A deep playoff run and possible Memorial Cup berth make it more likely Robertson will not be seen until training camp next season.
Two other trades yesterday involved former Quinnipiac University Bobcats.
Florida traded Vincent Trochek to Carolina for Erik Haula, Lucas Wallmark, Eatu Lustostarinen, and former Bobcat, Chase Priskie, who’s playing in Charlotte with the Checkers.
Priskie was reassigned to Springfield (AHL) as was Lustostarinen.
Montreal continued the housecleaning of veterans in Laval by dealing one-time Bobcat, Matthew Peca to Ottawa for Aaron Luchuk.
Sam Gagner, the son of former New Haven Nighthawk and Ranger, Dave Gagner, was sent from Edmonton to the Detroit Red Wings with a second-round pick from this year and next year (2021).
One of the last trades of the day involved a former UCONN player in a minor league deal.
Defenseman Miles Gendron, who was recently reassigned by Ottawa to Reading (ECHL) from Brampton (ECHL), was traded to Toronto for forward Nicolas Baptiste.
Gendron was then assigned by the Toronto Marlies to Newfoundland (St. John’s) (ECHL).
Brampton, Belleville, Reading, and St. John’s in one season, that’s a long season.
The Sound Tigers, Matt Lorito, who played for the Sound Tigers on Sunday in Bridgeport, was moved to Toronto for defenseman Jordan Schmaltz of the Marlies.
Former UCONN player Max Letunov was recalled by the San Jose Sharks.
Connor Clifton, another former Bobcat, was reassigned to Providence as a paper transaction to be on the P-Bruins playoff roster.
How about Springfield’s Anthony Greco who has gone from Springfield to Syracuse to San Jose in just one week!
