BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – Training camp for the New York Rangers and Hartford Wolf Pack opens with a few early week moves.
The Rangers added another defenseman to the crowded field by adding Matt Bartowski, who played last year for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He will replace Nils Lundkvist, who had his wish granted as the team traded the disgruntled Swede to the Dallas Stars for a top-10 protected 2023 first-round pick. Instead, that pick could become an unprotected 2024 pick. The Rangers also received a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick, and it could become a third-rounder if Lundkvist records 55 points over the next two seasons.
GM Chris Drury ran a hard bargain trying to get some value back for the 2018 late first-rounder, so his price tag was too steep for many teams except Dallas.
Lundkvist’s agent is former NHL’er and Drury teammate Claude Lemieux.
In other moves, goalie Tyler Wall, who has never had the confidence of the players and coaching staff for the last two years, signed with the Philadelphia Flyers organization. It’s safe to assume he will be in either Lehigh Valley with the Phantoms or in Reading with the ECHL Royals.
The Flyers also signed a former Ranger/Wolf Pack centerman from Russia, Artem Anisimov.
Just Matt Lorito, an ex-Bridgeport Sound Tiger from last year’s team, has not declared where he’ll play this year.
Ex-Wolf Pack, Gabriel Fontaine from the Colorado Eagles signs with Lukko Rauma (Finland -FEL).
Goalie Callum Booth (Salisbury Prep) leaves the Boston organization and signs with Seattle. Expect him to be with either Coachella Valley (AHL) or Kansas City (ECHL) this season.
Two different Trinty College (NESCAC) era grads will play in the Hong Kong-based short-season league CIHL next year.
Cole Poliziani, the son of the former Yale player and coach Dan Poliziani and a former Salisbury School player, signs with the Hong Kong Tycoons. So, after nine years with the South China Sharks, they will play for the Macau Aces.
Two more D3 players signed in Europe, raising the number of signees to 52.
