It's game time for the New York Rangers rookies.
The 22 hopefuls who've been on the ice at the MSG Training Center in Tarrytown, New York , will take the ice Friday night in Allentown, Pennsylvania, to face a similar group of Philadelphia Flyers youngsters in the first of two games this weekend. For most of those making the trip, it's a chance to leave a positive impression before heading back to the minors or their junior teams. But for some players, including 22-year-old defenseman Scott Morrow, it's an opportunity to show they're ready for a full-time role on Broadway.
Morrow, the biggest piece of the package that came from the Carolina Hurricanes in the K'Andre Miller trade on July 1, will be playing against the team he rooted for while growing up in Connecticut – the Flyers selected his dad in the 10th round of the 1987 NHL Draft, though Steve Morrow never got past the AHL. "No more Flyers shirts around the house," he joked when talking with the media Thursday.
The Hurricanes gave Morrow a 14-game callup late last season and used him for five games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs before sending him to New York. "It means a lot to me being from around here and getting a chance to play for the Rangers ," he said. "Thinking about potentially being in Madison Square Garden definitely just gave me that little extra one percent when I'm sucking it up in the workouts and stuff."
It's also a big weekend for forward Brennan Othmann, who's attending his fifth rookie camp. He's played 25 games with the Rangers, including 22 last season, but is still looking for his first NHL goal. The other player on the ice against the Flyers with NHL experience is forward Gabe Perreault, who was scoreless in five games in April after turning pro following his second season at Boston College.
The full rookie camp roster is here. The vets report next week.
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Former Rangers goaltender Alexandar Georgiev has a new home. The Buffalo Sabres signed Georgiev to a one-year contract worth $825,000. The 29-year-old got off to a slow start with the Colorado Avalanche last season and was traded to the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 9. Georgiev has a career 151-108-26 record with a .903 save percentage and 2.99 goals-against average split between the Rangers, Avs and Sharks.
Defenseman Andrej Sustr has joined the Rangers' training camp roster on a PTO, according to Frank Seravalli. The 34-year-old native of Czechia spent the last three seasons playing in Europe. He's the 19thc player to sign a PTO and the second with the Rangers, joining longtime Pittsburgh Penguins forward Conor Sheary .
Sportsnet:The NHL and NHLPA have agreed that the five players acquitted in the 2018 sexual assault trial will be suspended until Dec. 1, although they will have the opportunity to sign with NHL teams as soon as Oct. 15. Part of the agreement reportedly is that the players — Michael McLeod , Dillon Dube , Cal Foote , Alex Formenton and Carter Hart — have given up their right to appeal. The players were acquitted of all charges on July 24 after a two-month trial in London, Ontario. McLeod, Dube, Foote and Hart are unrestricted free agents. Formenton is an RFA whose NHL rights belong to the Ottawa Senators , but he signed last week to play for Ambrì-Piotta in the Swiss elite league.
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TSN: Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman says the team will continue to be patient as the talk about Connor McDavid 's next contract keeps getting louder. The 28-year-old superstar is entering the final season of an eight-year, $100 million contract and can become an unrestricted free agent next summer. He has yet to commit to a new deal with the Oil. Bowman told TSN's OverDrive this week that "we'll be patient, but he knows that we love having him here and want him to remain in Edmonton." Rest assured that if McDavid becomes a UFA, the Rangers will make a big pitch for him.
NHL.com:Matthew Schaefer, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, skated with the New York Islanders for the opening of rookie camp Thursday. The defenseman, who turned 18 six days ago, says he's equipped to prove why he belongs in the lineup when the Islanders open the season at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 9. The Rangers could see him when they host the Islanders in a preseason game on Sept. 25, and/or in a return meeting at UBS Arena on Sept. 29.
Winnipeg Free Press:There's probably no one happier to be back on the ice than Jonathan Toews. After two full seasons out of the NHL as he dealt with a number of health issues, the longtime Chicago Blackhawks captain is feeling good again as he skates with his new team, the Winnipeg Jets . The 37-year-old Winnipeg native is moving well and says he's confident with where his skating and conditioning are at.
The Athletic ($$):John Kelly will serve as the Los Angeles Kings' lead play-by-play broadcaster on their FanDuel Sports Network telecasts, filling the vacancy created by Nick Nickson's retirement. The 65-year-old son of legendary NHL broadcaster Dan Kelly most recently served as the longtime play-by-play broadcaster for the St. Louis Blues , but the team and FanDuel decided in July not to renew his contract and ended his long affiliation with the club.
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