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| (New York Rangers) |
It is a rather strange set of circumstances as the entire NHL appears to be bracing for Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to decide what they will do before anybody else will make any moves. It would be almost comical if Parise winds up re-signing with the Devils after all.
The Rangers with each passing day are finding themselves with bigger and bigger holes in Hartford, then they are with the Rangers. Bruce Berlet reported that Jonathan Audy-Marchessault who tied for the scoring lead on the Whale last season left to sign a contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
But as an unrestricted free agent, the 5-foot-9, 175-pound Audy-Marchessault could pick his next destination and decided to sign with the Blue Jackets. In Columbus, he’ll be battling Greenwich native and fellow AHL All-Star Cam Atkinson, who had seven goals and seven assists in 27 games with the Blue Jackets and 29 goals and 15 assists in 51 games with the Falcons last season.
“I haven’t spoken to (Audy-Marchessault),” Gernander said. “We tried reaching out to him and was given a very good offer, and I don’t know what his reasoning for going elsewhere would be. But that’s his prerogative, and he’s left so he’s no longer part of the fold.”
One has to wonder just how much Mats Zuccarello's decision to leave the Rangers played a part in Audy-Marchessault's decision. It is fair to ask the question because like Mats Zuccarello, Jonathan Audy-Marchessault was a smaller player.
Or the more logical explanation had to be when it came to opportunities, Jonathan Audy-Marchessault must've felt that his road to the NHL would be better with Columbus then it would have been with the Rangers.
Hartford has lost so far an assistant coach, a goalie and three players for sure with the possibility of losing several more. Hartford right now is looking like it's going to be a very young team next year will so don't be surprised if you see what you might think are questionable signings, but are actually intended to help Hartford instead.
Say goodbye to the Wookie and the Doughboy
The Rangers watched Jeff Woywitka leave as he chose to return to the St. Louis Blues on a two-way contract. Woywitka just never could find a role for himself on the Rangers.
It's not the fault of either player or franchise because these things happen all the time and in the end all you can do is wish the Wookie "Good Luck." On the other hand, John Scott as big as he was; nobody missed when he left to go sign with Buffalo.
Scott, we hate to say it showed up out of shape and unable to handle John Tortorella's system. It's easy to blame Glen Sather, but honestly in my eyes. I blame the player more than I do the team.
Maybe they need to have a rule where players have to pass a physical before trade can be made official. Scott was out of shape and the Rangers out a 2012 fifth-round pick.
Pay For Play
Once again an accusations being made that a CHL team is trying to lure a NCAA hockey recruit was under the table payments. Just once I would like to see somebody show the proof of these payments.
After all, you would think, given all the experience that NCAA schools have in paying their athletes under the table that they would be able to prove how it's being done at the CHL level.
I'm not saying that the Canadian juniors are perfect, but I understand why a lot of these 18-year-old kids decide to turn their backs on college hockey. Case in point J.T. Miller once he signed his contract with the New York Rangers was allowed to keep his signing bonus something he never would've been able to do at North Dakota.
Everybody goes it is "the value of the education" but yet it is quite all right for US colleges to make millions off the blood and sweat of their athletes.
US College Hockey and its supporters will claim that it's okay for certain schools to band together in order to form these "mega-conferences"but that's not about the money.
Anyone care to bet on that?
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