New York Rangers: Some needed progress for the Wolf Pack

The Hartford roster

Adding the  trio of experienced AHL veterans will help the Wolf Pack that will be turning over much of its roster.  Gone from the 2018-19 team are goalies Brandon Halverson, Dustin Tokarski, Chris Nell and Marek Mazanec.  They are replaced by Shesterkin, McCollum and Huska.

On defense, the team lost John Gilmore, Rob O’Gara, Chris Bigras and Julius Bergman, all to free agency.  They will be replaced by LoVerde, Joey Keane, Tarmo Reunanen, Yegor Rykov and possibly Adam Fox and Brendan Smith.

There are a number of new forwards who will be playing in Hartford this season.  Jake Elmer and Patrick Newell were undrafted free agents signed by the Rangers.  Elmer. 20,  had a breakout offensive season in the WHL with 81 points in 68 games.   Newell, 23,  is a right wing who played with St. Cloud State last season, the top  ranked NCAA team in the country.  Newell was a Hobey Baker finalist and led St. Cloud State in scoring.

Hartford signed a trio of free agents forwards to AHL contracts at the end of the season.  Lewis Zerter-Gossage,  Ryan Dmowski and Nick Jones  all took part in the Rangers’ Prospect Training Camp in June.

Right winger Zerter-Gossage, 23,  was the team captain and top scorer for Harvard this season.  Dmowski is a 22-year old left winger who graduated from U.Mass-Lowell.  The Connecticut native had 23 points in 37 games, his best collegiate output.  Nick Jones,  is a center who just finished two excellent seasons at North Dakota.  The 23-year old showed off his stuff at the prospect camp.

Will we see any of these players on the ice at Madison Square Garden?   It’s likely that some prospects will start the season in the AHL before moving up.  Turning over the roster and improving the team  will help, but that’s why  the most important decision remains to be made and that is finding the right coach.