Blue Line Station
Fansided

A tale of 15 Ranger rookies

By Steve Paulus

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 31: Filip Chytil #72, Tony DeAngelo #77, and Alexandar Georgiev #40 of the New York Rangers celebrate after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 on March 31, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 31: Filip Chytil #72, Tony DeAngelo #77, and Alexandar Georgiev #40 of the New York Rangers celebrate after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 on March 31, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 03: Boo Nieves #24 of the New York Rangers looks on during a face-off against the Ottawa Senators at Madison Square Garden on April 3, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 03: Boo Nieves #24 of the New York Rangers looks on during a face-off against the Ottawa Senators at Madison Square Garden on April 3, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Time running out

Lias Andersson – No  need to talk much about him.  He’s playing in Sweden in the SHL after scoring nine points in 66 games and frequent trips between Hartford and New  York.

Boo Nieves – Nieves has been up and down with the Blueshirts since the 2016-17 season.  His rookie season was the next when he played 28 games in 2017-18,   scoring one goal and adding nine points.  Ironically, he spent most of the back half of the season in the minors while the rebuild kicked in.

In his sophomore campaign last season, he played 43 games or the Rangers, earning a contract extension, but this season has been in Hartford except for four games.   A productive player whenever he has been called up, Nieves seems to be slipping on the depth chart and has only five goals this season with the Wolf Pack.

Steven Fogarty – Believe it or not, Fogarty has had brief stops in New York for three straight seasons. He played on game at the end of the 2017-18 season and 10 games last season.  Since he has turned 26 he is not longer an NHL rookie.  A proven AHL scorer, the jury is out if he has any future in the NHL.

Tim Gettinger – A fifth round draft pick, Gettinger saw his first action last season going scoreless in four games.  He saw action in two games this season and picked up his first NHL point, an assist.   One of the biggest players on the Rangers roster, the 21-year old Gettinger is like Fogarty, seemingly destined to play for Hartford, not good enough to play for a non-playoff team like the Rangers.

Vinni Lettieri – Lettieri made his rookie debut under Alain Vigneault in 2017-18, playing 19 games, scoring one goal and five points.  He must have impressed new coach David Quinn with his “shoot first” style and he made the team out of training camp last season.

After scoring only one goal in 27 games and seeing his ice time dwindle, he has been in Hartford ever since.  Selected to play in the AHL All-Star game this year, he’s another proven AHL scorer waiting for another NHL opportunity.   At age 24, it just may not come in New York.

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