Ranger Rumblings: A new team for Libor Hajek & Lundqvist’s future

News of the New York Rangers and the NHL

A quiet day for the New York Rangers with the only news regarding defenseman Libor Hajek.  Hajek is one of the many NHL prospects who will be playing in Europe while the next NHL season sits in limbo.   He had been reported to be joining HC Kometa Brno in the Czech Extraliga.  Now, it appears he will be playing for HC Olomouc (as reported by prohockeyrumors.com).

In a lengthy interview on iSport Hajek spoke about the change and reflected on his season in North America.   He revealed that he had damaged ligaments in his knee and has been working with a personal trainer in the Czech Republic since the Rangers were eliminated in the Qualifier.

In an interesting note, an early version of the interview contained a nugget about Henrik Lundqvist.  Hajek said that Henrik Lundqvist had bid his teammates farewell after the Qualifier loss, saying that he told his teammates it was his last match and he didn’t know if he would be bought out or go elsewhere.

That question and answer is not in the current version of the story online.

HC Olomouc is not as strong a team as HC Kometa and from the interview, it appears that Hajek will get plenty of ice time. The Czech Extraliga season will start this Friday.

Hajek is expected to contend for a starting job on the Rangers when training camp begins.  Hampered by injuries, he appeared in 28 games for the Blueshirts and was not recalled for good from Hartford after he recovered from his injury.  He was added to the Rangers “bubble” roster for the Stanley Cup Qualifier as the seventh defenseman, but saw no action in the three game sweep.

Hajek last played in the Czech league as a 17 year old as he played his junior hockey in Canada for the Saskatoon Blades.   The 22-year old Hajek is in the last year of his Entry Level Contract.  This opportunity can only be a positive for Hajek as he will get to play meaningful minutes while hockey in North America remains in limbo.

Trades and signings

Take Joel Edmundson off your list of defensemen the Rangers would be interested in.  Acquired by the Montreal Canadiens in advance of the free agency window, he signed a four year $14 million contract with an Average Annual Value (AAV) of $3.5 million.

Edmundson is coming off the best offensive year of his career for the Carolina Hurricanes.  He scored seven goals and added 13 assists in 68 games.  Every signing like this raises the bar for what Tony DeAngelo will be looking for when he negotiates his new deal with the Rangers. DeAngelo finished with 15 goals and 38 assists, though Edmundson is considered the better defender.  A $3.5 million payday to Edmundson confirms that a salary north of $5 million to DeAngelo is in the ballpark.

The Buffalo Sabres traded Marcus Johansson to the Minnesota Wild for Eric Staal in an exchange of centers.  For the Sabres it’s a desire to reunite Staal and Jeff Skinner who played together in Carolina.  Johansson is almost six years younger than Staal and both players are free agents after next season.

With Nick Bjugstad swapped from Pittsburgh to Minnesota, that makes three centers trraded in a week.  If the Rangers are looking for someone to take Ryan Strome, the market is getting tighter.