Glenn Gawdin’s strong start in Hartford has earned him a shot with the big club.
The Rangers recalled the veteran forward on Tuesday after another productive night with the Hartford Wolf Pack, and he’ll head west with the team as they continue searching for answers at fourth-line center. In the corresponding move, Alberts Smits was placed on injured reserve.
Gawdin’s case has been building for a while. He picked up a goal and an assist in Tuesday morning’s game for Hartford - yes, the Wolf Pack were on the ice at 10:30 a.m. on a Tuesday - and he now sits tied for the team lead in scoring with 14 points in 16 games. His line so far: five goals and nine assists.
The Rangers have been trying to patch together the middle of the lineup ever since Joe Veleno went down. Justin Dowling got a look on the fourth line.
Luke Glendening got a PTO, then a one-year contract. Will Cuylle was tried at center.
Now it’s Gawdin’s turn.
Keegan Jarvis noted just how well Gawdin has fit in with Hartford this season, and the numbers back it up. He’s been one of the Wolf Pack’s most reliable producers, and the timing of this recall lines up with the Rangers’ continued search for stability down the middle.
Glendening, who handled fourth-line center duties Monday night in Edmonton, logged only 3:46 of ice time. The Rangers won’t make anything official until Wednesday, but there’s a strong chance Gawdin makes his NHL debut that night in Calgary, centering the fourth line.
In Other News...
Rangers Just Got A Telling Sign About One Goalies Readiness
The Rangers continued to shuffle pieces between New York and Hartford on Tuesday, recalling forward Jaroslav Chmelar from the Wolf Pack while sending Taylor Raddysh back the other way. The moves fit into the clubs ongoing roster management during Hartfords season-long road trip, a stretch that has turned the AHL affiliate into a constant waypoint for depth help and reinforcements.
Joonas Korpisalos latest assignment is the more notable one for the Rangers, since the veteran goaltender is now back with Hartford on a conditioning stint as he works his way back from a foot infection. For a team trying to keep its options open in goal, it is a useful checkpoint on Korpisalos readiness, even if the exact timeline for what comes next remains the part everyone will be watching. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Fans Just Got A Telling Wolf Pack Progress Report
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The result left Hartford with a 4-3-1-0 mark on the trip, which is the kind of stretch that can steady a group and keep it moving in the right direction. The matchup with Springfield is not going away for long, either, with the clubs set to see each other again at PeoplesBank Arena on Nov. 14 in the I-91 Rivalry game. [Read more 🡒]
J.T. Miller Just Put Rangers Fans On Notice About His Slump
J.T. Miller did not try to hide from the conversation after the Rangers 3-1 loss to Edmonton, acknowledging that his scoring has not come easily this season. The captain has four goals and nine assists through 19 games, and the dip in his finishing has stood out because his shot volume has been quiet in most nights, a notable change from the pace he has usually brought to New Yorks attack.
Millers frustration showed up in the game itself, too, as his night ended with a 10-minute misconduct after a retaliatory slash. For a Rangers team still looking for more consistent offense from its top players, Millers slump is becoming more than a short-term concern, especially with the way his production has trailed off compared with previous seasons. [Read more 🡒]