The Rangers’ roster picture got a little clearer on Wednesday, with the club sending Jacob Battaglia, Brody Lamb, Dylan Roobroeck and Callum Tung to the Hartford Wolf Pack. Spencer Martin also headed to Hartford after clearing waivers.
Battaglia, Lamb, Martin, Roobroeck and Tung were all listed in the Rangers’ announcement of the assignments.
Martin clearing waivers was expected, and his situation now ties into the backup goaltending competition still unfolding with New York. Tung, the only Rangers goaltender who did not appear in a preseason game, is in a similar spot as the club sorts out whether a third netminder will be part of the crease rotation in Hartford this season.
Among the forwards, Roobroeck was the only one of the group to get into both preseason games. He followed a strong rookie camp that included a goal and finished the preseason slate with a +1 rating, one shot on goal, one blocked shot, three hits and 29:05 of ice time over two games.
Battaglia and Lamb each played in the first preseason game. Battaglia finished with one shot on goal and one block, while Lamb posted an assist and a -2 rating.
The three forwards are expected to be key pieces for Hartford this season. Roobroeck is entering his third full year of pro hockey, while Battaglia and Lamb are both set to begin their rookie seasons. Lamb also logged 15 games with Hartford after the NCAA season ended, putting up four goals and five assists for nine points.
The Rangers are likely to continue trimming the roster by the weekend. They have two more preseason games left, tonight and tomorrow night, while the Wolf Pack open their season Saturday night in Pennsylvania against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
In Other News...
Rangers Roster Crunch Could Cost Them A Young Player They Like
The roster trim is underway at Madison Square Garden, with the Rangers moving into the waiver portion of their preseason cutdown ahead of the September 28 deadline. Five players have already been waived and cleared, and goalie Spencer Martin is currently on waivers as the club works through the usual late-summer sorting that comes with a crowded camp and a few tough decisions.
What makes this stretch a little more delicate is that not every player exposed would be likely to slip through untouched. Based on speculation from scouts and an NHL agent, Matt Rempe, Scott Morrow and Dylan Garand are the names most often mentioned as potential targets if the Rangers end up putting them on waivers, which gives the final phase of the cutdown a little extra tension for a team trying to keep its depth intact. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Are Taking A Real Risk With Gabe Perreaults Next Deal
The Rangers decision not to push for a Gabe Perreault extension before the Sept. 16 deadline fits the way NHL teams often handle a young player with plenty still to prove. Per The Athletic, there was less urgency to get something done early because Perreault is not in offer-sheet territory under the current rules, which gave New York the breathing room to simply watch how his game develops over the upcoming season.
That patience could come with a price if Perreault takes the next step the organization believes he can. A strong year would only strengthen his leverage the next time the Rangers sit down at the negotiating table, and the early signs suggest he could be in a position to matter right away in a big role. The question now is whether New Yorks wait-and-see approach saves money, or just delays a much larger conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Roster Battle Is Starting To Get Real In Preseason
Seven players got their first preseason look for the Rangers against the Devils at Madison Square Garden, a night that offered a clearer picture of how the roster is taking shape as camp winds down. The forwards projected to be regulars were in the mix, and the lineup felt closer to the one New York expects to roll out when the games start to matter, giving the coaching staff one more chance to sort out the edges of the roster.
The most interesting edge may be in goal, where the backup role remains unsettled behind Igor Shesterkin. Joonas Korpisalo, acquired from the Bruins this summer, is making his preseason debut and is in the mix with Dylan Garand for the No. 2 job, one of the few spots still carrying real suspense. The Rangers are set to lean into that process again in Fridays preseason finale against the Islanders, when they plan to use what should be their opening-night lineup. [Read more 🡒]