Day: September 18, 2018

The Rangers are projected to go into their second pre-season game with a significantly different roster from last night’s opening preseason victory against the Devils.  Tony DeAngelo and Pavel Buchnevich get their second games, while eighteen players will see their first action of the preseason.

The players to miss out include forward invitee Bobby Butler and veteran Mats Zuccarello along with defensemen Chris Bigras, Brandon Crawley, Kevin Shattenkirk and the recently acquired Adam McQuaid.

Per Larry Brooks of the New York Post, Cristoval Nieves (aka “Boo”) has been diagnosed with a concussion following last night’s hit from Eric Gryba of the New Jersey Devils.  The injury almost certainly eliminates Nieves from contention for a roster spot on Opening Night, something that was a relatively longshot anyway.

This isn’t the first concussion for Nieves, he’s had at least two prior, to go along with a bout of food poisoning after his first NHL call-up and a hip injury as well.

With camp just in it’s fourth day, the Rangers coaching staff have made their first cuts, trimming the roster from 52 to 45.  With five preseason games remaining, the Rangers will need to cut at least 21 more players before the opening day rosters are set.

Of the eight cut today, three were netminders who were not projected to be in the mix for the final roster.  PTO Jeremy Brodeur, who joined the team for the Traverse City propsects tourney was let go, while the injured Brandon Halverson and former Free Agent signing Chris Nell will join Hartford early.