Camp Opens With Sixty

Training Camp gets under way tomorrow with players reporting to the Rangers facilities in Greenburgh, NY for their physicals, before hitting the ice for the first time on Thursday.  In all, sixty players have been invited to camp, with all contracted players expected to attend.

With COVID still a prominent factor, those prospects set to play in Europe this season have not made the trip – with the exception of Karl Henriksson, who will attend training camp before heading back to Europe.  Also missing are several players set to play in the NCAA this Fall.  With NCAA rules as they are, players typically playing in the US College Division 1 Hockey are typically not at camp, mainly as a result of their enforced amateur status.

The Camp roster will however include, six players who have signed contracts to play for Hartford this year.  The six AHL contracted players are: Zach Berzolla Tanner Fritz Zach Giuttari Michael O’Leary James Sanchez Alex Whelan

With few prospects in town, the number of unsigned Rangers attending Training Camp number just six: Talyn Boyko Dylan Garand Jayden Grubbe Ryder Korczak Matthew Rempe Evan Vierling

Also veteran number choices were revealed, and a couple of others that look like they might be set for the start of the season.  While rookie players commonly will change their number if they make the team, this set is probably pretty accurate:

5 – Jarred Tinordi 
12 – Patrik Nemeth 
14 – Greg McKegg (reclaimed after one year out of organization)
15 – Julien Gauthier (switched from 12)
21 – Barclay Goodrow 
29 – Dryden Hunt 
64 – Nils Lundkvist (could change if and when he makes the team)
75 – Ryan Reaves 
91 – Sammy Blais

In all 36 forwards, 17 defensemen and 7 netminders will attend.  The maximum number the team can carry at the end of camp will be 23.  We already know that 4 forwards and 2 defensemen will head to Hartford, and Karl Henriksson will return to Sweden.  In addition, it’s expected that all six of the unsigned prospects will return to their CHL teams, which leaves us with 24 players who will need to be cut.

Many of the cuts are obvious, with the likes of Jake Elmer, Anthony Greco, Anthony Bitetto and the goalie pair of Adam Huska and Tyler Wall all heading down.  The interesting decisions will come late in camp, particularly focusing on the likes of Morgan Barron and the last defensive spot that will likely see competition between Nils Lundkvist, Braden Schneider and Zac Jones.

Veterans Jarred Tinordi, Dryden Hunt and Greg Mckegg will likely occupy at least two of the three reserve spots if the Rangers go the full quota of players, with Julien Gauthier likely to miss out.

Injuries and trades are still a factor before the final rosters are set around October 9th, so the exact make-up of the team remains to be seen.