Young Left Wing a Surprise Addition to Rangers' Roster
The Rangers will start the N.H.L. season Thursday in St. Louis with at least one unexpected newcomer in their lineup: the 19-year-old left wing Anthony Duclair.
He made the roster with a strong training camp, netting three goals.
'He's got an N.H.L. skill set, the hands, the speed, the thinking with the puck,' Rangers Coach Alain Vigneault said. 'It's there. Now can that continue when the season starts against full N.H.L. lineups and full N.H.L. pace and intensity? He's going to get a chance to prove that. So far, he's earned the right to start with us.'
Rosters will not be official until 5 p.m. Tuesday, but when the Rangers traded the minor leaguers Steven Kampfer and Andrew Yogan to the Florida Panthers on Monday for forward Joey Crabb, it opened a roster spot for Duclair, a third-round pick by the Rangers in 2013. A native of Montreal, Duclair scored 50 goals for the junior Quebec Remparts last season.
If Duclair plays fewer than 10 games with the Rangers, he can be returned to his junior team without the Rangers using a year of his entry-level contract. He will probably skate on a line centered by the 21-year-old J. T. Miller, with the veteran Lee Stempniak on right wing.
The Rangers placed center Derek Stepan, who broke his left fibula during training camp, on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least the first 10 games of the season. That enables the Rangers to carry 14 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders on the opening-night roster.
Vigneault also praised the rookie forward Jesper Fast, who also scored three goals during the preseason. Fast, 22, played 11 games without a point for the Rangers last season.
'He's been one of most consistent players in training camp,' Vigneault said. 'He just comes to work and does what he has to do.'
Matt Hunwick, a veteran of almost 300 N.H.L. games, made the team as the seventh defenseman.
The Rangers assigned defenseman Dylan McIlrath and forwards Oscar Lindberg, Marek Hrivik and Ryan Haggerty to Hartford of the American Hockey League. Defenseman Michael Kostka, forward Matthew Lombardi and goaltender Cedrick Desjardins cleared waivers and were also sent to Hartford.
Center Chris Mueller was placed on waivers. The rookie forward Kevin Hayes, who is nursing a sore shoulder, could be placed on injured reserve to reduce the roster to the required 23 if Mueller is not claimed by another team by noon on Tuesday.
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