New York Rangers News: Rangers Assign Brendan Bell To AHL, Scott Stajcer To OHL

The New York Rangers have assigned defenseman Brendan Bell to the Connecticut Whale, and goaltender Scott Stajcer to the Owen Sound (OHL). 

Bell, who did not dress in either of the Rangers' two regular season games in Europe, was brought in this summer to add some depth to New York's defensive corps. Even though Bell was brought in as a depth signing, John Tortorella elected to play rookie Tim Erixon over both Bell and Stu Bickel against the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings.

Official New York Rangers' press release after the jump. 

NEW YORK RANGERS TRANSACTION UPDATE
Brendan Bell Assigned to Connecticut; Scott Stajcer Returned to Owen Sound (OHL)
       
New York, October 9, 2011 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that defenseman Brendan Bell has been assigned to the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL), and goaltender Scott Stajcer has been returned to Owen Sound of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

Bell, 28, did not dress in the Rangers two games at the 2011 Compuware NHL Premiere in Stockholm, Sweden.  He registered one goal and two assists, along with a plus-three rating in five preseason contests.  Bell ranked second among team defensemen in preseason scoring with three points and led the Rangers with a plus-three rating.  Bell notched the game-winning goal with 3:04 remaining in regulation, and added an assist on September 23 at New Jersey.

The 6-2, 205-pounder tallied two goals and nine assists for 11 points, along with 14 penalty minutes in 29 games with EHC Biel of the Swiss National League-A last season.  He led all team defensemen in assists and points, and tied for third on the team overall with a plus-two rating.  Bell also skated in one contest with Omsk Avangard of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), recording two assists in his only appearance.

The Ottawa, Ontario native was signed by the Rangers as a free agent on August 9, 2011.  He was originally selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the third round, 65th overall, in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

Stajcer, 20, did not dress in the Rangers two games at the 2011 Compuware NHL Premiere in Stockholm, Sweden.  He returns to Owen Sound where he captured the OHL Championship last season, and participated in the 2011 CHL Memorial Cup in Mississauga, Ontario.  Stajcer led the Attack and ranked fourth in the OHL with a career- high, eight playoff wins, posting an 8-4-0 mark with a 2.79 goals against average and a .909 save percentage in 13 postseason contests.  He ranked fifth in the league in playoff minutes played (688), sixth in saves (321), seventh in goals against average, and eighth in save percentage during the playoffs.  The 6-3, 195-pounder posted a 10-3-0 record with a career-best, 2.99 goals against average, a .901 save percentage and one shutout in 14 games with Owen Sound during the regular season.  He missed 50 games due to a lower body injury suffered on November 20 vs. Mississauga.

The Cambridge, Ontario native was originally selected by the Rangers in the fifth round, 140th overall, in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.