Rangers make first seven cuts of Training Camp

And then there were 48

The New York Rangers have announced that the team trimmed seven players from its training camp roster, bringing the number of players in camp down to 48.

Francois Brassard, Ryan Gropp, Tom McCollum, Ville Meskanen, and Ty Ronning have all been assigned to Training Camp with the Hartford Wolf Pack. Furthermore, Nico Gross and Hunter Skinner have been assigned to their junior teams in the OHL (the Oshawa Generals and the London Knights, respectively).

Gropp, 23, was the Rangers’ 41st overall pick in the 2015 Draft. He had 26 points in 61 games with the Wolf Pack last season and eight points in eight games with the ECHL’s Maine Mariners. Meskanen, 23, scored 12 goals and earned 22 assists with the Wolf Pack last year. The Rangers signed him as a free agent on May 3, 2018.

With Brassard and McCollum cut, there are now four goaltenders remaining in camp — Henrik Lundqvist, Igor Shesterkin, Alexandar Georgiev, and Adam Huska. There are also 27 forwards and 17 defensemen still in camp, so a great deal more cuts are coming. Note: Brendan Smith is listed among the team’s 17 defenseman.

The Rangers play their first preseason game this Wednesday against the New Jersey Devils at 7:00 p.m. ET.