New York Rangers News: Jesper Fast and J.T. Miller Assigned To Hartford; Chris Mueller Recalled
The New York Rangers have assigned Jesper Fast and J.T. Miller to the Hartford Wolfpack, while also recalling Chris Mueller.
According to an official team release, the New York Rangers have assigned Jesper Fast and J.T. Miller to the Hartford Wolfpack, while also recalling Chris Mueller. Both Fast and Miller have been healthy scratches for the last two games against the New York Islanders, and Carolina Hurricanes, where they were replaced by Kevin Hayes and Ryan Malone.
This move is a little confusing in the sense that Jesper Fast has been so much better than Tanner Glass, yet Glass continues to remain in the lineup. As far as Miller goes, he had an outstanding preseason campaign, and appeared ready to take over a full time role in the NHL. However, with the recent play of Kevin Hayes, his role appears to have diminished, and they want him to get some extra time in Hartford. It is a bit concerning to see Miller struggle to crack the lineup, especially with the Rangers missing Derek Stepan. Miller was considered a "lock" coming out of preseason, but that obviously isn't the case any longer.
As mentioned above, the Rangers have also recalled Chris Mueller, which pretty much spells the end of the Martin St. Louis center experiment. Mueller also had a very impressive training camp, and was one the final cuts Alain Vigneault made prior to finalizing his roster. He will likely see some power play time as well, as that was considered one of his strong points during his preseason appearances.
With the recent moves, it appears as if the centers for Sunday's game against the San Jose Sharks will consist of Derick Brassard, Kevin Hayes, Chris Mueller, and Dominic Moore. We'll continue to update any further information as it becomes available.
Thoughts?