Rangers Recall Cole Beaudoin With Joe Veleno Headed to IR, Robertson Clears Waivers

On Monday, the New York Rangers placed Matthew Robertson on waivers, so we all knew a call-up was coming. As some of us anxiously awaited news of Robertson's fate, the Rangers officially placed Joe Veleno on injured reserve, making their intentions even clearer—they needed a center. Chris Feldman spelled out several options the team could have gone with, but the Rangers elected to recall newly acquired center prospect Cole Beaudoin after his hot start with the Hartford Wolf Pack.

You all know the story of Beaudoin by now. He's a former first-round pick who was part of the package the Rangers got in the Vincent Trocheck trade, and he's a hardworking, relentless center who plays with a physical edge and never gives up on a play or his teammates. What you may not know, however, is how incredible Beaudoin's start has been in Hartford. With one goal and four assists in two games, he leads the Wolf Pack in points and is a major reason why the team has won its first two games. Beaudoin is seemingly just as advertised.

For what it's worth, I may have been in the minority regarding all of this. Beaudoin's hot start is exciting, but staying in the AHL for several months to acclimate, focus on development, and get big minutes could be more beneficial. The way the Rangers have handled their roster management this year has been dubious at best. Yes, the stakes aren't that high. We're talking about losing a backup goaltender or a seventh defenseman, but still, they are mistakes. President and general manager Chris Drury's decisions have had a cascading effect that wasn't clearly foreseen, and that's a problem. Exposing a serviceable NHL defenseman to be claimed for nothing by another team just to have a player slot in for a few games is frustrating.

Putting my curmudgeonly and overly critical self aside, this is still exciting news. The best-case scenario is that Beaudoin comes in, does his thing, and forces his way into the lineup permanently. Even in the smallest snippets of his time in the AHL, it's clear the motor and desire are there. If he can make a remotely similar difference for the Rangers, the roster-management debacle could be lessened, and Veleno and his one-year contract could be pushed out. As the Rangers gear up to play the New York Islanders on Tuesday night, Beaudoin may make his NHL debut as early as that game. We'll learn more as game time approaches.