Hrivik Heads to New York

By Gerry Cantlon
Eurohockey.com

Marek Hrivik return to his native Slovakia has been delayed…yet again, but for the right reasons.

EHN exclusively reports, the undrafted 20 year old Slovak left winger who finished his overage junior hockey season with the Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) and then extended his spring playing with six goals in nine playoff games for the AHL Connecticut Whale eliminated by the Norfolk Admirals last Friday.

On Monday, Hrivik earned a surprise bonus at his end of the season exit interview—he was one of nine players sent to the New York Rangers to be a part of the emergency taxi squad, affectionally known in hockey circles as the "Black Aces" as the Rangers begin their NHL semifinal showdown with cross river rival the New Jersey Devils Monday night with a 3-0 win.

A truly amazing feat since he is technically only on an ATO (Amateur Tryout) contract signed only because they lost a  fellow rook Andrew Yogan to a knee injury and under the post season roster protection rules couldn't bring anybody else up from their Double AA affiliate Greenville Road Warriors (ECHL) .

Hrivik, is clearly a player with interest to the Rangers, but he has other suitors in the hockey marketplace.

"My agent is contact with the Rangers, but right now I haven't heard anything," said the Slovak winger.

In coming to play with the Whale, Hrivik wasn't just here to just pass the time and play a few more weeks it was with a sense of purpose.

"The plans is the Washington Capitals were going to invite me to training camp (in the fall) now I'm not sure how its gonna work out. It's been a great run with a great bunch of guys I had a lots of fun and I reached the highest level in the playoffs of my career in the American Hockey League. I hope I can get a chance to play here for the next couple years," said Hrivik whose Capitals plans could be detoured with surprise resignation Capitals interim head coach Dale Hunter on Monday afternoon.

He clearly wants to show the Rangers, Capitals and anybody else looking he can play and be effective.

"My approach was to show the coaches that I could play at the AHL level, of course I didn't have much before I was going home. I was going to make most out of it to help the team," remarked Hrivik who was paired with center Casey Wellman and fellow rookie J.T. Miller.

His head coach Ken Gernander was effusive in his praise on Hrivik's five weeks of play.

"It's kinda weird, you don't actually notice him till he does something. He does so many subtle things so well and doesn't make mistakes. He is always where he is suppose to be and then he makes a big play."

One play in particular stood out for him.

"He's is a real consistent player and you see him get a big goal down in the corner (meaning the left wing side in Game 3 of the first round sweep to Bridgeport) he had the courage to take the puck to the net and beat the defenseman wide. (He) goes about his business without a lot of flash and fanfare and (when) the opportune time he makes the big play for you," commented Gernander the 5th year head coach of the team.

EHN can also exclusively report Connecticut Whale winger Steve Moses has not signed a contract with Jokerit Helsinki of the Finnish Elite League.

"The contract is in the process (of being negotiated),but I haven't signed it. They (Jokerit Helsinki) have offered me a contract. We have made some agreements verbally. I have to speak with New York first to see what they want to do with me next season,' remarked Moses who played collegiately at the University of New Hampshire where Rangers pro scout saw him several times and very impressed with his play.

"I'm not under contract either (he played under an ATO contract that allowed him to play in the AHL) over the next several days or weeks will see what New York wants to do and if not, I will gladly play in Helsinki," said Moses who had two goals in eight regular season games.

He clearly is excited about his time with the Whale and member , "New York was very interested, so if I stay in North America it would be my first choice," said Moses who also had talks with several other teams prior to signing with the Whale.

The likelihood he would sign with Jokerit Helsinki increased as he was formally let go from his ATO contract as was forward Andrew Yogan.

Whale Swedish winger Andreas Thuresson is a restricted free agent denied reports he was considering returning to Sweden to play in the Elite League next season.

The other eight players who went with Hrivik were Swedish defenseman Tim Erixon, Chad Kolarik, center Kris Newbury, goalie Cam Talbot, fellow rookie forward Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, rookie J.T.Miller, rookie defenseman Dylan McIlrath and center Casey Wellman.

The team announced just six players being sent to New York as Hrivik and Marchessault are presently not contracted players to the organization yet and Kolarik has been on the Rangers roster since suffering his knee injury in training camp.

Russian defenseman Maxim Galanov, who played for the Hartford Wolf Pack in their initial season 15 years ago will continue to play next year in Russia's Vyassha League with Sokol Krasnoyarsk, a city was at the center of Cold War in its waning years, when the former USSR sought to place long range missiles and a radar station in the city.

Last season Galanov was in the VHL with Rubin Tyumen.

 

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