Hrivik Signs NHL Deal With the New York Rangers

By Gerry Cantlon
Eurohockey.com

Marek Hrivik had been contemplating an offer from the Washington Capitals for training camp as an unsigned player,but now he will be heading off Rye, New York for Rangers training camp and will likely be in Hartford with the AHL Connecticut Whale to start next season.

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 which the Devils won in six games.

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

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 was 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 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 at the end of the season and will now seek to further that goal.

He clearly wanted 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 with the Connecticut Whale 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 during their first round playoff sweep over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

"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 who lost in six games in the second round against current Calder Cup finalist Norfolk Admirals.

The Rangers also dipped into Europe to sign another forward 2010 draft pick Jesper Fasth yesterday.

Fasth, 20, skated in 21 games with HV71 of the Swedish Elite League (Elitserien) this season, registering five goals and 11 assists for 16 points, along with four penalty minutes and a plus-nine rating.  He established a career-high in assists and plus-minus rating, and tied his career-high in points despite missing three months with a fractured ankle suffered on November 29 in a game with Brynäs IF.

Fasth posted three multi-point performances during the season, including a career-high four assists and five points on October 4 at AIK.  He registered 10 points in six games from October 4 at AIK to October 20 at Frolunda, tallying one goal and nine assists over the span.  Fast also recorded two goals and one assist in five playoff games with HV71.

Fasth was selected by the Rangers as a sixth round choice, 157th overall, in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Notes: Yet another AHL veteran in Jason Williams who played with the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins is off to Europe signing with HC Ambri Piotta in the Switzerland A League and one time Vienna Austrian and one time AHL player Pascal Rheaume has been named an assistant coach with the QMJHL expansion team the Sherbrooke Phoenix. Rheaume played in the Sherbrooke in juniors when the team was called the Faucons.    

 

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