Ranger rooks may make a Fast rise
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil are each being given a chance to compete for an NHL roster spot out of training camp, and with Jesper Fast set to miss the first several weeks of the regular season as he works his way back from hip surgery, it’s possible both of the Rangers’ first-round picks from the June draft can make the openingnight roster.
“I think that because Jesper is not gonna start, I would say there is a possibility that they both could be here at the start,” Alain Vigneault said Friday of the pair of 18-year-olds before the Rangers lost 2-1 to the Islanders here, where the Isles’ AHL affiliate plays. “Their play will decide that, but both of them have been playing well. But there are some other guys — and I don’t want to get into naming names — but there are some other guys also that have caught my attention up front.”
Chytil played for the second straight game after scoring the overtime winner Wednesday against the Devils and assisted on Vinny Lettieri’s goal. Andersson did not dress after playing each of the first two games. Each can play in a maximum of nine NHL games without burning the first year of their entry-level contracts. The Rangers’ 10th game is on Oct. 23.
Vigneault did allow it’s a “safe bet” to say Cristoval ‘Boo’ Nieves is among a group of two or three additional players in the mix for one of the final opening-night forward spots. Nieves, 23, played his first full professional season last year and was someone Vigneault talked up before the start of last season. Nieves played one NHL game last season, making his debut on Nov. 15 in Vancouver.
“Big, strong, good skater, plays in the middle. So he is definitely in that mix of guys right now that we’re looking at,” Vigneault said. “A guy that can kill penalties. In the roles that we have that are available, that’s one of the areas that we’re looking at — penalty killers and guys that can come in and help us in that area.”
Fast is doing “extremely well,” Vigneault said, and could be cleared for contact practices within the next two weeks. The winger, who underwent labral repair of his left hip, is on track for a late-October return.