Prospect Report: 11.19.18

Three Stars of the Week

Emerging From the Pack

• Boo Nievesregistered five points (two goals, three assists) in Hartford's three games during the week. The Rangers' second round pick (59th overall) in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft tallied two points (one goal, one assist) and posted a plus-one rating on Nov. 14 vs. Bridgeport, and he registered three points (one goal, two assists) and was selected as the game's First Star on Nov. 17 vs. Utica. Nieves made his season debut with the Wolf Pack on Nov. 10 and he has skated in four games with Hartford in 2018-19. He established AHL career-highs in goals (eight), assists (13), and points (21) with Hartford last season.
• John Gilmourrecorded an assist/point in each of Hartford's three games during the week, and he tallied five points (two goals, three assists) and posted a plus-three rating in the three contests. He registered three points (two goals, one assist), including an assist on the game-winning goal in overtime, and posted a plus-two rating on Nov. 14 vs. Bridgeport. Gilmour currently has a four-game assist/point streak (two goals, four assists), and he has registered 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 19 games with Hartford this season. He is tied for fifth among AHL defensemen in goals and is tied for 10th among AHL defensemen in points in 2018-19, and he also leads Wolf Pack defensemen in both categories thus far this season.
• Tim Gettingerrecorded two points (one goal, one assist) on Nov. 17 vs. Utica. The Rangers' fifth round pick (141st overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft has tallied a goal/point in three of the last five games (three goals, one assist). In addition, Gettinger has recorded a point in six of the last 10 games (four goals, three assists over the span), and he has registered 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in 19 games with the Wolf Pack this season. Gettinger is tied for the team lead in goals and is tied for second in shots on goal (41) thus far this season. In addition, he is tied for first among AHL rookies in goals in 2018-19.
• Ville Meskanenregistered three points (one goal, two assists) in Hartford's three games during the week, and he notched an assist/point in two of the three contests. Meskanen, who was signed by the Rangers as a free agent on May 3, 2018, recorded two points (one goal, one assist) and was selected as the game's Second Star on Nov. 17 vs. Utica. He has tallied five points (three goals, two assists) in the last five games and has registered 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 19 games with Hartford in his first season in the AHL in 2018-19.
• Libor Hajekregistered an assist on Nov. 17 vs. Utica. The 20-year-old, who was acquired by the Rangers from Tampa Bay on Feb. 26, 2018 and is playing in his first full AHL season in 2018-19, has tallied two assists/points in the last five games and ranks second among Wolf Pack defensemen in shots on goal this season (28).
• Ryan Lindgrentallied an assist on Nov. 18 vs. Rochester, and he posted a season-high plus-three rating on Nov. 17 vs. Utica. The 20-year-old, who was acquired by the Rangers from Boston on Feb. 25, 2018, has registered two assists and 22 penalty minutes in 16 games with the Wolf Pack during his first full season in the AHL in 2018-19.
• Gabriel Fontainerecorded a goal/point and posted a plus-one rating in each of Hartford's final two games of the week. The Rangers' sixth round pick (171st overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft has recorded a point in three of the last four games (two goals, one assist). In addition, Fontaine has tallied seven points (two goals, five assists) in the last 11 games and eight points (two goals, six assists) in 19 games with the Wolf Pack this season. He ranks second on the Wolf Pack in plus/minus rating in 2018-19 (plus-five).
• Brandon Crawley registered a goal on Nov. 17 vs. Utica and recorded eight shots on goal over Hartford's three games during the week. The Rangers' fourth round pick (123rd overall) in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft has tallied seven points (two goals, five assists) in his last nine games, and he ranks second among Wolf Pack defensemen in points per game this season (0.54).

Quick Hits

• Vitali Kravtsovregistered a power play goal in Traktor's overtime win on Nov. 14 against Vityaz. The Rangers' first round pick (ninth overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft has recorded 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 26 KHL games this season, and he has tallied a point in four of the last five KHL games he has played, and he has recorded five points (one goal, four assists) over the span. The 18-year-old leads all KHL players younger than 20 years old in assists and points this season. Kravtsov has registered twice as many points as any other KHL player younger than 20 years old this season, and he also has more assists (eight) than any other KHL player younger than 20 years old has points (six) thus far in 2018-19.
• Igor Shesterkinstopped 33 of 35 shots he faced and eared a win on Nov. 12 against Avtomobilist. The Rangers' fourth round pick (118th overall) in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft has posted an 11-2-0 record, along with a 1.30 GAA, a .946 SV%, and 4 SO in 13 KHL appearances with SKA this season. He is tied for second in the KHL in shutouts, is tied for third in GAA, and ranks fourth in SV% in 2018-19. In 80 KHL appearances since the start of the 2016-17 season, Shesterkin has posted a 66-8-3 record, along with a 1.60 GAA, a .937 SV%, and 19 SO.
• Joey Keaneregistered an assist in each of Barrie's first two games during the week (two assists). The Rangers' third round pick (88th overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft has recorded six assists/points in the last eight games, and he has tallied 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) and has posted a plus-nine rating in 20 OHL games with Barrie this season. Keane is tied for second on Barrie in power play assists (six) and ranks fifth on the team in assists in 2018-19.
• Nico Grosstallied an assist and posted a plus-three rating on Nov. 15 at Windsor. The Rangers' fourth round pick (101st overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft has notched eight points (two goals, six assists) and has posted a plus-11 rating in 22 OHL games with Oshawa this season, and he has registered a point in six of the last 12 games (one goal, five assists over the span). Gross is tied for the team lead - and leads team defensemen - in plus/minus rating in 2018-19.
• Tarmo Reunanenregistered a goal in 21:20 of ice time on Nov. 14 against Ilves. The Rangers' fourth round pick (98th overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft has recorded six points (two goals, four assists) in 20 games with Lukko in Liiga this season. Among Liiga defensemen younger than 21 years old, Reunanen is tied for second in goals and is tied for third in points this season.
• Tyler Nannetallied a point in each of the University of Minnesota's two games this week against St. Lawrence University (one goal, one assist), and he recorded an assist on the game-winning goal on Nov. 17. The Rangers' fifth round pick (142nd overall) in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft extended his point streak to three games (one goal, two assists over the span).
• Patrik Virtatallied an assist while making his debut with Orebro in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) on Nov. 13 against Mora. The Rangers' seventh round pick (207th overall) in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft registered nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 21 games with HC Slovan Bratislava in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) this season before joining Orebro.
• Dominik Lakatoswas loaned by Liberec to HC Zlin in Czech Extraliga, and he recorded the primary assist on the game-winning goal in Zlin's contest on Nov. 18 against HC Plzen. The Rangers' sixth round pick (157th overall) in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft has skated in two games with Zlin, and he has recorded in five assists/points in 19 games in Czech Extraliga with Liberec and Zlin this season.

Quotebook

"He plays on his team's first line, which is one of the best offensive lines in the league, and he has earned his coach's confidence to play on both special teams units. He has been responsible in his own end, consistently making good breakouts. He protects the puck well down low in the offensive zone; he can really shoot the puck and has the ability to find his teammates through traffic." - Rangers Senior Advisor to the President Mike Barnett on Riley Hughes