Jonny Brodzinski Called Up For A Long Stint With The Rangers In Wake Of Forward Injuries
Tarrytown, N.Y: The New York Rangers called up Jonny Brodzinski on Monday in response to Kaapo Kakko's lower-body injury.
Kakko sustained an injury with 5 minutes remaining in the second period of play against the Buffalo Sabres and was placed on the LTIR. Filip Chytil was also retroactively placed on the LTIR from an injury he sustained on November 2nd.
Brodzinski has skated in 45 games as a New York Ranger, recording 3 goals and 2 assists. The 30-year-old workhorse has skated in 102 NHL games, beginning in 2016 with the Los Angeles Kings, and played 3 games as a Shark in 2019-2020.
Brodzinski has been an AHL skater and call-up for the New York Rangers the last four seasons, but no call-up has been like this. The energetic skater leads the AHL in scoring, and the unforeseen length of time Kakko is out will provide Brodzinski with an extended stay with the big club.
He's coming in hot and getting a lot more NHL time than in previous situations. It is an opportunity for a player and a person that is easy to root for.
Following Tuesday's practice. he provided insight into the difference between the Wolf Packs system and the Rangers structure, "It's a little bit different. The neutral zone is a little bit different. We simplify everything. It's more of just like a wedge in the neutral zone rather than a walk...But pretty much everything else is very similar, aggressive, defensively, very aggressive in the offensive zone. So it's, it'll be an easy transition."
The Rangers have suffered a number of injuries this season, so there may be some added pressure to fill the role of those skaters. That's not how he sees it, "There's always that pressure but I've done it so many times now that I'm very comfortable here as all the guys are good friends of mine. It's an easy transition and I'm so excited to be back."
Recommended Articles
The role is still different for the Hartford Wolf Packs captain. He is an offensive juggernaut for the Rangers AHL affiliate, posting 25 points in 16 games played. He is relied on for his scoring gifts and production as a top-caliber player under the new head coach Steve Smith. He has 7 more points than the second-leading scorer on his own team, Alex Belzile.
With that, he knows what his responsibilities are with the A team, "I'm expected to produce there whereas here I'm more secondary, which is completely fine with me, but I know that I can do that. But yeah, just going out there trying not to get scored on, but obviously, I have that offensive side of my game that I think I can bring."
Jonny Brodzinski will begin a potentially long tour with the New York Rangers tonight against the Detroit Red Wings.
MORE FROM THN:
