Rangers Rumors: Lauri Pajuniemi headed to Sweden, Pack add Ryder Korczak and Maxim Barbashev
Although the New York Rangers and Hartford Wolf Pack are in the heat of the postseason, a report has surfaced that prospect Lauri Pajuniemi will be leaving the organization after the AHL Calder Cup Playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Pack are adding players to their Calder Cup hopes in Ryder Korczak and Maxim Barbashev.
Rangers Rumors: Lauri Pajuniemi headed to Sweden
Pajuniemi, 23, registered 19 goals and 19 assists for 38 points in 58 regular-season games in Hartford. So far in the playoffs, he’s recorded 2 goals and 1 assist for 3 points helping the Pack sweep the Springfield Thunderbirds in round one.
The Finnish native was taken by the Blueshirts in the fifth round of the 2018 Draft and was slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer. According to Swedish outlet Expressen, Pajuniemi will be suiting up with Malmö Redhawks in the SHL next season.
The recruitment will only be announced when his AHL team Hartford Wolfpack has finished its season. They start the round of 16 against the Providence Bruins in a couple of days. During the match series against Springfield, Hartford advanced and then Pajuniemi accounted for three points in two games.
Expressen
Pack added Korczak and Barbashev
On Thursday, the Hartford Wolf Pack announced the additions of two players.
Maxim Barbashev was signed to an ATO (Amateur Tryout) after registering 32 goals and 33 assists for 65 points in 67 games for the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats.
The Rangers drafted the 19 year-old forward in the fifth-round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
Ryder Korczak, who started the season with the Pack before being reassigned back to the Moose Jaw Warriors in the WHL has returned.
The 20 year-old center notched 28 goals and 41 assists in 48 games for Moose Jaw this season. Previous to that, he played in 5 games for Hartford registering no points.
Selected in the third-round in 2021, the Rangers are hoping Korczak’s offensive abilities in juniors can translate to the pro level.
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