PARENTEAU BACK

Here's the best decision the Rangers have made in a while. If you read my piece in Blueshirt Bulletin magazine, you know that I feel that P.A. Parenteau can and should be a NY Ranger in the upcoming 2008-2009 season.

Here's one great reason why.

Now part two will be when the Rangers resign Andrew Hutchinson who also clearly should be in New York.

Here's the official release:

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has signed forward P.A. Parenteau to a contract extension.

Parenteau, 25, skated in 75 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) this past season, registering 34 goals and 47 assists for 81 points, along with 81 penalty minutes. In his fifth AHL season he established career-highs in goals (34) and points (81). He ranked among the league leaders in several statistical categories, finishing fourth in points, sixth in goals and ninth in assists. He also tied for fifth in the league with 15 power play goals. In addition, Parenteau appeared in five post-season contests for Hartford, recording three goals and two assists for five points, along with 13 penalty minutes. He led the Wolf Pack in playoff goals (three) and points (five), and tied for second on the team in assists (two).

The 5-11, 195-pound forward has skated in 341 career AHL games in five seasons with Cincinnati, Portland, Norfolk and Hartford, registering 117 goals and 163 assists for 280 points, along with 248 penalty minutes and a plus-26 rating. In 2006-07, Parenteau split the season between Portland and Norfolk, and achieved career-highs in assists (49) and plus/minus rating (plus-19). In addition, he appeared in five NHL games for the Chicago Blackhawks, registering one power play assist. He made his NHL debut on February 7, 2007 at Vancouver and collected his first NHL point on February 14, 2007 at Pittsburgh.

Parenteau has also skated in 46 AHL post-season games with Cincinnati, Portland, Norfolk, and Hartford, tallying 13 goals and 22 assists for 35 points, along with 53 penalty minutes and a plus-12 rating. In the 2006 Calder Cup Playoffs he established career-highs in games played (19), goals (five), assists (17), points (22), penalty minutes (24), and plus/minus rating (plus-13). His 17 assists tied for third most in the league, while he tied for sixth in scoring with 22 points.

The Hull, Quebec native was acquired on October 11, 2007 from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a conditional seventh round draft pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

In other Rangers related news, Hokej.cz reports that Martin Straka will stay home in the Czech Republic and play HC Lasselsberger Plzen of the Czech Extra League. This will undoubtedly lead to speculation how this will relate to the resigning of one Jaromir Jagr.

(P.A. Parenteau photo courtesy of theahl.com)