More big news from the Land of Insurance Premiums, goaltender Matt Zaba has been reassigned to the ECHL’s Charlotte Checkers. As we mentioned last night on the Rangers Crisis radio program, Zaba has not looked the same as the nearly impenetrable brick wall that he was last season when he put up some amazing statistics (25-10-0, 2.33GAA and 92.0%) since the preseason game when the New Jersey Devils lit him up.
Since the beginning of the season, Zaba is 0-1-0 with a 4.84GAA and an 84.6%. He’s allowed eight goals on only 52 shots and has just looked shaky.
Zaba sustained a concussion on a very cheap shot on October 10th at the XL Center against Springfield. Liam Reddox, who dropped his shoulder right into Zaba’s head as he was sending the puck out of the zone as the buzzer sounded ending the second period, received a one game suspension for the hit.
Zaba told Howlings earlier in the week that he was feeling back to normal. In all likelihood this move is being done to give Zaba some more playing time and to rebuild his confidence.
This should mean that Miika Wiikman will regain the number one shot with rookie Chad Johnson in the backup role until Zaba recovers.
For those into this sort of thing, here’s the official release:
In other sort-of Pack related news, former Pack captain Craig Weller was assigned to the Providence Bruins by the parent club in Boston.Hartford Wolf Pack general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the parent New York Rangers have reassigned goaltender Matt Zaba from the Wolf Pack to the team’s ECHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers.
Zaba had been out of action since being injured at the end of the first period of the Wolf Pack’s home-opening, 7-3 win vs. Springfield October 10. In two appearances, and action totaling 99 minutes, Zaba was 0-1-0, with eight goals-against on 52 shots (4.84 goals-against average, 84.6% save percentage).
Last season with the Wolf Pack, Zaba, a third-year pro, was 25-10-0 with a 2.33 GAA, a 92.0% save percentage and two shutouts in 41 games.
The Wolf Pack return to action tomorrow night, Friday, October 23, at Adirondack, facing off against the Phantoms in a 7:30 game (WTIC HD-2, www.hartfordwolfpack.com, www.wtic.com). The Pack are then back on home ice at the XL Center this Saturday, October 24, with the Lowell Devils in town (7:00 faceoff), and Sunday, October 25, vs. the Worcester Sharks (3:00).
Single-game tickets for 2009-10 Hartford Wolf Pack regular season home games are on sale now at the XL Center box office, through Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone at 1-800-745-3000 and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.
The Wolf Pack is offering “Knockout Season Ticket Prices” for 2009-10, with across-the-board price reductions of 8-13% depending on the seat location, as well as terrific discounts for groups of 15 or more. For more information, visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com, or call the Wolf Pack ticket office at (860) 548-2000 to talk with an account executive today about all of the Wolf Pack’s many ticket options.
(Photo courtesy of Hartfordwolfpack.com)
The rumor this summer was that the Rangers were adding a veteran defenseman to their blue line. 47 Chris Chelios was one of the veterans whose name was mentioned more than a handful of times. Chelios recently signed a deal to play with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. According to the NY Post: Rangers GM Glen Sather recently offered Chris Chelios an AHL contract to play in Hartford, but the veteran free agent defenseman rejected that offer to sign a deal with the Chicago Wolves in order to be closer to his family. The Rangers still appear to be looking for a seventh defenseman however, as Mathieu Dandenault was signed to a professional contract (25 games) to play in Hartford. Chelios has not ruled out playing for the Rangers, he just preferred staying in Chicago if he was going to be playing in the AHL. Sather will continue to watch Chelios before deciding who is the best option.
Posted by: Al | October 23, 2009 at 01:11 PM