In an unexpected move, the Rangers have called up forward Bo Groulx from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, while sending rookie Brett Berard back to Hartford. This decision likely comes in response to center Filip Chytil being listed as a game-time decision for the Rangers’ upcoming match in Las Vegas. Chytil left the recent 5-4 game against Dallas with an upper-body injury, and after his final shift ended around four minutes into the second period, he didn’t return for the rest of the game.
Groulx has recorded 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists) in 32 games with the Wolf Pack this season, leading the team in goals and ranking second in points. Last season, he played 45 games with the Anaheim Ducks, registering two assists. Over his AHL career with the Wolf Pack and San Diego Gulls, Groulx has accumulated 119 points (50 goals, 69 assists) in 177 games. He has also played 65 NHL games with the Ducks, scoring five points (1 goal, 4 assists). His most recent action was scoring two goals in the Wolf Pack’s 5-1 win over the Bridgeport Islanders on January 5.
If Chytil is unable to play against the Las Vegas Knights due to his injury, Groulx is expected to make his Rangers debut.
While the decision to bring up Groulx makes sense, given the Rangers’ need for more options at center, the choice to send Berard down is more surprising. Despite playing fewer games than most of his teammates, Berard ranks 13th on the team in hits with 27. He has also scored three goals and seven points in 19 games, averaging 11:20 of ice time in the bottom six. Notably, he became the first Ranger to start his NHL career with a two-point game streak since March 2018.
It is worth mentioning that Berard was assumed to be traveling with the team, so this could just be a procedural move.
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