HARTFORD, Conn – It was hardly surprising that the New York Rangers called up rookie defenseman Tim Erixon from the Connecticut Whale on Wednesday.
Erixon’s role with the AHL’s Northeast Division leaders has expanded, and his play has steadily improved since he was assigned to the Whale on Oct. 29. The 20-year-old had been on the Whale’s No. 1 power-play unit and become among the team’s top penalty killers as he put together a three-game assist streak with four assists. He also moved to first among defensemen and tied for sixth overall in team scoring with 12 points (one goal, 11 assists) in only 13 games.
“He’s got a lot of patience and a lot of poise and makes some real nice plays along the blueline and on the power play offensively,” Whale veteran defenseman Wade Redden said after a 3-0 victory over the Providence Bruins on Saturday night. “And he can find guys in front. We’ve seen a few times this year where he’s made good shots to the net that led to tips; he finds those sticks in front of the net. He’s a big guy with a good stick who does a lot of good things.”
Erixon ranked second on the Whale in average points per game (0.92) and was tied for third in assists, including a career-high three in a 3-2 victory over Portland on Nov. 23. After Saturday night’s game, he said he felt a little stiff at the start of his first game back Friday night, a 5-3 loss to the Hershey Bears in which he had two assists, after missing four games with an injury. But he had an assist in each game as the Whale split with the Providence Bruins, and he left early Wednesday morning to join the Rangers for their flight to St. Louis, where they play the Blues on Thursday night. He might have to replace Steve Eminger, whose left arm was injured when he blocked a shot in the second period of a 1-0 loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night. Eminger returned for the third period and played eight shifts in the final 20 minutes.
Erixon credited Redden, fellow veteran defenseman Brendan Bell and Whale assistant coach J.J. Daigneault, who handles the defense, for steady improvement in his first season in North America.
“I’ve tried to keep learning every day,” Erixon said Saturday night. “There’s a great group of guys here, and you can look at guys like Reds and J.J. coaching, and you try to learn from them both on and off the ice, just how to handle yourself and how to behave. And I try to keep in mind most of the small stuff (the Rangers) wanted me to work on.
“J.J. has tried to help me all the time working on small stuff, and I’ve always tried to learn from Bells and Reds all the time. I feel good, and I think I’ve shown I was able to play (in the NHL). I’d also like to make a little bigger impact when I get up there, and that’s what I’m working on.”
Erixon, born in Port Chester, N.Y., while his father Jan was playing with the Rangers, began the season with the Blueshirts and made his NHL debut Oct. 7 against the Los Angeles Kings in his native Sweden as part of the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Premiere. He was scoreless in nine games with the Rangers before being assigned to the Whale.
“He has been playing well, and there’s a lot to like about his game,” Whale coach Ken Gernander said. “The Rangers wanted to make sure that when they sent him down that he continued to play lots of minutes in lots of situations and develop given that it’s his first year in the league. Playing in all situations is part of a player’s development, and if they’re able to handle it, then they’re used in those situations.”
After being unable to sign Erixon, the Calgary Flames traded the skilled Swede and a fifth-round pick (right wing Shane McColgan) for left wing Roman Horak and two second-round picks on June 1. Erixon was the Flames’ first-round selection (23rd overall) in 2009 and was projected to be a Top 10 pick in June.
With Erixon gone, Jared Nightingale will return to the Whale lineup after being a healthy scratch the last three games. Wing Mats Zuccarello missed the 3-0 victory and a 3-2 loss at Providence on Sunday after being injured in a 5-3 loss to Hershey Friday. The “Norwegian Hobbitt” also started the season with the Rangers, but has eight goals and 14 assists to share the team scoring lead with rookie forward Jonathan Audy-Marchessault (8, 14). The next top scorers still with the Whale are center Kris Newbury (8, 7), right wing Andre Deveaux (6, 6), center Kelsey Tessier (4, 7), Redden (0, 11) and Bell (3, 7). Chad Johnson (8-4-2, 2.49 goals-against average, .913 save percentage, one shutout) and Cam Talbot (7-5-0, 2.89, .894, two shutouts) have shared the goaltending.
To assure having a spare forward, the Whale recalled wing Jeff Prough from the Greenville Road Warriors of ECHL on Wednesday. Prough had 12 goals and 13 assists in 21 games to share the team scoring lead with center Brendan Connolly, who also was in Whale camp this fall.
The Whale returns home for another Friday-Saturday night set this weekend against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Bruins. It’s part of nine games in the final 12 in 2011 at the XL Center after the Whale started the season with 15 of 22 outings on the road.
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