Anton Stralman arrives from Sweden
Anton Stralman, the Rangers' newest defenseman, arrived from Sweden Saturday.
Stralman, 25, who played the last two seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets and agreed to a one-year, $900,000 contract, will not play against the Winnipeg Jets Sunday night. His first full practice likely will be on Tuesday; the Rangers are scheduled to be off Monday.
Asked what Stralman might bring to the team, coach John Tortorella said "no idea," the phrase he used to respond to six of seven questions on various topics in Saturday night's pregame news conference. The Rangers had put wingers Mike Rupp, who is to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee next week, and Wojtek Wolski, who on Thursday aggravated a groin injury that had kept him out five games, on injured reserve Friday.
Wolski is earning $3.8 million in the final year of his contract. Rupp, 31, is in the first year of a three-year, $4.5-million deal signed on July 1. He told Newsday on Oct. 24 that he didn't believe there was structural damage. The Rangers have declined to discuss the specifics of the injury.
With an opening on the roster, the Rangers are expected to summon a forward from the AHL's Connecticut Whale, possibly Ryan Bourque, and place Marc Staal, still suffering from concussion-related symptoms, on long-term injured reserve.
Messier to run in marathon
Mark Messier will run his first New York City Marathon Sunday. Messier, 50, has been preparing for about six months. One key difference in the aerobic training is that NHL players are used to more explosive bursts rather than endurance runs, he said.
"Going over the bridge early could be interesting," Messier said Friday. "It'll be chilly, then it will warm up."
Messier is running to raise money for the Tomorrows Children's Fund and Answer the Call, which supports survivors of 9/11 first responders.
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