According to Bob Duff of the Windsor Star, there is a chance that the Rangers could pass on signing 2007 sixth round pick Carl Hagelin. The Swedish winger, and co-captain of the Michigan Wolverines, has had an impressive college career with a line of 43-60-103 in 127 games throughout his first three seasons. This year, Hagelin is averaging a point a game (9-10-19) through the first 19 games of the season. According to Duff, via the elusive “anonymous scout”, the Rangers have no intentions of signing Hagelin:

Currently the property of the New York Rangers, who selected the 5-11, 176-pound left-winger from Sodertalje, Sweden with the 168th pick of the 2007 National Hockey League entry draft, word around the NHL is that the Rangers won’t be signing Hagelin, who would then become a free agent Aug. 15, 2011. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see Detroit sign him,” said one NHL scout at Saturday’s game.

I find this incredibly hard to believe, considering Glen Sather has mentioned Hagelin by name when speaking about the current Ranger prospects. If the Rangers have no intention of signing him, then there is no reason why Sather would ever mention his name in an interview. Hagelin is one of the top Ranger prospects (top-10 currently), and has a legitimate shot at being a third line center on the Rangers in the future.

If I had to take a guess, this is an example of someone who either covers the Red Wings or is a Red Wings fan (based on his other stories), who also likes Hagelin’s game. Since the Rangers haven’t signed him yet, it could “make sense” that the Rangers “have no plans” to sign him. Since he plays in Michigan already, why not just throw out the Red Wings as a potential suitor? I would take this article with a grain of salt. Glen Sather’s word about the prospects means more in the long run than a Detroit writer for the Windsor Star.

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