Rangers Agree to Terms with Rozsival

[Thrillhouse]

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has agreed to terms with restricted free agent defenseman Michal Rozsival.

Rozsival, 27, skated in 82 games with the Rangers last season, registering five goals and 25 assists, along with 90 penalty minutes and a plus-35 rating. He tied for the league lead in plus/minus (plus-35) and led the Rangers in scoring among defensemen with 30 points. While establishing career-highs in games played (82), assists (25), points (30), plus/minus (plus-35), penalty minutes (90) and shots on goal (115), Rozsival also led the Blueshirts in average icetime per game (22:27), ranked second on the team in penalty minutes (90) and was third on the team with 118 blocked shots.

In 2004-05, Rozsival appeared in 51 games with HC Ocelari Trinec and HC Moeller Pardubice of the Czech Republic Extraleague, collecting two goals and 13 assists for 15 points, along with 70 penalty minutes. At season’s end, he led all Pardubice defensemen in penalty minutes (70), and tied for third in assists (13) and fourth in points (15) among team blueliners. In 16 postseason contests, Rozsival tallied one goal and two assists, along with 34 penalty minutes and helped his club capture the 2005 Extraleague championship.

The 6-2, 210-pounder has appeared in 319 career NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers, registering 23 goals and 72 assists for 95 points, along with 251 penalty minutes. In 2001-02, he played in 79 games and led all Penguin defensemen with nine goals, 20 assists and 29 points. In 1999-00, he ranked second among Pittsburgh defensemen in points (21), tied for second in goals (3), third in assists (17) and ranked third in plus/minus (plus-11).

In addition, Rozsival has appeared in 79 career American Hockey League (AHL) games with the Syracuse Crunch and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, posting 11 goals and 30 assists for 41 points, along with 106 penalty minutes. During the 2001 AHL postseason, he tallied three goals and 19 assists along with 23 penalty minutes for Wilkes-Barre in 21 games, helping lead the Penguins to the Calder Cup Finals. His 19 playoff assists ranked first in the American Hockey League.

Prior to turning professional in North America, Rozsival skated in 134 games with the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League (WHL), recording 22 goals and 86 assists for 108 points, along with 202 penalty minutes.

The Vlasim, Czech Republic native was originally selected by Pittsburgh in the fourth round, 105th overall, in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. On September 6, 2005, he signed as a free agent with the Rangers.

[Isles4life]

I heard they weren't gonna bring him back even though he had a solid year for them. Guess that rumor was wrong.

[nyr2]

wonderful.

[Orr=God]

hes ok but hes sort of a p*ssy and takes a lot of dumb minors

[Hatcher#2]

I feel a sign and trade coming.

[DaleHunter32]

Ward received a two-year deal worth $5.5 million and Rachunek signed a one-year deal worth $1.8 million.

I wonder how much tied for the league lead in +/- gets a guy now a days? estimating $1.5 per 2 year deal, just a guess

[Orr=God]

Originally Posted by Hatcher#2

I feel a sign and trade coming.

hows that. i hope casue marc staal and liffiton deserve shots to play. mayb we can get a gritty third liner

[Fotiu_63]

Oh great, we needed to sign this puss to play with that puss Malik. Ship the both of them somewhere else and give guys like Staal, Liffiton, and Taylor a chance.