Rangers Sign Hollweg, Pock and Sanguinetti to New Contracts

[Thrillhouse]

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has signed forward Ryan Hollweg and defensemen Thomas Pock and Bobby Sanguinetti to new contracts.

Hollweg, 23, skated in 78 games with the Rangers this season, registering one goal and two assists, along with 131 penalty minutes. While establishing career-highs in games played (78) and penalty minutes (131), Hollweg led the Rangers and tied for seventh in the NHL with 231 hits. His 131 penalty minutes ranked second on the Blueshirts and tied for 13th in the league.

The 5-11, 210-pound forward has skated in 130 career NHL games with the Rangers, registering three goals and five assists for eight points, along with 215 penalty minutes. Last season, Hollweg appeared in 52 games with the Rangers, registering two goals and three assists, along with 84 penalty minutes.

His 84 penalty minutes ranked third on the team. Hollweg recorded his first career NHL point with an assist in his Rangers debut on October 5, 2005 at Philadelphia. In four postseason contests, he collected one assist and led the Blueshirts in hits (14) and penalty minutes (19).

He has also appeared in 88 career games with the Hartford Wolf pack of the American Hockey League (AHL), tallying 11 goals and eight assists for 19 points, along with 252 penalty minutes. In 2004-05, he ranked second on the Wolf Pack with 239 penalty minutes.

Prior to joining the professional ranks full time, Hollweg spent over four seasons (1999-00 – 2003-04) in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Medicine Hat Tigers. In 233 career WHL games, he registered 94 goals and 139 assists for 233 points, along with 478 penalty minutes. With 15 points (six goals and nine assists) in 20 postseason games in 2004, Hollweg helped the Tigers capture the WHL Championship and advance to the Memorial Cup.

Pock, 25, skated in 44 games with the Rangers this season, registering four goals and four assists, along with 16 penalty minutes. Pock established career-highs in games played (44), goals (four), assists (four), points (eight), penalty minutes (16) and shots on goal (76). On March 31 at Philadelphia, he notched his first career multi-point game with a goal and an assist, and over the last 11 games of the regular season, he collected three goals and three assists for six points.

In four postseason contests with the Blueshirts, Pock has registered three assists, along with four penalty minutes. In addition, Pock recorded one assist, along with a plus-one rating in four games with Hartford (AHL), after being assigned to the Wolf Pack for conditioning on December 11.

The 6-1, 210-pound defenseman has appeared in 58 career games with the Rangers, registering seven goals and seven assists, along with 20 penalty minutes. In 2005-06, Pock spent a majority of the season with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL), registering 15 goals and 46 assists for 61 points, along with 99 penalty minutes in 67 games.

He finished the season ranking second on the Wolf Pack in assists (46) and tied for fifth on the team in scoring with 61 points. His 61 points ranked third among all AHL defensemen and also set a Wolf Pack franchise record for points in a single season by a defenseman. Pock also skated in six postseason contests with the Wolf Pack, notching three assists along with 15 penalty minutes. In addition, the 2006 AHL All-Star appeared in eight games with the Rangers last season, registering one goal and one assist, along with four penalty minutes.

In 121 career American Hockey League (AHL) games with the Hartford Wolf Pack, Pock has collected 16 goals and 52 assists for 68 points, along with 156 penalty minutes.

Prior to joining the professional ranks in North America, Pock appeared in 130 career games with the University of Massachusetts Minutemen (Hockey East), registering 44 goals and 58 assists for 102 points, along with 179 penalty minutes.

He finished his U-Mass career tied for sixth on the school’s all-time scoring list with 102 points. As a senior, Pock was named a Hockey East First Team All-Star, was selected to the Hockey East All-Tournament Team and was tabbed a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate player. During his junior year, he was selected as a Hockey East Second Team All-Star and was also voted as the Minutemen’s most valuable player.

Before attending the University of Massachusetts, the Klagenfurt, Austria native played for the Klagenfurt Athletic Club of the Austrian Senior League. He was also a member of the Austrian National Team at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah and at the World Championships in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Pock was originally signed by the Rangers as a free agent on March 23, 2004.

Sanguinetti, 19, skated in 67 games with the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this season, registering 23 goals and 30 assists for 53 points, along with 48 penalty minutes. The 2007 OHL Western Conference All-Star finished the season second on the team and tied for 18th in the league with 18 power play goals.

He also led the Owen Sound blueliners in goals (23), assists (30) and points (53). Among all OHL defensemen, he ranked first in power play goals (18), second in goals (23) and 10th in points (53). In the postseason with Owen Sound, Sanguinetti led the team in scoring with six points and tied for first on the team in goals (three) and assists (three).

After finishing his 2006-07 junior season with the Attack, Sanguinetti signed an Amateur Tryout Agreement (ATO) with Hartford (AHL) on April 3 and collected three assists in five regular season games with the Wolf Pack. He also picked up an assist and posted a plus-one rating in his first professional playoff game on April 18 vs. Providence.

The 6-3, 190-pound defenseman has skated in 202 career OHL games with Owen Sound, collecting 41 goals and 101 assists for 142 points, along with 104 penalty minutes. Last season, Sanguinetti ranked fourth among all OHL defensemen in scoring with 61 points, was voted to the 2006 Western Conference All-Star team and also participated in the 2006 Top Prospects game in Ottawa, where he picked up two assists for Team Orr. In addition, he led his team in postseason assists (10) and points (15).

The native of Trenton, New Jersey was the Rangers’ first round choice, 21st overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

[Blouin]

I like these signings. Keep the Rangers young, don't waste money on over the hill players and keep the core there. Nice moves

[Brash_Fan]

I hate Pöck, I think he is useless
Was hoping they would bring in some tough d-man like Liffiton.

[Isles4life]

Pock's nothing special in my opinion. Of course they'd keep Hollweg. Their season turned around when he took one in the face.

[PotvinSucks]

And dont forget that inspiring locker room dance prior to game 1 of the thrasher series. God only knows what he's gonna do for the 2nd round!

[caps05]

Sanguinetti played on the same team(maybe even same line) as top Ducks prospect Bobby Ryan in Owen Sound.

Just from the stats, I'd say they had a pretty good year.

[Purely_Purinton]

Awesome, first Orr, now Hollweg. If only Renney would play them both during playoffs.

[lakingsfan19]

Originally Posted by Isles4life

Pock's nothing special in my opinion. Of course they'd keep Hollweg. Their season turned around when he took one in the face.

wow thats harsh..... a little bit jelous are we?????

[lakingsfan19]

question is, will they sign avery.... They need to... Big reason why they are a contender is avery... How much do you think avery is worth now?????

[R.Middleton]

Originally Posted by lakingsfan19

question is, will they sign avery.... They need to... Big reason why they are a contender is avery... How much do you think avery is worth now?????

Avery would be a good signing for the Rangers. They would keep his grit and Avery also showed that he was capable to score.

[Isles4life]

Originally Posted by lakingsfan19

wow thats harsh..... a little bit jelous are we?????

Jealous of what? Hollweg fills an important role for them. I don't like him because I think he's a dirty player, a lot of people would agree, but whatever. Just look at the standings. The Islanders and Rangers played a home and home series. Simon slashed Hollweg in the face, causes the Islanders to lose the game, and the Rangers begin a climb in the standings that gets them to #6 in the conference.

[Blouin]

Originally Posted by Brash_Fan

I hate Pöck, I think he is useless
Was hoping they would bring in some tough d-man like Liffiton.

They might. But they also wasted their chance with Grenier.

[probertisachamp]

Great move by the rangers signing some young talent