LOS ANGELES — Not so Fast about Jesper coming out of the Rangers’ lineup to accommodate Ryan Callahan’s expected return on Monday here against the Kings.
For rather than scratch the 21-year-old rookie, the Blueshirts have assigned 20-year-old winger J.T. Miller to the AHL Wolf Pack.
Miller, who played 26 games with the Rangers last year, had a difficult time of it in Thursday’s opening 4-1 defeat in Phoenix while playing on a line with Dominic Moore and Derek Dorsett.
He played 11:58, including 3:21 on the power play unit that featured Brad Richards, Rick Nash, Derek Stepan and Marc Staal. But with Miller’s power-play spot soon to be assumed by Callahan, the coaching staff and management made the decision that the second-year pro will be better served by getting major minutes in Hartford rather than being a scratch or fourth-liner with the Blueshirts.
Callahan is slated to replace Fast on the third line with Brian Boyle and Taylor Pyatt. Either Fast or veteran Arron Asham, a scratch on Thursday, will join the fourth line against the big, brawny Kings.