It’s an interesting list, really – a snapshot of the Rangers past, present and future.

Good, bad, and ugly all included.

During the regular season AHL team rosters are not limited, although only 17 skaters may be used per game - the dance of players on and off the injured reserve list is something in which we do not participate. This leads to some clubs having a ‘scratched’ list that is longer than the actual game roster.

In the postseason, however, teams are limited to 20 skaters and 2 goaltenders, and this ‘clear day’ roster is announced shortly after the NHL trade deadline. At this point, game rosters also increase to include 18 skaters, meaning there will be at least two healthy scratches each game.

“In house” players are still permitted to practice with the team and can replace players from the active roster in case of injury or suspension. Players being sent down from the NHL must be listed on the clear day roster (and they must clear waivers at the time of the roster announcement), although players can be called up from the ECHL or other lower leagues at any time.

Got all that?

Our clear day roster includes the following players:

Defense
Matt Kinch
Vlad Chebaturkin
Bryce Lampman
Lawrence Nycholat
Dave Karpa
Ryan Bast

Center
Cory Larose
Bobby Andrews
Layne Ulmer
Roman Lyashenko
Ted Donato
Jamie Lundmark

Left Wing
Dixon Ward
Garth Murray
Richard Scott
Garrett Burnett

Right Wing
Nils Ekman
John Tripp
Kenny Gernander
Billy Tibbetts

Goalies
Jason Labarbera
Scott Meyer

Of these, we have already lost a few to injuries (Chebaturkin and Ward), release from the team (Tibbetts) and not returning to Hartford from New York (Donato). According to the rules, these players can be replaced by in-house players. Chebaturkin’s spot is currently being filled by Craig Weller, and the three forward positions are being taken by Patrick Yetman, Chris Pittman, and Juris Stals.

From now until the end of the Pack’s playoff run, I will check in regularly to let you know how Hartford is doing, and pick apart our playoff roster for you as well. Of special interest to you, I assume, will be the prospects arriving from college and juniors as their seasons end. Please keep in mind that they must come to terms with the organization before they can play – Mike Mottau missed the Calder Cup run because he held out after his college season ended.

The post season starts with a miniround for the Pack – best of three, all games are at the home of the higher seed, which is thankfully Hartford. For this round the Pack will host the rival Falcon team, who makes their home just 20 miles up the road in Massachusetts. Coached by Marty McSorley, the Falcons are short on talent and long on goonery. A game against the Falcons usually results in brawls, injuries and dirty play, even in the playoffs.

Challenges: Former Pack player Boyd Kane is a Falcon these days, and like all former players is good for at least a goal in each reunion game. Proximity means Falcons may arrive with lots of fans to cheer them on. And our defensive is ‘suspect’, to put it as nicely as possible.

Cheers: The Falcons suck, plain and simple. Their goalie (Konstantinov) is injured. And no one goes to these miniround games, much less travels to them. Our team has been settling down and even has shown flashes of chemistry at times. Richard Scott is back in top form (and insane as always), Garrett Burnett has finished his suspension, and Garth Murray has been trying to fight anything he can catch, so we are ready for the rough stuff.

Prediction: Pack in 3 games, although they can easily do it in two. They just never do anything the easy way. But… one warning: in 20 tries this year, the Pack never once won an overtime game. I’m not sure what it means, but it can’t be good.

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