Confirmed with Link: Nicklas Jensen Signs with Jokerit of the KHL

nyr2k2

Can't Beat Him
Jul 30, 2005
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Leaves a big hole in Hartford. Probably better for his development. If he tears it up over there however I wouldn't be surprised to see him stay.
 

Joey Bones

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Leaves a big hole in Hartford. Probably better for his development. If he tears it up over there however I wouldn't be surprised to see him stay.

Says in the interview that his main goal is to be an NHLer. I would think this is for him to tear it up in the second best league to prove his top 6 value.

The Rangers hold the cards (trade/spot in lineup) if he can prove it. Still considered a prospect.
 

DudMan28

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Jan 30, 2013
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Thought he could've been a good bottom sixer for us this year.

Does he have an out clause, or is he in the KHL for 2 years minimum?
 

nyr2k2

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Jul 30, 2005
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Says in the interview that his main goal is to be an NHLer. I would think this is for him to tear it up in the second best league to prove his top 6 value.

The Rangers hold the cards (trade/spot in lineup) if he can prove it. Still considered a prospect.

I understand the desire to play in the NHL, but he's a former first round pick. He'll be 25 or 26 when he becomes available. The Rangers know who he is. Other teams know who he is. Who is going to guarantee him a roster spot? He's leaving to avoid the drudgery of the AHL.

I can't see a circumstance where he'd come back in a year, with us or with us having traded his rights, where'd he'd walk into a sure NHL role. He can make more money in the KHL, especially if he has a good season, and never have to worry about the AHL ever again.

If he has an okay season he could opt out and find himself in exactly the same situation he's in now. Even if he kills it I don't know what that changes for him.
 

Crease

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Jul 12, 2004
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He has a better chance getting a one-way deal from an NHL team by lighting up the K than the A.
 

Beacon

Embrace the tank
May 28, 2007
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I didn't like his chances of making the NHL. His game won't translate well. He only got people excited because of good offensive stats, but his game is not good enough to score in the NHL. Hrivik was a bigger loss for the Rangers, but neither is a killer. That said, losing Hrivik and Jensen is awful for Hartford.
 

Beer League Sniper

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Apr 27, 2010
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Jensen's game just doesn't translate to the NHL. Maybe he proves me wrong and is able to somehow develop in the KHL, but he was completely invisible during his cups of coffee. Emerson Etem looked like a much better player with the big club, and he couldn't even get a one-way contract from a terrible Arizona team.
 

Fugazy

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Jun 1, 2014
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Probably a good move for him to shake things up and try to get more noticeable. Wish him the best of luck over there.
 

Edge

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Going to be a big gap in Hartford.

With the progress he's made, I thought Jensen had a decent shot to reinvent himself as a bottom six contributer at the NHL level.

Too bad.
 

eco's bones

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Jul 21, 2005
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Hrivik and Jensen are big losses for Hartford but Carey and Schneider might do more than offset that. Carey spent some time with the Caps last year but put up 55 points in 55 games with the Hershey Bears. Schneider had 63 points in 71 games with the Rochester Americans. Those are first line numbers. The Rangers now have 5 holes still to fill and IMO it would be helpful if they can pick up another scoring forward for Hartford with one of them.
 

Levitate

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Jul 29, 2004
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I didn't like his chances of making the NHL. His game won't translate well. He only got people excited because of good offensive stats, but his game is not good enough to score in the NHL. Hrivik was a bigger loss for the Rangers, but neither is a killer. That said, losing Hrivik and Jensen is awful for Hartford.

Ultimately you can't expect to keep those kind of players around indefinitely on your AHL team. They want chances to make the NHL or do something else, not ride buses and play in front of small crowds. Maybe they're not good enough for the NHL but they at least want a chance, or as we see with Jensen they might find it more attractive to play overseas
 

nyr2k2

Can't Beat Him
Jul 30, 2005
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He has a better chance getting a one-way deal from an NHL team by lighting up the K than the A.

IDK. There's a book on him. He has a history here. I can't imagine him doing anything in the KHL that would change anyone's opinion of him. We know that fringe NHLers can do really well for themselves in the KHL. If he has a great year over there, will anyone disregard the six uninspiring years he played in NA since being drafted?
 

Joey Bones

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I understand the desire to play in the NHL, but he's a former first round pick. He'll be 25 or 26 when he becomes available. The Rangers know who he is. Other teams know who he is. Who is going to guarantee him a roster spot? He's leaving to avoid the drudgery of the AHL.

I can't see a circumstance where he'd come back in a year, with us or with us having traded his rights, where'd he'd walk into a sure NHL role. He can make more money in the KHL, especially if he has a good season, and never have to worry about the AHL ever again.

If he has an okay season he could opt out and find himself in exactly the same situation he's in now. Even if he kills it I don't know what that changes for him.

I mean, click the link. It clearly says that he wants to come back eventually. I understand that it must be difficult to see him get a roster spot, but it's a make or break year for him. Remember he's pretty good in international play. Just because he'll be 25/26 when he comes over doesn't mean he'll be bad. Shipachev is going to be a 30 year old rookie with Vegas this year.

I think it's good that NYR retained his rights because it'll be nothing more than trade bait if he does, indeed, plays great. NYR could also feel, as though, he could fill a role in the top 6 when he comes back. Nash is on a contract year.

It'll be interesting :)
 

Joey Bones

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IDK. There's a book on him. He has a history here. I can't imagine him doing anything in the KHL that would change anyone's opinion of him. We know that fringe NHLers can do really well for themselves in the KHL. If he has a great year over there, will anyone disregard the six uninspiring years he played in NA since being drafted?

Radulov, Antti Raanta & Stephane Da Costa come to mind. I think it could happen, will just have to wait and see....
 

nyr2k2

Can't Beat Him
Jul 30, 2005
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I mean, click the link. It clearly says that he wants to come back eventually. I understand that it must be difficult to see him get a roster spot, but it's a make or break year for him. Remember he's pretty good in international play. Just because he'll be 25/26 when he comes over doesn't mean he'll be bad. Shipachev is going to be a 30 year old rookie with Vegas this year.

I think it's good that NYR retained his rights because it'll be nothing more than trade bait if he does, indeed, plays great. NYR could also feel, as though, he could fill a role in the top 6 when he comes back. Nash is on a contract year.

It'll be interesting :)

I know what the link says and I don't doubt that he'd WANT to come back, I'm just saying that I don't know this move will help him find a guaranteed spot even if he's successful.

As to the guys you mentioned, Raanta was your typical UDFA Euro, Da Costa hasn't come back to the NHL after leaving and Radulov had already established he could be a star with a 58 point season while being very young before going to Russia. I don't see how any are comparable to a guy who has spent 5 years in the AHL without getting more than a cup of coffee.
 

Mikos87

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Mar 19, 2002
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He'll be a star in Europe. His game isn't suited for NA. It happens.

He's got a great shot, but generates his chances off of a perimeter cycle. Not something that you have time and space for in the NHL.

These things happen. Rangers will need to be active in the waiver wire come September to grab a NHL/AHL tweener on a couple of one-way deals to prevent other teams from taking them.
 

nyr2k2

Can't Beat Him
Jul 30, 2005
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Joey mentioned Da Costa earlier. Da Costa I think is the best-case scenario for Jensen to work towards. Da Costa was a middling talent, a tweener type despite the initial lofty projections. He flounders here then goes to the KHL for a few years to help re-establish his value. Supposedly he has some offers from NHL teams, though maybe not in a guaranteed capacity or for big bucks. If Jensen wants to increase his NHL stock I think he'll need to have more than one good season in the K. Probably at least two or three before teams start to think about handing him a one-way deal for anything other than the minimum.
 

cwede

Registered User
Sep 1, 2010
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Btw since we QOd him he can join NYR without waivers, after his KHL season ends, as Zucc did a while back
 

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