Moments ago, news broke that the New York Rangers' AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, would be signing veteran Artem Anisimov to a professional tryout offer.
Originally drafted in the second round by the Rangers back in 2006, Anisimov is now 35 years old and has already played 771 career games in the NHL. He last played for the Ottawa Senators in the 2020-21 season, then returned to the KHL and played games in the AHL last year.
Judging by the 55 games he played last season for the Flyers AHL affiliate, if Anisimov's tryout is successful he'd likely play the entire year in the minors. Perhaps he could be used in an emergency situation for depth, but it only seems like the veteran is still playing out of his love for the game.
In his 771 game NHL career, Anisimov has spent time with the Rangers, Blue Jackets, Blackhawks, and Senators organizations. Over that time, he's recorded 180 goals and 376 points and in his prime, he was one of the league's best third line centres.
