Rockets’ Tysen Dowzak Signs With The Rangers

Defenseman Tysen Dowzak “Rockets” towards the skies of professional hockey.
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rThe 20-year-old signed with the New York Rangers Wednesday and will start the season with the American Hockey League’s Hartford Wolfpack.
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r”He signed with the Rangers today. We’re real proud of him and happy for him,” says Rockets’ President and General Manager, Bruce Hamilton. “He’s fulfilled a dream and he’s started the journey towards the NHL.”
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rWith Dowzak definitely not coming back and Luke Schenn‘s future still uncertain, Hamilton says he will need to make some moves to strengthen what has again become a young blue line corps.
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r”We’re moving on as if neither of them will be here and we’ve got to make some adjustments. We’ve got to try and find another defenceman for sure, an older guy who can play some minutes.”
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rThe Fergus Falls Minnesota resident played three seasons with the Rockets from 2005 to 2007. In total Dowzak played 166 WHL games, collecting four goals and 20 assists for 24 points.
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rAt the beginning of the season the Rockets didn’t think they would be without the services of Schenn AND Dowzak, as Hamilton says he’s been searching for some help on the back end, “We’ve been researching everybody’s roster for quite a while now, because if you don’t prepare for the worst case scenario, you’re going to get in trouble. It’s just a matter of getting someone at the right price and not doing something that in two weeks is not the right decision.”
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rConsidering at one time the team had nine players at pro camps, Hamilton says he is okay with the way the team has played.
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rHe says the top three defencemen, Tyson Barrie, Tyler Myers and Collin Bowman have played really well but adds the bottom four are being asked to play more minutes then they should be at this point in their development.
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rThe Rockets are back in action Friday night in Vancouver, before finally returning to home ice on Saturday night with the Prince George Cougars in town.
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