Bodie Re-signs with Rangers
Jul 17, 2015New York Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton announced today that the team has agreed to terms with restricted free agent defenseman Mat Bodie.
Bodie, 25, skated in 75 games with the Wolf Pack this past season, registering five goals and 27 assists for 32 points, along with a plus-11 rating and 42 penalty minutes. He led AHL rookie defensemen in assists and tied for first among AHL rookie defensemen in points in 2014-15. Bodie tied for first on the Wolf Pack in plus/minus rating, tied for second in games played, and ranked third in assists. In addition, he led Hartford defensemen in games played, assists, and plus/minus rating, ranked second in points, and tied for third in goals. Bodie registered his first career AHL assist/point as part of a two-assist effort while making his AHL debut on Oct. 12 at Syracuse. He tallied his first career AHL goal and game-winning goal on Oct. 21 at Worcester. Bodie posted a season-high four-game assist/point streak from Feb. 14 vs. Albany to Feb. 20 at Springfield.
The 6-0, 175-pounder also skated in 15 playoff games with the Wolf Pack this past season, registering three goals and four assists for seven points, along with a plus-one rating and six penalty minutes. Bodie tied for second among AHL defensemen in goals and tied for ninth among AHL defensemen in points in the playoffs. He tied for first among AHL rookie defensemen in goals and points during the playoffs. Bodie made his AHL playoff debut on Apr. 22 vs. Providence, and he tallied his first career AHL playoff goal/point on Apr. 28 at Providence.
Prior to beginning his professional career, Bodie played four seasons of collegiate hockey at Union College. In 154 career collegiate games, he registered 28 goals and 96 assists for 124 points, along with 139 penalty minutes. Bodie, who served as Union’s captain for two seasons, graduated as the school’s leader in assists and ranked fourth in points since Union began playing in Division I in 1991-92. In addition, he is one of two players in school history who earned All-American honors twice, and he is Union’s all-time leader in points by a defenseman.
The East St. Paul, Manitoba native was originally signed by the Rangers as an undrafted free agent on Apr. 15, 2014.