Rangers Re-sign Danny Kristo
Aug 21, 2014New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the team has agreed to terms with restricted free agent forward Danny Kristo.
Kristo, 24, skated in 65 games with the \Wolf Pack this past season, registering 25 goals and 18 assists for 43 points, along with 18 penalty minutes. He led the team – and tied for seventh among AHL rookies – in goals, tied for second on the team in power play goals (seven), ranked third in points, and finished fifth in shots on goal (146). Kristo tallied his first career AHL goal in Hartford’s season opener on October 5 vs. Norfolk. He registered a point in eight of the first 10 games of the season (seven goals, five assists over the span), and tallied the first of two three-game goal streaks during the year from October 18 vs. Manchester to October 23 vs. Portland. Kristo also posted the first multi-goal effort of his AHL career on January 29 vs. Adirondack.
The 6-0, 195-pounder has skated in 74 career AHL games, registering 25 goals and 21 assists for 46 points, along with 20 penalty minutes. Kristo tallied his first career AHL point with an assist while making his AHL debut with the Hamilton Bulldogs on April 5, 2013 at San Antonio.
Prior to joining the professional ranks, Kristo played four seasons at the collegiate level with the University of North Dakota, where he tallied 68 goals and 93 assists for 161 points, and posted a plus-48 rating in 157 games. In 2012-13, he tied for second in the NCAA in goals (26) and points (52), and established collegiate career-highs in goals, points, game-winning goals (six), and shorthanded goals (two). Kristo finished his collegiate career ranked 18th on North Dakota’s all-time points list and tied for sixth in school history with 13 career game-winning goals.
Internationally, the Edina, Minnesota native has represented Team USA in numerous tournaments, including most recently at the 2013 IIHF World Championship, where he tallied three points (one goal, two assists) in 10 games to help the United States capture a bronze medal. Kristo also won a gold medal at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he registered eight points (five goals, three assists) and posted a plus-five rating in seven games. Kristo tied for third on the team – and tied for ninth among all skaters in the tournament – in goals and tied for fourth on the team in points.
Kristo was acquired from Montreal in exchange for Christian Thomas on July 2, 2013. He was originally selected by the Canadiens in the second round, 56th overall, of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.