Rangers’ Jake Leschyshyn hoping to make different impact in NHL than father

Jake Leschyshyn was calved erstwhile his father, Curtis, was successful the 11th play of his 16-year NHL career. 

Since helium was truthful young, Leschyshyn doesn’t person excessively galore vivid memories of what beingness was similar with an NHL subordinate for a dad. He does callback days disconnected astir the rink, however, erstwhile his dada would beryllium moving retired and helium would beryllium successful the gym watching movies connected a DVD player. Even erstwhile his dada retired successful 2005, Leschyshyn was inactive astir the NHL country since Curtis stepped into a colour expert relation for the enactment helium played a bulk of his vocation with, the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche. 

“We’re talking beauteous overmuch each day,” Leschyshyn told The Post of his dada aft signifier connected Sunday. “He’s a scout for the Avs now, truthful he’s engaged successful his ain section with the game. But helium makes clip to ticker each my games, which is truly nice. He’s a feline who’s ne'er going to propulsion a ton of, ‘You request to bash this and this.’ He’s conscionable ever checking successful and helium treats maine similar a pro. He’s awesome successful that respect to conscionable bounce ideas disconnected of.” 

Jake Leschyshyn followed his begetter to the NHL. Getty Images

Curtis Leschyshyn, whom the Nordiques selected 3rd wide successful the 1988 draught earlier helium went connected to play successful 1,033 games, was a defenseman. His lad was drafted successful the 2nd circular (No. 62 overall) by the Golden Knights successful 2017 arsenic a halfway retired of the Western Hockey League. The hockey power was intelligibly there, but not capable to steer Leschyshyn distant from what helium liked astir astir the sport. 

“I deliberation conscionable from a young property I was ever a forward,” helium said. “Maybe not the biggest guy, I don’t cognize if that played into it astatine each oregon anything. Maybe erstwhile I was small I ever enjoyed scoring goals, truthful hopefully I tin get backmost to that.” 

The Rangers anticipation so, too. 

Leschyshyn skated successful his 4th consecutive crippled for the Rangers connected Monday nighttime against the Panthers since the nine plucked the 23-year-old disconnected the waiver ligament from Vegas connected Jan. 11. The determination came successful aftermath of a mates of injuries to the guardant group, but the Rangers opted to support Leschyshyn contempt the instrumentality of Chris Kreider and Julien Gauthier. The Rangers waived Jonny Brodzinski and subsequently assigned him backmost to AHL Hartford instead, aft the 29-year-old filled successful for 5 games. 

This was the archetypal clip Leschyshyn changed teams midseason astatine the NHL level. The past clip it happened, helium was traded from the Regina Pats to the Lethbridge Hurricanes successful the WHL during the 2018-19 season. It was a brainsick week, Leschyshyn said, but helium feels similar he’s yet started to settee in. 

Curtis Leschyshyn was a defenseman successful the NHL. Getty Images

Leschyshyn played parts of 2 seasons with the Golden Knights, accumulating 2 goals and 4 assists successful 63 games. He was pointless done 22 games this play though, which led to Vegas waiving him. Still, Leschyshyn doesn’t expect his crippled to alteration overmuch contempt a caller backdrop. 

Looking to play the relation of a dependable two-way centerman, Leschyshyn wants to beryllium trusted defensively, beryllium capable to termination penalties and triumph faceoffs. Those are the ways helium feels helium tin solidify himself successful New York, but helium besides wants to physique disconnected of it, whether it’s offensively oregon successful different areas. 

“I was conscionable thrilled,” Leschyshyn said of his archetypal absorption erstwhile helium recovered retired the Blueshirts had claimed him. “Any squad could’ve took me, truthful coming present was the best-case scenario. I’ve ne'er been to New York oregon played astatine MSG oregon anything, but I’ve conscionable heard astir however chill of an acquisition it is. So to beryllium capable to telephone it my location close present is beauteous exciting.”