UPDATE: The rumored roster proved to be almost completely accurate.  The Blueshirts officially released their official Traverse City Roster today and there are two additions to the previously reported roster; defensemen Lee Baldwin and Jyri Niemi.  Both played for the CT Whale last year, although Baldwin also spent time in the ECHL.  Here's the complete roster:

FORWARDS

Jonathan Audy-Marchessault C, 5.09, 175, Quebec (QMJHL)
Ryan Bourque LW, 5.09, 164 NYR-09 (3-80), Quebec (QMJHL)
Tommy Grant LW, 6.02, 195, Alaska (WCHA)
Carl Hagelin LW, 5.11, 176, NYR-07 (6-168), Michigan (CCHA)
Jordan Hickmott * C, 6.00, 181, Edmonton (WHL)
Tayler Jordan * LW, 6.06, 195, Portland (WHL)
Kale Kerbashian * C, 5.11, 165, Sarnia (OHL)
Shane McColgan RW, 5.9, 170, NYR-11 (5-134), Kelowna(WHL)
Randy McNaught RW, 6.05, 221, NYR-10 (7-190), Vancouver (WHL)
J.T. Miller RW, 6.01, 190, NYR-11 (1-15), US Natl Dev Team (USHL)
Michael St. Croix C, 5.11, 179, NYR-11 (4-106), Edmonton (WHL)
Christian Thomas RW, 5.09, 165, NYR-10 (2-40), Oshawa (OHL)
Jason Wilson LW, 6.02, 205, NYR-10 (5-130), Niagara (OHL)
Andrew Yogan C, 6.03, 202, NYR-10 (4-100), Erie (OHL)

DEFENSEMEN

Lee Baldwin D 6.03 200 — CT Whale (AHL)
Collin Bowman * D 6.02 200 — Moose Jaw (WHL)
Peter Ceresnak D 6.03 209 NYR-11 (6-172) Trencin Jr. (SLVK-Jr.)
Tim Erixon D 6.02 190 CAL-09 (1-23) Skelleftea (SEL)
Dylan McIlrath D 6.05 215 NYR-10 (1-10) Moose Jaw (WHL)

Jyri Niemi D 6.03 203 — CT Whale (AHL)
Samuel Noreau D 6.04 210 NYR-11 (5-136) Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)
Blake Parlett D 6.01 205 — Greenville (ECHL)

GOALTENDERS
Jason Missiaen G 6.08 220 MON-08 (4-116) Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)
Scott Stajcer G 6.03 195 NYR-09 (5-140) Owen Sound (OHL)

EARLIER: The Rangers haven’t officially released their roster for the 2011 Traverse City Tournament yet, but a lineup posted on HF Boards over the weekend has spread like wildfire around the Internet.  Here’s a look at the rumored roster:

FORWARDS

Jonathan Audy-Marchessault C, 5.09, 175, Quebec (QMJHL)
Ryan Bourque LW, 5.09, 164 NYR-09 (3-80), Quebec (QMJHL)
Tommy Grant LW, 6.02, 195, Alaska (WCHA)
Carl Hagelin LW, 5.11, 176, NYR-07 (6-168), Michigan (CCHA)
Jordan Hickmott * C, 6.00, 181, Edmonton (WHL)
Tayler Jordan * LW, 6.06, 195, Portland (WHL)
Kale Kerbashian * C, 5.11, 165, Sarnia (OHL)
Shane McColgan RW, 5.11, 170, NYR-11 (5-134), Kelowna(WHL)
Randy McNaught RW, 6.05, 221, NYR-10 (7-190), Vancouver (WHL)
J.T. Miller RW, 6.01, 190, NYR-11 (1-15), US Natl Dev Team (USHL)
Michael St. Croix C, 5.11, 179, NYR-11 (4-106), Edmonton (WHL)
Christian Thomas RW, 5.09, 165, NYR-10 (2-40), Oshawa (OHL)
Jason Wilson LW, 6.02, 205, NYR-10 (5-130), Niagara (OHL)
Andrew Yogan C, 6.03, 202, NYR-10 (4-100), Erie (OHL)

DEFENSEMEN
Collin Bowman * D 6.02 200 — Moose Jaw (WHL)
Peter Ceresnak D 6.03 209 NYR-11 (6-172) Trencin Jr. (SLVK-Jr.)
Tim Erixon D 6.02 190 CAL-09 (1-23) Skelleftea (SEL)
Dylan McIlrath D 6.05 215 NYR-10 (1-10) Moose Jaw (WHL)
Samuel Noreau D 6.04 210 NYR-11 (5-136) Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)
Blake Parlett D 6.01 205 — Greenville (ECHL)

GOALTENDERS
Jason Missiaen G 6.08 220 MON-08 (4-116) Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)
Scott Stajcer G 6.03 195 NYR-09 (5-140) Owen Sound (OHL)

The Blueshirts are scheduled to make an official announcement today, so we’ll find out if the above group is accurate in short order.

According to that roster, the Rangers will only be bringing three non-roster plays to the tournament this year: Jordan Hickmott, Tayler Jordan and Collin Bowman.  Over at The Prospect Park, Jess Rubenstein provides detailed scouting reports on each, but the long and short of it is this: Hickmott has played parts of six seasons in the WHL and had never done much offensively until a year ago, but his defensive game leaves a lot to be desired; Jordan is a pure enforcer, but is also a big-time team player and Bowman is a teammate of Dylan McIlrath who posted 11 goals and 37 assists a year ago.

According to Rubenstein, Hickmott is scheduled to play for the University of Alberta this year and he doesn’t have much of a chance of getting a contract offer from the Blueshirts.  New York is always looking for enforcers, so if Jordan has a good showing he might have the best shot of earning a deal.  Bowman is reminiscent of one of last year’s non-roster invites, Brandon Manning, in that he has good size, posted impressive offensive numbers and apparently has a physical edge to his game.

We’ll see how these three look in September, but the Rangers’ cupboard is pretty well stocked right now so it’s hard to imagine them drawing too much attention from management.

The real focus will be on the impressive grouping of top prospects that will take the ice together.  Three players with aspirations of making the Rangers this year: Carl Hagelin, Christian Thomas and Tim Erixon, must perform well not only to impress the coaching staff, but to keep their confidence high heading into training camp later in the month.

Likely CT Whale forwards Ryan Bourque, Tommy Grant, Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, Kale Kerbashian and Jason Wilson will also be looking to impress the organization, with Bourque and Wilson obviously having the brightest future off the bunch.

The tournament will also provide us a solid look at 2011 draft picks J.T. Miller, Shane McColgan, Michael St. Croix, Peter Ceresnak and Samuel Noreau.

Andrew Yogan will also be a player to watch as his attitude has been in question of late so it will be important for him to make a good on-ice impression to keep the organization convinced of his value.

Of course, we can expect to see Dylan McIlrath crunch a few bodies at the tournament and hopefully unleash his ever-improving slap shot.  With a big year, McIlrath could be knocking on the door for a roster spot next season.

The goaltending tandem of Jason Missiaen and Scott Stajcer has to be considered the weak part of the team, but both could really use a good tournament to start the year off right.  Stajcer, especially, could have a future with the club, but he needs to get off on the right foot.

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