Ryan Malone gets second chance with Rangers, acknowledges 'mistake'
Ryan Malone’s road back to the NHL began on Monday when he joined a handful of New York Rangers at their practice facility for a skate. The 34-year old forward doesn’t have a contract or tryout agreement in place with the team, but his agent and Glen Sather will discuss something early this week, according to the New York Post.
In April, Malone was arrested for DUI and possession of 1.3 grams of cocaine. Last month he pleaded no contest to the DUI charge, while the cocaine charge will be dismissed. The Tampa Bay Lightning used their second compliance buyout on Malone in June.
“Obviously I made a mistake and I obviously have to admit that and thankfully, luckily no one got hurt,” Malone told reporters Monday morning. “This has obviously changed my life for the better and I guess while we’re on that subject I’d like to publicly apologize to Mr. Vinik and the Tampa organization. They’re a first-class organization.”
After skating with Derek Stepan and Ryan McDonough in Minnesota, Malone was invited to join the Rangers in New York with training camps opening next week. He was reinstated by doctors last week after being placed in Stage Two of the NHL/NHLPA’s Substance Abuse/Behavioral Health Program, giving him the green light to sign a contract.
“The hockey world’s a small world,” he said. “My teammates and family know what type of person I am, so I’m just trying to let everybody else know that eventually.”
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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Sean_Leahy
