NEW YORK – Prior to Saturday's departure to Switzerland for the Victoria Cup, the New York Rangers cut their roster to three goalkeepers, eight defencemen and 15 forwards.

Former Czech NHL star Petr Nedved, who joined the Rangers on a tryout basis, was released on Friday.

The 36-year-old told after the deal on July 31st, that he didn't see big chances to stick around with the club and that it would be considered as a pure tryout. The centre had three points (2+1) in as many preseason games but he had to go prior to the Rangers’ last exhibition game on American ice Saturday afternoon against the New Jersey Devils, making space for younger players.

“Obviously, it gave me an indication that I can still play in this league. I'm happy about that, but I don't think I'm going to be trying next year,” Nedved told the Associated Press.

Nedved was playing in the NHL for 15 years until 2007. He spent last season in the Czech Extraliga with Sparta Prague and is expected to join his hometown team Bili Tygri Liberec.

Twenty other players won’t make the trip to Berne for the Victoria Cup, among them Russians Artem Anisimov and Maxim Kondratiev and Swede Andreas Jamtin.

Following players were reassigned to the AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack: Matt Zaba; Mike Busto, Vladimir Denisov, Maxim Kondratiev, Thomas Pöck, Bobby Sanguinetti, Mike Sauer; Artem Anisimov, Joe Barnes, Dane Byers, Brodie Dupont, Ryan Hillier, Andreas Jamtin, Hugh Jessiman, Greg Moore, P.A. Parenteau, Tom Pyatt, Justin Soryal, Dale Weise, Tomas Zaborsky.

The New York Rangers roster as of September 26th:

Goalkeepers: Henrik Lundqvist, Steve Valiquette, Miika Wiikman.

Defencemen: Brian Fahey, Dan Girardi, Dmitri Kalinin, Paul Mara, Corey Potter, Wade Redden, Michal Rozsival, Marc Staal.

Forwards: Blair Betts, Ryan Callahan, Nigel Dawes, Chris Drury, Brandon Dubinsky, Dan Fritsche, Scott Gomez, Lauri Korpikoski, Markus Näslund, Colton Orr, Petr Prucha, Patrick Rissmiller, Fredrik Sjöström, Aaron Voros, Nikolai Zherdev.