6 ▁season . ▁After ▁being ▁loan ed ▁for ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁campaign ▁back ▁with ▁A IK , ▁K ov acs ▁signed ▁a ▁three - year , ▁entry - level ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁R angers ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁ ▁In ▁his ▁first ▁North ▁American ▁season ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 – 1 7 , ▁K ov acs ▁strugg led ▁to ▁adapt ▁off ens ively ▁in ▁playing ▁with ▁the ▁R angers ▁American ▁Hockey ▁League ▁affili ate , ▁the ▁Hart ford ▁Wolf ▁Pack . ▁He ▁appeared ▁in ▁ 7 2 ▁of ▁ 7 6 ▁games ▁with ▁the ▁Wolf ▁Pack ▁tot alling ▁just ▁ 2 ▁goals ▁and ▁ 1 2 ▁points . ▁Having ▁end ured ▁a ▁trou bling ▁off - season ▁in ▁Sweden ▁( see ▁Personal ▁life ), ▁and ▁under ▁performing ▁in ▁at ▁the ▁R angers ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁training ▁camp , ▁K ov acs ▁failed ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁a ▁pre - season ▁game ▁as ▁he ▁was ▁amongst ▁the ▁first ▁ro ster ▁cut s ▁re ass igned ▁to ▁Hart ford ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁On ▁ 1 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁K ov acs ▁was ▁placed ▁on ▁un cond itional ▁wa ivers ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁terminate ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁his ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁R angers ▁and ▁return ▁to ▁Sweden . ▁On ▁ 7 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁he ▁signed ▁a ▁two - year ▁deal ▁with ▁L ule å ▁H F