The New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings have agreed to a deal that will send Brendan Smith to New York in return for Ottawa’s 2018 second-round pick—received in the Derick Brassard–Mika Zibanejad deal—and a 2017 third-round pick in the upcoming draft. The Rangers don’t have their second round pick for the 2017 draft as they dealt it last season for Eric Staal.
Just this morning we wrote how the Rangers would be looking for defense help after Dan Girardi went out for 10 days with an ankle injury, and despite calling up Steven Kampfer for tonight’s game, they look like they’ll be getting a more permanent solution. 
Smith is another player who will be a free agent at year’s end, and though the Red Wings have tried to come to an extension agreement with him the reported return is definitely worth it for the rebuilding club. The 28-year old defenseman has been a dependable role player for Detroit through the years, and has shown the ability to take on a larger role. An analytical darling, Smith has always had excellent possession numbers despite his limited minutes and point production.
Even though Marc Staal has a much bigger contract and name recognition, Smith would likely become the Rangers second best option on the left side immediately behind captain Ryan McDonagh, and actually lengthen out their defense corps quite nicely. Yes, Kevin Shattenkirk would have been a bigger upgrade but Smith is no slouch. It’s not clear exactly where he would fit in, but helps the Rangers keep pace in the Metropolitan as the Penguins and Capitals both made additions to their back end. The nice thing about Smith is that he has experience on both sides and could fit in wherever the Rangers needed the help most.
Currently making $2.75MM, McKenzie tweeted today that he would be looking for at least a three year deal at $3.5MM if extended by the Red Wings. If the Rangers believe he could fit into their plans for longer than just the next few months, a similar extension would be tough to fit into their current cap situation with raises due for Jesper Fast, Mika Zibanejad and several others.
The pair of picks the Rangers gave up are a hefty price for Smith, but at least they haven’t dealt their first-round selection so far. The team hasn’t picked a player in the first round since 2012, when they chose (somewhat fittingly) Brady Skjei, a player Smith may be replacing in some sense. The Rangers keep moving out picks at the deadline, and yet have remained competitive in recent years. They are currently in fourth place in the Metropolitan Division but could easily end up anywhere in the top four.
For Detroit, getting two fairly high picks is a great return for Smith that they likely should take even if he was willing to sign an extension. After Michael Stone garnered a third, and Ron Hainsey a second, getting both in this deal seems like larceny. He’ll be a solid addition to the Rangers, but the Red Wings now have nine selections in the first three rounds the next two drafts. Sure, they’re headed for their first postseason drought in decades but collecting draft picks is the way to turn it around and start towards another consecutive playoff streak.
Bob McKenzie of TSN was first to break the deal on Twitter, and gave the details as the trade call was finishing.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Typical Rangers and Jeff Gorton is following suit from Glen Sather philosophy of trading away draft picks as if they have an abundance of them. The Rangers have one of the worst farm systems in the league and I think this was an overpay especially if they don’t have the cap room to retain him.
Their farm never ranks highly and yet they continue to develop talent and have one of the best young home grown cores in the league.
They do a great job with the picks they have, and they do really well in Europe.
It also helps that players love playing in New York. Vesey could have signed in Buffalo or Nashville, but he wanted to play in New York
Yeah- yet almost their entire team I home grown and they have 82 points in the hardest division in hockey.
So the Rangers save the picks they would have lost in a Shatty deal and send them to Detroit for Smith instead. I know they would have sent a 1 and a 2 plus a prospect like Ryan Gropp rather then a 2 and 3 and no prospect but the Rangers need there picks and it sure looks like a steal for Detroit.
The Rangers needed to bring in an NHL defenseman. Dan Girardi is out two weeks with an ankle injury and Kevin Klein has been bothered by back spasms. Having to play Steven Kampfer is not going to get it done.
They didn’t need to go out and make a trade. You have Clendening as the 5th defenseman. Yeah you’ll be playing with someone like Kampfer for a few game. Klein will be back soon and it’s not like Girardi will be out months
Agreed. Because if everyone is at full health and playing well, who sits? McDonagh and Holden are their top 2. Skjei is playing well and deserves to continue playing and then you have Staal, Klein, Girardi, and Smith. One of those guys is going to be an expensive scratch. If the Rangers are able to move one of Girardi or Staal at the end of the year and keep Smith, then I like the deal. But if Smith is just rental then this is an overpay.
Yes overpay unless Gorton finds someone to take staal or girardi which won’t happen!
If I was Gorton, I’d call up Las Vegas at the end of the year and see if they’d be interested in either (also assuming either one is willing to waive their NMC/NTC). No expansion draft stipulation attached to it (unless Las Vegas really wants Girardi/Staal), just ask for a mid to late round draft pick for them. Would give Las Vegas a veteran defenseman, albeit on an expensive contract, who could provide a bit of leadership and defensive prowess. Granted, this probably all depends on who will be exposed in the expansion draft and/or Las Vegas is interested in from other teams.
That would never happen! And you think they would give a pick for staal or girardi?
They have zero trade value with those awful contracts and staal has concussion concerns!
Again, depends on who is exposed for the draft and who Las Vegas decides to select. I agree it would probably never happen because of their contracts and injury history (and the fact that Klein is probably going to get exposed and represents a cheaper option than Girardi), but hey, you never know. Las Vegas might be interested if it means reaching the cap floor or if they feel they could use a veteran defenseman. Plus, the actual money owed on the Girardi/Staal contracts will start coming down (Girardi’s actual money owed starts going down next year and Staal’s in two or three years I think). So while the cap hit is still the same, Las Vegas will be paying less money than the cap hit.