The Rangers and Wild have exchanged minor-league depth forwards, sending Nic Petan to New York in exchange for Turner Elson. Both players remain on assignment to their new teams’ respective AHL affiliates.
Both Elson and Petan are pending UFAs in the back half of two-year, two-way deals with $762.5K cap hits. Petan makes slightly more in the minors, earning $550K compared to Elson’s $225K, although the latter carries a $250K guarantee.
Petan, 28, has far more NHL experience than his counterpart in the deal. Once a high-flying scoring center in major junior play with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks, Petan has bounced around teams and leagues since being a second-round pick of the Jets in 2013. He’s played in parts of nine consecutive seasons with the Jets, Maple Leafs, Canucks, and Wild, although he’s eclipsed the 30-game mark just once. He had two assists and a -2 rating in six NHL games this year. He’d been a point-per-game player in five straight AHL campaigns but has regressed slightly with the Iowa Wild, posting 12 goals and 40 points in 44 games.
Elson is the more veteran pro at 31 years old, but he’s played in only three NHL games – one with the Flames back in 2015-16, and two with the Red Wings in 2021-22. He carries much lower potential to factor into an NHL lineup down the stretch than Petan, posting only 12 points in 38 games with AHL Hartford. Unfortunately for him, he’s heading from a Hartford team destined for postseason play to an Iowa squad that sits last in their division.
what else would you expect from Guerin?…even the minors are getting older. what’s next, an extension for this guy?