With less than a week left before the trade deadline, the Avalanche have added some extra depth on the back end and up front. In a deal that has been announced by both teams, Colorado is acquiring defenseman Ryan Lindgren, winger Jimmy Vesey, and the rights to unsigned prospect Hank Kempf from the Rangers in exchange for forward Juuso Parssinen, defenseman Calvin de Haan, and two draft picks. The picks are the better of Carolina’s or New York’s (previously-acquired) second-round pick this year and the better of Colorado’s or Vancouver’s fourth-round selection this season.
Lindgren has been a mainstay on New York’s back end for the last six seasons. However, his tenure with them has always seemed to be on uncertain footing. He wound up taking a three-year bridge deal back in 2021 with the expectation that he’d sign a longer-term pact after that. Instead, he found himself in trade speculation at times during that contract and the two sides were only able to work out a one-year, $4.5MM contract last summer, one that avoided salary arbitration but also set Lindgren up to reach unrestricted free agency this summer. Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports (Twitter link) that the Rangers will retain half of that contract as part of the swap.
The 27-year-old has never been a big point producer in the NHL as he has yet to reach the 20-point mark in a single season although with 19 points in 54 games this season, he’s likely to do just that in the coming days. However, Lindgren has been a steady and reliable defensive defender for most of his career, logging heavy minutes on the penalty kill and consistently being among the Rangers’ leaders in blocked shots. This season, he’s second on New York in blocked shots with 102 while leading the team in shorthanded TOI at 2:42 per game.
That penalty killing prowess will fit in well on a Colorado shorthanded unit that’s barely above the league average in success rate at 79.8% while also giving them a solid replacement for the injured Josh Manson. Lindgren should slot in as the fourth defender on the Avs’ depth chart for the time being while when Manson returns, one of the two should help anchor the third pairing which would be a nice boost to that pairing heading into the playoffs.
As for Vesey, the 31-year-old was in the third season of his second go-round in New York. The first two seasons of that second stint were successful as he notched 24 goals and 51 points over the two years, giving the Rangers some solid, low-cost secondary scoring. But things haven’t gone as well this season. He has been frequently scratched and has just six points in 31 games when he has suited up. Nonetheless, Colorado has been looking for some stability on the fourth line pretty much all season long and Vesey should be able to lock down a regular role on that trio while giving it some experience as he’s suited up in over 600 games at the NHL level. He’s also a pending unrestricted free agent this summer, carrying a $800K cap charge.
Kempf, meanwhile, was a seventh-round pick by the Rangers back in 2021, going 208th overall. The blueliner is in his senior year at Cornell University and has two goals and five assists in 28 games this season. Colorado will need to sign him to an entry-level deal by mid-August or lose his rights.
Parssinen is the more notable player heading to the Rangers in this swap. It will be the third team for him this season as Colorado only acquired him from Nashville back in late December. But while the 24-year-old was able to hold down a regular role with the Avs (after being scratched at times with the Predators), he wasn’t overly productive with just six points in 22 games while logging less than 10 minutes a night of ice time. When added to his numbers with the Preds, Parssinen has four goals and seven assists in 37 appearances this season.
Parssinen made an immediate strong impression when he first debuted in the NHL back in 2022-23, notching an impressive 25 points in 45 games in Nashville but he hasn’t been able to get back to that level of performance since then. He’ll now get another fresh start in New York who can control him through the 2027-28 season through restricted free agency with salary arbitration rights. Parssinen is making the league minimum of $775K this season and will be owed a qualifying offer of nearly $814K in late June.
As for de Haan, the 33-year-old was in his first season with Colorado after signing a one-year, $800K contract with them early in free agency last summer. He has largely played on the third pairing this year, logging just under 15 minutes a night of playing time while chipping in with seven assists, 58 blocks, and 59 hits in 44 appearances. A pending UFA, the 676-game veteran is likely to have a similar role in New York but also could be a candidate to be flipped again if there’s a team looking for extra defensive depth before Friday’s trade deadline.
The Rangers enter play today four points out of the final Wild Card spot. While that’s hardly an insurmountable gap, they’re also not in a spot to potentially lose rental players for no return. With this move, they pick up a pair of draft picks and will get a look to see if Parssinen can return to his form from a couple of years ago which could make him a piece worth keeping around for a while. Meanwhile, Lindgren is a nice pickup for the Avs even with his struggles this season as he should be able to help stabilize the back half of their back end which should only help their fortunes heading into the playoffs.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report (Twitter links) the four players in the deal while Peter Baugh of The Athletic was first with the draft pick details.
Photo courtesy of Imagn Images.
This screams sell mode…..
Rangers get a 2nd and 4th this years draft
Puzzled at what the Rangers are doing. Avs get a workhouse with Lindgren.
They probably can’t afford to pay Lindgren his asking price as a free agent, might as well as get what they can. It’s probably their own 2nd.
But if the Rangers are trying to make the playoffs, this doesn’t help on the ice or in the lockeroom.
You’re not a playoff team today and your best case scenario is a wild card matchup against Washington or Florida. What is the reward in that to be worth passing up two draft picks when you’re short on them?
As a long time Ranger fan I love Lindgren, not sure I’ve ever seen a guy more committed to the cause. He’ll stick his face in front of a 95 MPH slap shot, fight anybody even though he’s the worst fighter in the league lol, and he hurls his 180 lbs around like every game is game 7.
I love the guy but he has slowed down drastically this season to the point were he has been an absolute albatross all year. He’s part of the reason they have struggled so badly and they have players in the AHL who are probably better. His overall game has really gone south, but he has played a bit better the last few games so maybe he still has something to offer. His metrics are really, really bad this year.
He just looks shot, like all of the beatings he’s taken have caught up to him at once. He plays like a 6’3″ 220 lb D man but he’s actually smallish and has no regard for his own safety. To me if he thrives anywhere it has to be on a third pair for far less ice time, maybe with some time off once in a while.
I wish him well, he was an absolute warrior.
They didn’t trade for J.T. Miller because they threw the towel in for the season.
Love this deal for the AVS. Lindgren is a warrior. Hopefully he can stay healthy.
I agree. The dehaan experiment was a miserable failure, this will definitely improve the team. Now they need to find some secondary scoring and they’ll be all set for the playoffs
Ryan Lindgren is the big acquisition in this trade. Colorado gets a physical defender but the question mark is can Lindgren actually stay healthy.
New York’s acquisitions of the 2 draft picks is what New York really wanted here. Both DeHaan & Parssinen are UFAs after the season. New York wanted something for Lindgren & they got it in the draft picks.
parssinen is a rfa, controlled through the 2027-2028 season
Yes I know but I was speaking in general as I wasn’t being technical in the matter. He’s a FA in general whether he’s RFA or UFA as it didn’t really matter in my overall point.
lol… that is some strong cope. Why not just admit that you were wrong?
I wasn’t wrong though. I just happened to put UFA instead of FA in my OP. Didn’t give it much thought. If I did the “FA” this wouldn’t be a conversation based on a technical nitpick. I knew Parssinen prior was an RFA (based on PuckPedia). Just because I didn’t happen to mention it doesn’t mean I didn’t know of it.
Whether or not you knew it, what you posted was incorrect.
Assuming you knew he was an RFA, it means you simply made a mistake or a typo. Why not just admit that? Instead you gave some bizarre response about a technicality.
I really like this trade for the AVS!!! And another out of left field move by COL that no one had on their radar!
Lindgren is a good defensive defenseman who blocks a ton of shots! And Vesey is a veteran, bottom 6 wing with 31 playoff games to his credit. Both are filling needs! Not to mention NYR retaining half of Lindgren’s salary! Leaves plenty of cap space to add more scoring! Or whatever C-Mac & Joe feel is needed!
I could care less about de Haan, Parssinen or the 2 draft picks!
Here’s how I see it:
Lindgren = de Haan & 2nd rd pick
4th rd = retaining $2,250,000
Vesey = Parssinen
Just a heads up, but you might delete some of those exclamation points when you see Lindgren play lol.
And as a Ranger fan, I am rooting for him.
You can never have enough exclamation points.
Lindgren has not been the same after all his injuries. A warrior no doubt, but slow and hasn’t been able to keep up. As a NYR fan, I watch every game and he has been noticeably slower. Plus too expensive for too many years on his next contract. Hence, his one year deal this year.The concern is his next contract will be an albatross due to amount and term like Staals and Girardi’s were.
Sadly, I have to agree. Lindy is nothing like his previous years and is getting burned on D. He’s still a warrior, it’s in his DNA, but his time on the ice has been way below his capability. Maybe the deal will help him.
Good moves for both teams. K. Miller is next I hope.
I hope we move Miller next and Mika. This team needs a rebuild but I’m not sure Drury is the GM to do it. We gave away Kappo and traded for almost the same player. Going no where with this bunch
It’s easier to replace a GM than to pull off the moves you describe. Drury will throw stones in the pressers but he lives in a glass house too.