- We know what the future considerations are in the New York Rangers-Vancouver Canucks trade from earlier today. While the Rangers got Wyatt Kalynuk in the NHL portion of the deal, the Abbotsford Canucks landed Zach Giuttari separately. Players on minor league contracts can’t be included in NHL transactions, so they had to be two different trades. The 26-year-old defenseman has ten points in 43 games this season for Hartford.
Rangers Rumors
New York Rangers Acquire Anton Blidh, Wyatt Kalynuk
The New York Rangers made two more minor moves just before the bell sounded. First, they acquired Anton Blidh from the Colorado Avalanche sending Gustav Rydahl back in return. Then, they acquired Wyatt Kalynuk from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for future considerations. All three players are currently in the minor leagues.
Blidh, 27, is the most experienced player in the deals, with 84 NHL games under his belt. Fourteen of those have come this season with Colorado, but the depth forward has been kept completely off the scoresheet. His acquisition is likely just to extend the Rangers forward depth chart ahead of the playoffs, as he is unlikely to play much unless the team suffers several injuries.
You could say the same for Kalynuk, who last saw NHL action during the 201-22 season and has spent this entire year with the Abbotsford Canucks. His acquisition is likely more about giving the Hartford Wolf Pack a bit more expeirence. Kalynuk was once expected to be a regular at the NHL level, after signing with Chicago out of the University of Wisconsin, but after 26 games in a Blackhawks sweater, his time in the league ran out.
Rydahl, meanwhile, was signed as an undrafted free agent out of the SHL, where he has won multiple championships and starred for Farjestads. His first taste of North American hockey hasn’t worked out, with just seven goals and 15 points through 40 games, but perhaps the Avalanche can find a little more juice in the 28-year-old center.
No Supplemental Discipline Coming For Austin Watson
Ottawa Senators forward Austin Watson will not face supplemental discipline from the NHL Department of Player Safety for a hit to the head area he made on New York Rangers forward Tyler Motte last night, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post.
The hit, which led to Watson receiving a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct, came in the first period of last night’s game. Watson appeared to hit Motte, who was his teammate just a few weeks ago, in the head area with a rising check, one that seemed to include an elbow making contact with Motte’s upper body.
A replay review by officials showed that Watson’s primary point of contact was with Motte’s chin, which is what led to Watson being ejected from the game. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski reports that the Department of Player Safety determined that the hit “didn’t rise to Illegal Check to the Head,” that it was more of a “North/south hit through the body with unavoidable head contact.”
Motte did not return to the eventual Senators victory, and worth noting is the fact that Motte was knocked out for some time last season with an upper-body injury. He could miss some time now with the upper-body injury he suffered due to the hit, although no firm timeline has yet been released.
Motte, 27, was recently acquired from the Senators and has played six games for the Rangers this year.
Should he miss extended time, the Rangers will be pressed into an even more precarious situation, having already been forced to play with eleven forwards and five defensemen for cap-related reasons.
For the Senators, Watson escaping punishment from the NHL for this hit could help them as they look to make a push for a playoff spot. Watson was suspended last year for a high hit on Boston Bruins defenseman Jack Ahcan, meaning were he going to face discipline again he would be considered a repeat offender.
Now, though, despite the apparent severity of Watson’s hit on Motte, Watson will be able to remain in the Senators’ lineup for their Saturday game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. It appears that the league has decided that the five-minute-major and match penalty is sufficient punishment for Watson, which is not fully out of line with some of their past decisions.
For the Rangers, this decision could come as another point of anger for the team against the NHL Department of Player Safety, especially with their own player, K’Andre Miller, currently serving a suspension.
It was just two years ago that the Rangers’ officially and publicly called for the firing of former NHL enforcer George Parros, the current head of the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. In a statement, they called him “unfit to continue in his current role” and his choice to not suspend Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson “a dereliction of duty” that seemed to permit what they called a “horrifying act of violence.”
While today’s choice to not levy additional punishment on Watson won’t to draw the same level of ire from the Rangers and the New York market, they’re unlikely to be thrilled to see Watson walk away unscathed while one of their players faces a possible extended absence.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Tyler Motte Leaves Game With Upper-Body Injury
- NHL.com’s Dan Rosen has reported that New York Rangers forward Tyler Motte would not be returning to tonight’s game against the Ottawa Senators. Motte was just dealt by the Senators to the Rangers on February 19th and was injured after taking a headshot from former teammate Austin Watson. Watson was assessed a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct. Motte was beginning his second run with the Rangers after being dealt there last trade deadline from Vancouver. He has dealt with concussion issues in the past, having missed 31 games in 2020-21 while with the Canucks. Hopefully, Motte can make a speedy recovery after the very scary injury tonight.
New York Rangers Acquire Patrick Kane
Though it has been evident for a while that Chicago Blackhawks legend Patrick Kane would be joining the New York Rangers, what wasn’t so clear is the price they would be forced to pay for him. That price is now known as the trade has been finalized with Kane and defenseman Cooper Zech heading to the Rangers as part of a three-team trade that also involves Arizona. Chicago receives a 2023 conditional second-round pick and a fourth-round pick along with defenseman Andy Welinski from New York along with the rights to blueliner Vili Saarijarvi from Arizona while the Coyotes receive a 2025 third-round pick from the Rangers for brokering the deal by retaining 25% of Kane’s contract after Chicago held back the maximum 50% of his $10.5MM AAV.
The 2023 second-rounder can become a first-round selection if the Rangers make it to the Conference Finals. It would then be conveyed in either 2024 (top-10 protected) or 2025. The third-rounder going to Arizona will either be the Rangers’ own pick or the better of theirs and Dallas’ if defenseman Nils Lundkvist has 55 points combined this season and next which would transfer the Stars’ 2025 selection to New York.
Just as it played out with Claude Giroux last season, a franchise icon with full no-movement protection essentially dictated his destination, resulting in an underwhelming return. The Blackhawks were not able to land a guaranteed first-round pick in the deal, but will send Kane to his preferred team and still recoup some value.
When it became clear that the Blackhawks were tearing it down to rebuild through the draft, it made little sense for them to re-sign Kane in the offseason. If he was going to leave anyway, getting a second (or first) before he walked out the door only helps the efforts of general manager Kyle Davidson. Kane wasn’t forced out the door, but will now get another chance at the Stanley Cup this season with a loaded Rangers club.
After New York acquired Vladimir Tarasenko earlier this month, it appeared they were out of the running for Kane. They had a tight cap situation and had made their significant acquisition. Even Kane seemed to know he wouldn’t be headed to New York, telling reporters that it seemed like they had “filled their void” with the deal.
But now, with the help of some creative cap gymnastics, the Rangers have made enough room to land both star wingers, giving them a forward group that looks like an All-Star roster.
He also leaves Chicago with a legacy that will be hard to beat. While Kane sits second on the all-time Blackhawks scoring list, many will remember him as the most talented player in franchise history. His 1,225 regular season points came in just 1,161 games, numbers that will have him in the Hall of Fame one day.
Now 34, Kane will be an unrestricted free agent this summer unless he signs an extension with the Rangers. That certainly seems possible, though it will be difficult for New York to fit everyone in, giving some raises they own to some other players. For now, the focus will be on winning the Stanley Cup after loading up as much as they can.
Should they reach the third round, and fork over a first-rounder to Chicago, the Blackhawks would then own seven first-round selections over the next three years. After picking three players at the top of the 2022 draft, their system will quickly be loaded with talent that can mature together. Perhaps they’ll find the next star in that bunch, but simple probability suggests they won’t find another Kane.
Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli was the first to report the draft picks while ESPN’s Emily Kaplan was the first to report the conditional element on the second-rounder. PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan was the first with the return for Arizona’s involvement.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
New York Rangers Make Multiple Roster Moves
The New York Rangers have announced a few moves today ahead of their anticipation acquisition of Patrick Kane. They’ve recalled defenseman Braden Schneider from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, re-assigning forward Ryan Carpenter in his place. In addition, the Rangers have traded forward Austin Rueschhoff to the Nashville Predators in exchange for future considerations, per the team.
PuckPedia notes these transactions won’t be registered until tomorrow for cap reasons related to the Kane trade.
Schneider, New York’s first-round pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, has solidified his role full-time in the NHL this season after splitting last year between the Rangers and Wolf Pack. He was sent down yesterday in a brief cap-related move. Still just 21, the right-shot D-man has five goals and 15 points in 59 games this year, along with solid defensive play.
Carpenter, on the other hand, has seen about equal time with the Rangers and Wolf Pack this year after multiple consecutive seasons as a full-time NHLer. The 32-year-old forward has a goal and two assists in 22 games with the Rangers this season, but he’s been in Hartford since the middle of January. Like Schneider, he was moved between leagues yesterday for cap-related reasons.
With the Rueschhoff trade, the Rangers move out a contract as they prepare to make a big add. In the midst of his third season with the Wolf Pack, the 25-year-old undrafted free agent will likely report to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. The former Western Michigan University standout had 20 goals, 23 assists, and 43 points in 113 games with Hartford across three seasons and has yet to make his NHL debut.
K’Andre Miller Suspended Three Games
Feb 28: As expected, Miller has received a three-game suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct. He will be forced out of the Rangers lineup and miss games against the Flyers, Senators, and Bruins.
Feb 27: After being ejected from the game last night, New York Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller will have a hearing to determine any supplementary discipline. Miller earned a match penalty for spitting at Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty.
Today, Miller released a statement on the incident:
I wanted to take a moment to address what occurred in last night’s game. I have all the respect in the world for Drew Doughty and what happened was completely accidental. I would never intend to do something like that on purpose, it goes against everything I am as a person and player. I felt awful about it and I am thankful Drew gave me the opportunity to apologize and explain myself in person after the game.
Despite the apology, Miller could very well face a multi-game suspension. In 2019, Garnet Hathaway was given a three-game suspension for a similar incident. Interestingly, in that case, the suspension was handed down directly from the league, not the Department of Player Safety. The DoPS announced Miller’s hearing, though perhaps that is simply for public announcement, and this, too, will go directly to the commissioner’s office.
A suspension for Miller would complicate the Rangers’ delicate cap dance in preparation for an expected Patrick Kane trade. If he does get ruled out, the team may have to delay any acquisition an extra day (or two).
Latest On Rangers, Kane
- Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet points out that the New York Rangers don’t actually have to wait until tomorrow to acquire Patrick Kane, only past today’s salary cap threshold. The cap is calculated on the active roster at 4pm CT every day, meaning the Rangers could land Kane a few minutes later and have him applied to Wednesday’s number instead. All signs continue to point to Kane joining the Rangers this week, potentially even in time to take on the Philadelphia Flyers tomorrow night.
Ryan Carpenter, Braden Schneider Dressed, Not Playing For New York Rangers
As the New York Rangers carefully manage their cap in preparation for the expected addition of Patrick Kane later this week, some interesting decisions must be made. Tonight Ryan Carpenter and Braden Schneider are dressed for the game but are not expected to actually play a shift, according to Arthur Staple of The Athletic.
The reason is that these players will be sent down to the minor leagues in the coming days, allowing the Rangers to bank enough cap space to add Kane before the trade deadline. If either one suffered an injury, the plan—one with very little room for error—would be impossible, and the Rangers would be forced to make a different transaction to accommodate an incoming cap hit.
It does not mean that Carpenter or Schneider are involved in the potential trade (though it doesn’t rule that out, either), only that the team needs to protect their health as the few waiver-exempt players on the roster. Because they will still be dressed, the Rangers won’t get the bonus emergency exception that playing shorthanded usually affords a team.
Playing with just 16 skaters is difficult, but it’s a small price to pay for potentially adding a future Hall of Famer later this week. The Rangers don’t play again until Wednesday. As if taunting the hockey gods, though, K’Andre Miller has taken a match penalty in the first period for spitting at Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, which means the Rangers are effectively playing with just four defensemen. It also will mean an automatic review of the situation by the league and a potential suspension for Miller this week.
Jake Leschyshyn Clears Waivers
Feb 26: Along with the other two players on waivers, Leschyshyn has cleared without issue. He has been sent to the minor leagues in favor of Ryan Carpenter, who was recalled because the Rangers need 18 skaters if they are cap compliant. Carpenter’s $750K cap hit is slightly lower, though, allowing the team to bank a tiny bit of extra space today.
Feb 25: With the Rangers expected to be trying to clear up some salary to make another move to add to their roster, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports (Twitter link) that Jake Leschyshyn is expected to be on waivers at the top of the hour.
It will be the second time that the 23-year-old is on waivers this season as Vegas put him on the wire back in January when New York picked him up. Leschyshyn has yet to put up a single point in 35 games in 2022-23 between the two teams (22 with the Golden Knights, 13 with the Rangers) although he does have 55 hits and has won a little over 50% of his faceoffs so far. Last season was his first taste of NHL action when he had four goals and two assists in 41 appearances with Vegas.
Notably, Leschyshyn is in the first season of a three-year, one-way deal that carries a cap hit of $766.7K. Teams may be hesitant to commit two years of guaranteed salary to a player whose place on an NHL roster is very much in flux even though starting next season, his AAV will be below the league minimum. If Vegas elects to put in a claim and no one else does, they would be permitted to send Leschyshyn to the minors but if anyone else opted to, he would need to stay on the NHL roster.