After moving their former captain Jacob Trouba and Ryan Lindgren, the Rangers lacked a hard, physical presence on the back end.
To fill that, GM Chris Drury went back to the Canucks, adding defenseman Carson Soucy in return for a third-round pick, as reported by NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman.
Soucy brings some badly needed grit to the left side of New York's blue line. While his offensive output has been minimal, just 10 points (3G, 7A) in 59 games this season, his physicality and defensive reliability make him a good addition.
Most significantly, perhaps, Soucy waived his no-trade clause to join the Blueshirts, a clear sign of his interest in playing at Madison Square Garden.
His NTC will go down to 12 teams next season, something Drury likely took into account when making the trade.
Canucks insider Rick Dhaliwal says newly acquired Rangers forward J.T. Miller played a role in recruiting Soucy, selling him on the trade to New York.
The NHL could make more of this as a potential case of tampering, but with the trade deadline madness in full swing, it's unlikely the league will address it immediately.
Could there be any repercussions to the Rangers from this saga? We'll learn more in the coming days once the dust from the wild trade deadline settles.
POLL | ||
MARS 8 | 1182 ANSWERS J.T. Miller May Face NHL Penalty for Alleged Tampering Involvement in Rangers Trade Do you believe J.T. Miller should be penalized? | ||
Yes | 625 | 52.9 % |
No | 557 | 47.1 % |
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