The Rangers have decided to imitate their New York neighbors and not wait to start shopping for the NHL trade deadline.
General manager Chris Drury acquired star winger Vladimir Tarasenko from the St. Louis Blues on Thursday. The latter agreed to pay 50% of the remaining salary of the Russian sniper, whose contract ends this summer.
In addition to Tarasenko, the Blueshirts also get their hands on defender Niko Mikkola.
Mikkola’s arrival at the Rangers blue line explains the club’s decision to waive the name of fellow full-back Libor Hajek earlier today.
In return, the Rangers agreed to trade forward Samuel Blais – who will return to St. Louis, as well as a conditional 2023 first-round pick (the lower of the two picks New York has), a pick fourth-round conditional in 2024 (this one could become a third-round pick if the Rangers are playoffs), and defenseman prospect Hunter Skinner.
This is Frank Seravalli, hockey informant from DailyFaceoffwhich was the first to report the transaction.
The 31-year-old Tarasenko has spent his entire career with the Blues, amassing 553 points, including 262 goals, in 644 games. This season, he has 10 goals and 29 points in 38 games.
He signed an eight-year contract in the summer of 2015, earning him a total of $60 million, or $7.5 million per season.
Mikkola, 26, averaged 16:39 on the blue line for the Blues this season in 50 games.
As for Blais, also 26, he was drafted by St. Louis in 2014, and was part of the completed trade in 2021, sending Pavel Buchnevich to the Blues.
The Quebec forward has taken part in 40 games this season, earning five points.
Eventually, Skinner was a fourth-round pick by the Rangers in 2014. This season, he split his time between the AHL and the ECHL.
New York is 29-14-8 so far, while St. Louis has slipped below .500 to 23-25-3.
