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The New York Rangers traded Ryan Lindgren, Jimmy Vesey and prospect Hank Kempf to the Colorado Avalanche for Juuso Parssinen, Calvin de Haan, a second-round pick and a fourth-round pick, the Avalanche announced Saturday. The second-round pick will be the better of the Carolina Hurricanes or New York’s (both owned by Colorado) this year and the better of Colorado or the Vancouver Canucks’ fourth-round pick.
The Rangers are four points out of a playoff spot and did not want to let pending unrestricted free agents walk for nothing. Both Lindgren and Vesey are on expiring contracts. The Rangers will retain 50 percent of Lindgren’s cap hit.
Getting a second-round pick in the deal is a win for the Rangers, who don’t have a second-round pick in each of the next three years. De Haan can fill Lindgren’s spot on defense, and Parssinen is a young forward Colorado acquired from the Nashville Predators earlier this season. He’s a pending restricted free agent, and de Haan is a UFA after the year.
Why the trade makes sense for New York
The Rangers had discussions to acquire Parssinen while with the Predators, according to a league source, and they view him as an immediate option at center. He has 11 points in 37 games this year between his time in Nashville and Colorado.
New York still wants to make the playoffs this year. The front office felt this deal allowed the team to both recoup draft picks and add a young, controllable player in Parssinen, all while leaving them a roster that can contend for one of the final Wild Card spots.
What the move means for Colorado’s roster
In Lindgren, the Avalanche receive a gritty defenseman who played significant time with Adam Fox. He will likely be asked to play less in Colorado, which could help Lindgren’s effectiveness. He’s been a big part of the Rangers’ penalty kill but has struggled at points this season despite his career-high 19 points.
New York had less than 50 percent of the expected goal share with him on the ice at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick. Again, Lindgren should benefit from playing fewer minutes against less difficult competition in Colorado, given how much of the load Cale Makar and Devon Toews carry.
Vesey is an effective fourth-line option who just crossed the 100-career goal plateau. He was in and out of the Rangers’ lineup this season.
Required reading
(Photo: Charles LeClaire / Imagn Images)
