Day: July 1, 2019

Leading up to the July 1st free agency period, the Rangers had been one of a handful of teams expected to make a bid for the services of left winger Artemi Panarin.  Along with the Panthers and Islanders, the Rangers had shown a lot of interest in the 27 year old Russian, hoping to accelerate a rebuild that is now entering it’s second full season.

The noted playmaker will receive an average annual salary of $11.642 million per year, easily eclipsing the $8.5 that Henrik Lundqvist currently makes as the Rangers highest salary commitment.  What’s more, Panarin will now be contracted through to the end of the 2025-26 season, at which point he’ll be 35 years old.

The Rangers entered the free agency period with nine players either not offered qualifying offers, or allowed to leave as Unrestricted Free Agents.  Of the nine, five had appeared on Broadway, with the remaining four not officially credited with any playing time, though Dustin Tokarski did operate as a backup goaltender.

Included were three netminders, Tokarski, Brandon Halverson and Chris Nell.  Only Halverson saw any action, with less than a period in relief two seasons ago.  Nell was a free agent signing who was unable to make an impression in the organization after being signed out of college, while Tokarski’s most memorable NHL moment was in relief of the injured Carey Price when he fought valiantly to keep the Canadiens in their Eastern Conference Finals battle with the Rangers back in 2014.  His career has tailed off dramatically since then, and he quickly fell down the depth charts in New York.

The New York Rangers have sent winger Joimmy Vesey to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a third round pick in the 2021 draft.  The 26 year old Boston native had spent three years with the Rangers after signing as a UFA in 2016.

Interestingly enough, Vesey had briefly been a Sabres property prior to joining the Rangers, having been traded by the Predators after they failed to sign him following his draft selection in 2012.  Vesey was a much sought after free agent when he declined to sign with the Sabres as well, with the Rangers ultimately beating out a handful of other teams.