Motte Rejoins Rangers
With twelve days until the March 3rd NHL trade deadline, Rangers GM Chris Drury made his second move, bringing back fourth line winger Tyler Motte to the Blueshirts. In exchange, the Rangers sent right wing Julien Gauthier, along with a conditional seventh round pick in this year’s draft, with the pick turning into the lower of the two sixth rounders they have if the Rangers win a playoff round.
In Motte, the Rangers bring back a known quantity. A player who brings speed to the fourth line, is a trusted penalty killer, and a good forechecker. An opportunisitc add last season, when it cost the team a fourth round pick to Vancouver, Motte played just nine regular season games before being hurt when he was checked into the boards by Anthony Angelo of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the April 7th 3-0 victory.