The Rangers have announced today that they have signed center Blair Betts to a two years, $1.23 million extension.  The announcement is the first in several years for the Rangers, who have typically waited until the off-season to re-sign their players, but with Betts’ play both last year and this along with his relatively cheap price and impending free agency this summer, it appeared they wanted to lock him in.

New York acquired Betts as part of the purge back in 2004.  Betts was acquired along with Jamie McLennan and Greg Moore in exchange for Chris Simon.  Injured at the time, he didn’t play for the organization until the lockout season when he again suffered shoulder injuries that limited him to just 16 games.  Re-signed as a free agent, Betts proved to be a solid checking center in his debut season with the Rangers, and was one of the few players who played well in the 4-0 playoff series sweep by the New Jersey Devils to conclude the 2005-06 season.