The Rangers and Oilers made their second deadline deal in as many seasons today, with Edmonton sending winger Anson Carter and defenseman Ales Pisa to the New York Rangers in exchange for right wing Radek Dvorak and defenseman Cory Cross.

Dvorak had been struggling with the Rangers scoring only 6 goals this year in 63 appearances, coming off a serious knee injury that cut last year’s campaign short.  Cross, a defenseman the Rangers picked up earlier this year to fill in for several injured higher profile players, was leading New York in plus/minus with a +12 rating and had formed an effective pairing with Darius Kasparaitis.

In Carter, the Rangers get a physical winger to bolster a team that has overly relied on skill in the past few seasons.  Carter was leading the Oilers with 55 points including 25 goals in 68 games.

Pisa was a 9th round pick of the Oilers in 2001, and has already played 50 NHL games, tallying a goal and three assists this season in 48 games.

Oilers get:
Radek Dvorak, Right Wing
Birthdate: 3/9/1977
Height/Weight: 6-2/194
Career Record: 134G 192A 326Pts  178PIM in 592 NHL games
2002-03 Stats: 6G 21A 27Pts 16PIM in 63 NHL games

Cory Cross, Defenseman
Birthdate: 1/3/1971
Height/Weight: 6-5/219
Career Record: 22G 75A 97Pts  561PIM in 524 NHL games
2002-03 Stats: 0G 4A 4Pts 16PIM in 26 NHL games

Rangers get:
Anson Carter, Forward
Birthdate: 6/6/1974
Height/Weight: 6-1/190
Career Record: 142G 163A 305Pts  144PIM in 441 NHL games
2002-03 Stats: 25G 30A 55Pt 20PIM in 68 NHL games

Ales Pisa, Defenseman
Birthdate: 1/2/1977
Height/Weight: 6-0/194
Career Record: 1G 3A 4Pts  26PIM in 50 NHL games
2002-03 Stats: 1G 3A 4Pts 24PIM in 48 NHL games

Laukkanen Claimed By Lightning 

Amid the frenzy of trading on deadline day, the Rangers bid goodbye to Janne Laukkanen who’s brief stay with the Rangers included only a handful of games with the Hartford Wolfpack.

Laukkanen was acquired from the Penguins in the Kovalev deal, but never suited up for the Rangers.  Once he returned from a chronic hip injury, he was assigned to a conditioning stint with the Pack that just expired causing the Rangers to make a decision regarding his future with the team.

The Rangers probably weren’t disappointed to see Laukkanen go, but he does add some defensive depth to the Lightning.

Lightning get:
Janne Laukkanen, Defense
Birthdate: 3/19/1970
Height/Weight: 6-0/ 180
Career Record: 21G 99A 120Pts 335PIM in 405 NHL games
2002-03 Stats: 1G 6A 7Pts 8PIM in 17 NHL games

Rangers Wild Make Minor League Deal 

The Rangers and Wild swapped minor leaguers in a deal at the trade deadline that added some much needed defensive depth to the Hartford Wolfpack.  The Rangers sent goaltender Johan Holmqvist to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman Lawrence Nycholat.

Nycholat is having a breakout season with the Houston Aeros of the AHL registering 11 goals and 28 assists in 66 appearances with the Wild’s affiliate.  The young defenseman was signed by the Wild as a free agent, but has established himself in the Aero’s line-up this season.

Holmqvist was in his third season in North America all with the Wolfpack.  He had several cameo appearances with the New York Rangers including a partial game in each of the past two regular seasons.  The Swedish goaltender was never able to move to the next level with New York, but at 24 still has some potential.

Rangers get:
Lawrence Nycholat, Defense
Birthdate: 5/7/1979
Height/Weight: 6-0/192
Career Record: No NHL experience
2002-03 Stats: 11G 28A 39Pts 155PIM in 66 AHL games

Lightning get:
Johan Holmqvist
Birthdate: 5/24/1978
Height/Weight: 6-1/190
Career Record:  0-3-0 in 4 NHL games
2002-03 Stats: 0-1-0 in 1 NHL game