After learning last night that Alex Frolov would miss the rest of the season due to a torn ACL, Glen Sather moved quickly to bolster the Rangers’ forward corps today, acquiring Wojtek Wolski from the Phoenix Coyotes for defenseman Michal Rozsival.
Wolski has six goals and 10 assists this season, but at the age of 24 and with playoff experience in both Colorado and Phoenix, he fits the bill for what the Rangers need in dealing with a rash of injuries that has seen Ryan Callahan, Erik Christensen and Frolov go down in the past month.
Because of the cap hit differential between Wolski and Rozsival (1.2 million), plus the money they will save from placing Alex Frolov on the Long Term Injury List (he's out for the season with a major knee injury), will free up some space should the team want/need to make a move before the trading deadline.
Also of note, Rozsival had another year remaining on his deal, while Wolski is a rental who will be a free agent at the end of the season. Again, that opens cap space should the Rangers want to take a run at Free Agent to be Brad Richards in the off season.
The danger of this trade is that the Rangers are now, very, very young on Defense. Ninth year journeyman Steve Eminger is in his 7th full NHL season. First pair Marc Staal and Dan Giradi are the vets now in their 4th and 5th years respectively. After that it's Kiddie Corps time...Mike Sauder and Ryan McDonagh are rookies. Matt Gilroy and Michael Del Zotto (when he's recalled from Connecticut) are both second year players who have spent time in the AHL this season.
It's a gamble that may leave the Rangers badly exposed come the playoffs. So far, Defense has been one of the strengths of this year's team and Rozsival was a mostly solid, if occasionally frustrating, contributor all year.
But hey...if all else fails Wade Redden is still available for a call-up!
