Derick Brassard Trade: Rangers Acquire Mika Zibanejad And A 2nd

In a bit of a shocking move, the New York Rangers have made their first big splash of the offseason. According to an official team release, the Rangers have acquired Mika Zibanejad and a 2018 2nd-round pick from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Derick Brassard and a 2018 7th-round pick.

At first glance, this trade came completely out of left field, and some may be wondering why the Rangers traded one of their better players. But when you look at the numbers, the Rangers are getting a similar player in terms of production, and at half of the cap hit. Zibanejad is also five years younger than Brassard, and still has his best years ahead of him.

Don’t overlook the 2nd-round pick the Rangers got in the deal either, which will only help them build towards the future. It sucks to move on from Brassard, but the Rangers did very well in this deal, and they also free up some much needed cap space.

Thoughts?