Rangers Acquire Lucas Edmonds, Send Ryder Korczak to Lightning

The New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning swung an AHL-level trade on Saturday morning. The Blueshirts sent Wolf Pack forward Ryder Korczak to Tampa in exchange for forward Lucas Edmonds.

Korczak, 22, was drafted by the Rangers in the third round (#75) in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. In 35 games this season, he's tallied eleven points (3 G, 8 A) and a +4. He played in 107 regular season games for the Wolf Pack from 2022 to 2025, totaling 31 points (12 G, 19 A). Korczak added a goal and an assist in 10 Calder Cup Playoff games last year.

Edmonds, meanwhile, has played 120 career AHL games with the Syracuse Crunch after being drafted by Tampa Bay in the third round (#86) in 2022. He's recorded 48 points (25 G, 23 A) across that span. This season, Edmonds has a goal and four assists across 26 games. Edmonds will turn 24 in two days.

Korczak did shuffle in and out the lineup this season, and he didn't have a defined role. He didn't put up a ton of points, but he's a capable two-way player and one of Hartford's better defensive forwards. In terms of plus/minus - which, unfortunately, is the best defensive stat we get in the AHL - Korczak was tied for third among forwards, trailing only Alex Belzile (+7) and Blade Jenkins (+5).

The easiest way to sum up this trade is that it's a change of scenery for two guys who needed one. Korczak can carve out a more defined role in Syracuse, while Edmonds gets a chance to rediscover his scoring touch in the Connecticut capital. Edmonds won't play against Rochester tonight, but he'll be an option for the Wolf Pack moving forward.