Rangers Trade Joey Keane to Carolina for Julien Gauthier

The New York Rangers have traded defenseman Joey Keane to the Carolina Hurricanes in return for right winger Julien Gauthier, the team announced Tuesday.

Gauthier, 22, was selected 21st overall in the 2016 draft by Carolina. The Quebecois power forward has 26 goals and 11 assists in 44 AHL games this season as well as an assist in five NHL games.

Keane, 20, was selected with the 88th overall pick in the 2018 draft, which was acquired from Boston in exchange for Nick Holden. Keane has 30 points in 49 games in the AHL this season.

We’ll have a greater breakdown of this move in the next 24 hours, but the Rangers’ motivation for this trade was to deal from a position of strength and address a need. The organization is well stocked with right-handed defensemen and they are extremely in lacking in wingers who are close to making an immediate impact.