Rangers acquire Vatrano from Florida

[Brewin Flames]

Breaking News: Rangers Acquire Vatrano From Panthers in First Deadline Move

•  MARCH 16, 2022
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Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images

In this year’s draft, the New York Rangers will send a fourth-round pick (lower of the two they currently hold) to the Florida Panthers in exchange for forward Frank Vatrano. Vatrano, set to become an Unrestricted Free Agent after the season, will head to Broadway for at least the next few months. This move looks like a step in the direction to help the Rangers’ much-maligned 3rd line. The Massachusetts native best season was back in 2018-19 when he produced 39 points. He won’t generate a lot of offense but should help the at times porous five v 5.

OFFICIAL: #NYR have acquired forward Frank Vatrano from the Florida Panthers in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. pic.twitter.com/6nAjpUVAV5

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 16, 2022

The Rangers will take on the full $2.53 AAV. It matters, and it doesn’t matter. New York has $32 million in cap space, so it doesn’t matter, but they did just help one of the better teams in the league free up $2.5 million from their books.

This is most likely not the only move Rangers GM Chris Drury will make prior to Monday’s 3 pm EST deadline. It’s unclear if he will make a big splash or just add a few more pieces to balance out the bottom six.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Pretty surprised Florida traded him.
Vatrano seems like the type of gritty bottom sixer, who can chip in scoring, that every playoff bound team wants on their roster.

In the grand scheme of things, I don't think he really makes or breaks the Panthers (or the Rangers), but kudos for NY for adding such a player.
He SHOULD help them.
As for Florida, I would have kept him for their upcoming playoff drive if I were them, but fortunately, the team should have enough hustle and sandpaper on their team even without "Frank the Tank", as the FLA announcers sometimes referred to him as.

[yave1964]

9 minutes ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

Pretty surprised Florida traded him.
Vatrano seems like the type of gritty bottom sixer, who can chip in scoring, that every playoff bound team wants on their roster.

In the grand scheme of things, I don't think he really makes or breaks the Panthers (or the Rangers), but kudos for NY for adding such a player.
He SHOULD help them.
As for Florida, I would have kept him for their upcoming playoff drive if I were them, but fortunately, the team should have enough hustle and sandpaper on their team even without "Frank the Tank", as the FLA announcers sometimes referred to him as.

I read a few places that it is because the Panthers are freeing up space to perhaps make a big splash at or before the deadline.  

[AlaskaFlyerFan]

Wasn’t Vatrano a healthy scratch for several games recently, like 3 or 4 in a row?  I don’t think the Panthers will miss him.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

45 minutes ago, AlaskaFlyerFan said:

Wasn’t Vatrano a healthy scratch for several games recently, like 3 or 4 in a row?  I don’t think the Panthers will miss him.

 

Yes, he was.

That coincided with the return of Noel Acciari from injury.
Acciari and Vatrano are similar type players, except, Acciari plays center as well.

Apparently Vatrano was then the victim of a numbers game as he was behind several other wingers on the team.
You could be right.... Florida likely doesn't miss a beat at all, but it is still a nice off-the-radar pickup for NY.