What the Rangers did at the deadline that they’ve failed at before

How do Copp and Vatrano compare?

With six games left, Andrew Copp has already scored more points since coming to the Rangers than any other forward acquired at the deadline in the salary cap era. Nik Antropov also totaled 13 points, but he did it in five more games than Copp.   Copp needs one more point to top Sandis Ozolinsh’s 14 points.  Again, it took Ozolinsh, a defenseman, six more games than Copp has played so far.

As for goals, Copp has five, equaling the number scored by Derick Brassard and two off Antropov’s total.

Frank Vatrano’s 11 points are also pretty good,  with only Ozolinsh and Antropov with more points (along with Copp).  But Vatrano’s specialty is scoring goals and with seven already, he has tied Nik Antropov’s total and he has six games left to add to it.

So, there you have it. Andrew Copp is going to be the most productive trade deadline acquisition made by the Rangers post lockout.  Frank Vatrano is the most prolific goal scorer deadline pick up in the salary cap era.

Kudos to Chris Drury for being astute enough to go out and get these players. The fact that he got two players is pretty amazing. Of course, getting to play with the likes for Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider and Artemi Panarin has helped Copp and Vatrano, but they still have had to produce, something we didn’t see from a number of other deadline acquisitions.

The final verdict

We’ll reserve the final verdict for post-Stanley Cup playoffs. If Copp and Vatrano can keep up their excellent play and the Rangers can accomplish the unthinkable, it will make this the most successful trade deadline in team history.

Unless that happens, we’ll have to give that honor to Neil Smith in 1994 and Stephane Matteau, Brian Noonan, Craig MacTavish and Glenn Anderson.  But since the institution of the salary cap, Copp and Vatrano look to be at the top of their class.