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Which Rangers deadline trade was the best value?

By Conor Power

RALEIGH, NC - MARCH 23: Mika Zibanejad #93, Vladimir Tarasenko #91, Adam Fox #23, and Niko Mikkola #77 of the New York Rangers celebrate a goal during the third period of the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on March 23, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - MARCH 23: Mika Zibanejad #93, Vladimir Tarasenko #91, Adam Fox #23, and Niko Mikkola #77 of the New York Rangers celebrate a goal during the third period of the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on March 23, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 18: Tyler Motte #14 of the New York Rangers during the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 18, 2023, at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 18: Tyler Motte #14 of the New York Rangers during the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 18, 2023, at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Getty Images) /

Tyler Motte

When you go to the well once, it’s not uncommon to return when you see how well it works for the beneficiary. That was the case here with Tyler Motte. The Rangers opted to go back to the same depth forward they did last season when they were seeking help in their bottom six. It was a player the Rangers knew meshed well with the core of guys they have in place and went to pick him up from Ottawa.

To acquire the forward, the Rangers parted with forward Julien Gauthier. This is the kind of move that may bite the Rangers down the road. Gauthier has always played well but he’s got no finishing ability. It really started to haunt him during the final days of his Rangers tenure because as much as the organization wanted to move him up the lineup, they just could not justify it. There was also a 7th rounder involved, but big whoop.

Since arriving in New York, Tyler Motte has had three goals and three assists for six points at the time of writing. To put this into perspective, Julien Gauthier had six goals and three assists in New York. Gauthier played half the season in New York this year and Motte has been in the Big Apple for 2 months. It’s paid dividends almost immediately as the Rangers look to embark on another deep playoff run.

This could bite the organization if the Senators hit a home run with that 7th-round pick, or if Gauthier discovered what shooting for the corners of the net is like. It’s not a certainty that this deal continues to be the steal that it has been up to this point for the Chris Drury and the Blueshirts front office, but the Ranges did their homework and it really looks to be paying off with this minor move.

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