The New York Rangers have had a busy Day 1 of NHL Free Agency, and they continued their signing spree by signing a former top-10 defenseman to a two-year contract that offers the organization some flexibility.
Derrick Pouliot is 31, and was the No. 8 overall pick at the 2012 NHL Draft, and is the newest member of the Rangers' organization.
The #NYR signed 31 y/o LD Derrick Pouliot to 2 year $775K Cap Hit Deal
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) July 2, 2025
Year 1 775K NHL, 400K Minors, 425K Guaranteed
Year 2 775/400/450
Rep'd by Rick Valette @OctagonHockey https://t.co/3r4N0lBuAD
Pouliot has spent 410 games in the American Hockey League as a journeyman defender, and has compiled 52 goals, 214 assists, and 266 points in that span averaging 0.65 points per game. He also brings 226 games of NHL experience in which he recorded a line of 8-46-54 for a 0.24 points per game average. Pouliot was a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2015-16 season, and he won a Stanley Cup with current Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan.
The last two AHL seasons have been strong for Pouliot, and they include 53 points in 70 games with the Syracuse Crunch in 2024-25, and 46 points in 64 games with the Texas Stars in 2023-24. He was just an AHL First Team All-Star, and finished with the most assists by a defenseman with 46.
This contract enables the Rangers to utilize Pouliot as a top defenseman in Hartford, and gives them a veteran option to recall in the event of an injury. He essentially is taking the spot previously occupied by Chad Ruhwedel.
It is never a bad thing to sign extra depth, and Pouliot is just that. The Rangers now have a veteran version of Zac Jones, and even though this shouldn't matter, Pouliot coming in at 6'1" and 205 pounds certainly increases his odds of being utilized at the NHL level should the team need him to do so.
The Rangers defense has certainly has undergone quite a makeover in such a short period of time, and be sure to stay tuned for a story evaluating their changes in the coming days.