WOLSKI JOINS BLUESHIRTS
The New York Rangers acquired forward Wojtek Wolski from the Phoenix Coyotes for defenseman Michal Rozsival.
What does it give the New York Rangers
One has to wonder why a talented young player like Wolski has now been traded twice in the last 10 months. He's big but plays soft. While that's okay if physical hockey is just not your style of play, and you're putting up the numbers (your bread and butter), but that's not the case with Wolski this season. A healthy scratch on a few occasions earlier in the year, the 24-year-old is on pace for his worst NHL season in terms of offensive production; that's after recording his best offensive output in 2009-10 and earning an expensive two-year contract. Wolski's addition will fill the roster spot left vacant by Alexander Frolov, another underachieving talent, who was lost to the club for the season after injuring his knee recently. Rozsival's departure further establishes the Rangers defensive corps as one of the youngest in the league. Talented, but very young. Long term, the Rangers will have done very well in this deal if Wolski manages to fulfill his potential.
What does it give the Phoenix Coyotes
If you didn't know that Coyotes hockey is defined through the defensive side of things, well now you do. Already disposing of a solid blueline group, coach Dave Tipppett isn't totally satisfied with the club's game in that respect this year. Sitting in the middle of the pack both offensively and defensively, the Coyotes have added another veteran to a crew that boasts young up-and-comers Keith Yandle and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Rozsival's acquisition will most especially allow the latter, the 19-year-old Ekman-Larsson, to develop at a slightly slower pace. The offensive hole left by Wolski--albeit not too large given his performance in the Desert--could eventually be gobbled up by either Brett MacLean or Mikkel Boedker, two future 'Yotes enjoying solid seasons at the AHL level with San Antonio.
Fantasy impact
