The Rangers were not done after their blockbuster deal to acquire Keith Yandle.
Stempniak to Winnipeg for Klingberg
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) March 1, 2015
Lee Stempniak has logged 690 games in his NHL career, playing for the Blues, Leafs, Coyotes, Flames, Penguins, and this season, the Rangers. He’s made a name of himself in the NHL of being a hard-nosed grinder that can score and has some experience. The 32-year old winger had been playing alongside Dominic Moore and Tanner Glass for most of this season, compiling nine goals and 18 points in 53 games played. Looking for depth at forward with Blake Wheeler’s injury, the Jets continue to build for a return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Stempniak was a low-risk signing by New York Rangers General Manager Glen Sather, inking a contract that pays him $900,000 for this season.
Carl Klingberg has been in the Jets’ system ever since the team was in Atlanta, taken 34th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. At 24 now, the former Frolunda product from the Swedish League spent 2006-11 there before making the jump to the AHL with the Chicago Wolves. He’s played in St. John’s for the last three seasons with the Jets move to Winnipeg.
In Sweden he wasn’t much of a scorer after playing in Juniors. His top point totals at the AHL level equate to 22 goals and 42 points in 2013-14. To the Rangers he brings a young fourth liner with more speed than Stempniak and more size to give. He is aggressive in all three zones and brings a tenacity that the Rangers love to play with. Klingberg is also under a 1-year contract that pays him $650,000. With a prospect pipeline as deep as Winnipeg’s he might have had no future in the NHL and might’ve had to continue his career overseas to get a professional role. The Rangers just might have given him that opportunity with this trade.
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