The New York Rangers have agreed to trade forward Vladislav Namestnikov to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for future assets. The Rangers will receive a 2021 fourth round draft pick and AHL defenceman Nick Ebert. New York will also retain $750,000 of Namestnikov’s $4 million cap hit and salary this season.
Expect the Ottaw Senators and New York Rangers to announce. Trade tonight. Namestnikov to the Senators for draft picks.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) October 7, 2019
New York Rangers Trade Vladislav Namestnikov to the Ottawa Senators
The Rangers completed a trade Monday with the Senators. The Senators acquire left wing/centre Vladislav Namestnikov in exchange for defence prospect Nick Ebert and a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Key Players
In Namestnikov, the Senators get an undersized forward with some playmaking and goal-scoring ability. This season, he has played in just two games for the Rangers, going scoreless. Last season, he scored 11 goals and 20 assists for 31 points in 78 games, adding 44 minutes in penalties. His possession numbers were 47.1 percent Corsi-For and a relative Corsi of +1.5.
Over his seven-year NHL career, Namestnikov has played for the Rangers and the Tampa Bay Lightning. In that time, he has 66 goals and 92 assists for 158 career points in 362 career NHL games. He was originally drafted in the first round, 27th overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Lightning.
The Rangers signed Namestnikov to a two-year, $8 million contract ($4 million AAV) last summer when he was a restricted free agent. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st, 2020.
Nick Ebert
25-year-old defence prospect Nick Ebert recently cleared waivers and played one game in the AHL for the Belleville Senators. Drafted in the 7th round of the 2012 NHL Draft by the Los Angeles Kings, Ebert is yet to play an NHL game. He spent last season in the SHL, where he scored 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points in 49 games for Orebro.
What This Means for the Future
The Rangers, who were close to the salary cap are able to get a big salary off the books and create some breathing room in case one of their talented ELC players hits his performance bonuses this year.
Meanwhile, the Senators get a useful NHL player who can provide some secondary scoring on the cheap. Expect the rebuilding Senators to look to showcase Namestnikov, giving him plenty of power-play time and offensive zone starts to show off his offensive abilities. If he produces, the Sens could flip the Russian forward for better assets at the trade deadline.
Main Photo:
PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 07: Vladislav Namestnikov #90 of the New York Rangers skates against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center on April 7, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Flyers shut out the Rangers 5-0. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
