The New York Rangers have signed free agent centre Kevin Rooney to a two-year contract worth $1.5 million, or an average of $750,000. He’ll be paid $700,000 this season in 2020-21 and $800,000 in 2021-22. This contract carries him through the 2021-22 season.
Kevin Rooney signs with Rangers, two year deal, pays $700k and $800k
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) October 9, 2020
Kevin Rooney Signs With the Rangers
Over his four-year NHL career Rooney has played just for the New Jersey Devils. He has put up 10 goals and nine assists for 19 career points in 95 career games. The Devils signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Providence College in the NCAA.
Last season he scored four goals and five assists for nine points in 49 games. He also added 20 penalty minutes for the 2019-20 season. His possession numbers were 43.2 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of -3.2.
The Canton, Mass. native is a former captain of the AHL Binghamton Devils in the 2018-19 season. Rooney scored a professional high of 14 goals with Binghamton in the 2017-18 season. He is the cousin of former NHL winger Steve Rooney.
What This Means for the Future
He isn’t known for his offensive skill, but he can be useful in the bottom-half of the lineup. His 6-foot, 2-inch frame will be thrown around on a team that could use some physical play. New York has dynamic scorers like Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin at the top of the lineup.
Rooney does have a solid game on the defensive end and can do the little things well. He’s the type of player that will do whatever you ask from blocking shots to using his frame. There’s hope the 27-year-old forward can add a little strength and fill out his frame a little more.
It may not be the big signing that Rangers fans are looking for, but players like Rooney can still fill a role and be vital to the lineup. The Rangers can use him to help at the bottom end of the lineup.
