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The New York Rangers and Colorado Avalanche are no strangers to the trade market this season, and they paired up to make another deal on Saturday. The Rangers sent Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey to the Avalanche for Juuso Parssinen, Calvin de Haan, a second-round pick, and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft in the trade.
Another piece of the deal was 2021 seventh-round pick Hank Kempf, who went from New York to Colorado. He is currently in his final year at Cornell University. New York also retained 50% of Lindgren's one-year, $4.5 million contract in the deal.
It is also the second time that Parssinen was in a trade this season. The Nashville Predators traded him to the Avalanche on December 28. Parssinen could be the most intriguing part of the deal, as the 24-year-old played professionally in Finland since 2018-19. He has yet to break out at the NHL level but was a valuable offensive contributor in Europe. If he can find that form in New York, it'll be a steal for the Rangers.
Ryan Lindgren isn't first domino to fall for Rangers (and may not be the last)
Lindgren isn't the first switch-up from the Rangers' core that has fallen short in so many playoff series. The on-the-fly retool started when they traded captain Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks for Urho Vaakanainen and a fourth-round pick. Then, they traded Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken for Will Borgen and two draft picks. However, those two deals weren't the most significant of the season, as they acquired JT Miller from the Vancouver Canucks for Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini, and a first-round pick.
The Rangers needed a switch-up to the core, and Lindgren was a player that had fallen out of favor on Broadway. New York wanted something in return for Lindgren, as he is a pending unrestricted free agent this offseason and would've likely moved elsewhere. The Rangers haven't thrown in the towel on the season yet, and trading out Lindgren could signal another big move on the horizon.
Adam Fox and Chris Kreider are on injured reserve but on the report as day-to-day. New York is two points out of the wild-card race in the Eastern Conference, and they look in the best position to make a playoff push. They are competing with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, and Boston Bruins.
The Rangers are the better team on paper than all of these groups, and some (namely the Canadiens and Bruins) will likely be sellers at the trade deadline.
Lindgren and Vesey are interesting absences from a contending team, and Kreider is also reportedly on the block. Getting rid of Lindgren and Vesey could look like better moves if it ends in the Rangers improving their team for the playoff push before the deadline.
Avalanche adds grit and nastiness
Lindgren played a significant role in New York over his couple of seasons, acting as Adam Fox's right-hand man. If the Avalanche lacked one thing, it was the grit and nastiness every team needs in the playoffs. Lindgren will play a physical game and lay his body on the line, which his teammates already appreciate before he even plays a game.
“He's just a warrior,” Avalanche forward Casey Mittelstadt said. “He's going to play hard, and I think his offensive game is probably a little bit underrated. I think he can really move the puck and make plays in the offensive zone, and on top of that, he'll block any shot. He'll do anything for the team. So just a warrior and I'll always be happy to have him on my side.”
Lindgren will improve the team's powerplay and make them more challenging to play against in the dirty areas. This move signals that Colorado is ready to go all-in for another Stanley Cup push, and it could be one of the most underrated of the deadline.
Vesey is also a player who won't hurt the Avalanche and will add more depth and grit to their bottom six. He played in plenty of big games in his career, which will also add some experience to Colorado's roster. The Avalanche has some of the best top-end talent in the league, but their depth was a slight concern.
Grades and final thoughts
It's a low-risk addition for the Avalanche to attempt to improve their depth and grittiness before the playoff push. The Avalanche didn't see Parssinen in their plans, and De Haan was a tradeable asset. The second and fourth-round draft picks would also be worth it if Lindgren and Vesey helped get them through a few rounds of the playoffs. That doesn't mean the Rangers are the losers in this deal, as they were able to get a nice haul for two expiring contracts.
New York Rangers grade: B+
Colorado Avalanche grade: A-
