Rangers trade Brassard to Senators for Zibanejad

The deal includes draft picks with the Rangers receiving the Senators’ second-round draft pick in 2018.

Since the Rangers acquired Brassard on April 3, 2013 in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets, his 69 goals are second to Rick Nash’s 91 tallies.

Assuming Zibanejad continues on his development arc, the Rangers have a really good shot at getting the better of the deal in the long term, as hard as it is to lose a player of Brassard’s caliber.

Along with Calgary Flames center, Sean Monahan, the two were the only players 22-years or younger to score 20 or more goals and win at least 50 percent of their faceoffs.

The New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators have been among the quietest clubs when it comes to acquiring new talent this offseason.

Dorion’s remarks only confirmed what was pretty obvious – Ottawa is aggressively pursuing the postseason after missing previous year.

Zibanejad skated in 81 games with Ottawa with 21 goals and 30 assists. He has 127 goals and 216 assists in 563 games with the Rangers and Columbus.

It’s a bit short of a blockbuster, but Rangers GM Jeff Gorton made a very significant trade Monday, dealing one of his top two centers; last season’s leading goal-scorer and second-leading point-getter. The latter is five years younger and provides more salary-cap flexibility.

Nieto collected eight goals, nine assists and 10 penalty minutes in 67 games with San Jose last season. He was selected by Ottawa with the sixth overall pick in the 2011 draft.

With the Rangers signing bottom six forwards Nathan Gerbe at $600,000 salary and Michael Grabner at $1.65-million a season which are most likely the shrewdest and most budget friendly free agent signings the New York Rangers have made in recent history, it has set the tone for what is to come for the upcoming season and what Ranger fans can expect to see in the next couple of years.

-San Jose Sharks restricted free-agent forward Matt Nieto signed a one-year contract.