The trades are starting to fly before the start of the 2021 NHL Draft.
The New York Rangers have been busy, and made another big move before the 2021 NHL Draft begins on Friday evening.
The Rangers have traded forward Pavel Buchnevich to the St. Louis Blues for forward Sammy Blais and a second-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Buchnevich, 26, is currently a restricted free agent.
Blais, 25, has one year remaining on his contract that carries a $1.5 million cap it. He scored eight goals with seven assists in 36 games for St. Louis last year. He’s listed at 6-2 and 205 and is a left-handed shot.
The Blues drafted Blais in the sixth round (No. 176 overall) in the 2014 NHL Draft. He has scored 17 goals with 18 assists in 119 career NHL games.
The Rangers have been linked to a few big ticket trade pieces, including Buffalo’s Jack Eichel. This trade provides some additional cost certainty for the 2021-22 season and saves them money on what Buchnevich will eventually make.
