The New York Rangers traded for forward Tyler Motte for the second consecutive season. This time, the Rangers are acquiring Motte from the Ottawa Senators, sending forward Julien Gauthier and a conditional seventh-rounder in the opposite direction.
The Rangers acquired Motte last season from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. The 27-year-old player scored two goals for the New York teams in the playoffs before leaving the franchise as an unrestricted free agent.
Tyler Motte signed a one-year deal with the Senators that pays him $1.35 million in the 2022-23 NHL season. He played 38 games so far in the campaign, contributing with three goals and six assists for a total of nine points.
With Motte, the Rangers will boost their fourth line with a player they are already familiar with. They liked what they saw from him last season and have now corrected the mistake of not keeping him in New York.
The Senators, on the other hand, saw a chance to get something in return for a player that could leave for nothing in the summer. They are not in the mix for a playoff appearance this season, and the deal gives them an opportunity to get an extended look at a younger player in Gauthier and see if the 25-year-old player can become a part of their long-term plans.
