After losing Alex Frolov for the rest of the season with an ACL tear, the Rangers needed to add some more offensive pop to their lineup. Glen Sather did just that today, acquiring streaky forward Wojtek Wolski from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for defenseman Michal Rozsival.
Wolski, 24, will join his third team in less than a calendar year. He was traded to Phoenix from Colorado at the trade deadline in March of 2010. Wolski had a running start to the 2010-11 season with the Coyotes, scoring 13 points in his first 19 games. Since then, however, he's fallen off the map, going pointless in his last seven games.
He's only put up three points since the beginning of December and his ice time was cut recently by Phoenix coach Dave Tippett. Still, he's likely considered an upgrade over the fallen Frolov, so it's a deal that works for the Rangers.
Sather also cut a bit of salary here. Rozsival's hefty contract, worth a cap hit of $5 million per year, was one of the main issues Rangers fans had with him. Wolski's contract is only worth $3.8 million against the cap.
For more, be sure to check in with our Rangers blog, Blueshirt Banter, and our Coyotes blog, Five For Howling.