John E. Sokolowski – USA TODAY Sports
The New York Rangers turned heads with their trade deadline deal that sent Marian Gaborik to the Columbus Blue Jackets. While Gaborik has been a great addition there and is helping lead the Blue Jacket to a possible playoff berth, the Rangers didn’t exactly come up short on their end of the deal. The Rangers got John Moore, Derek Dorsett and Derick Brassard in return, and Brassard has so far proven to be a great addition to their offense. A first period goal in Thursday night’s game against the Florida Panthers gives the veteran center eight points in eight games since joining the Rangers.
Brassard now has a four-game point streak for a Rangers team trying very hard to hang on to the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference standings. He wasted no time making an impact with his new team, scoring a goal and adding three assists in his first night as a Ranger. He has fit in nicely on a third line that also features Mats Zuccarello and fellow deadline acquisition Ryane Clowe. The depth scoring the second and third lines have provided for the Rangers has helped the team overcome the streaky play of Rick Nash and Brad Richards while continuing their fight for a return to the playoffs.
Moore has a goal and two assists through his first seven games with the Rangers, and while Dorsett has yet to return to action (IR – shoulder), early returns seem to indicate that both teams got important pieces for their playoff runs out of this trade.
Jonathan Katje is an NHL senior writer for Rant Sports. You can follow him on Twitter or add him to your circles on Google Plus.
