Rangers trade Pavel Buchnevich prior to draft

The New York Rangers have just traded forward Pavel Buchnevich to the St. Louis Blues in return for forward Samuel Blais and a second round pick in 2022. 

According to insider Andy Strickland, Buchnevich, who is a pending arbitration-eligible restricted free agent forward, has held contract extension talks with the Blues this afternoon. It sounds like an extension could be coming in the next few days. He is heading into his sixth NHL season, but there was no room for him under the Blue Shirts' cap or even their lineup. 

The Rangers had been shopping Buchnevich for weeks. He is coming off of a season where he scored 20 goals and added 28 assists in 54 games. In 301 career games, he has 79 goals and 116 assists.

The move allows the Rangers to have more cap flexibility moving forward. 

As for Samuel Blais, he has one year left on a two-year, $3 million deal signed before last season. He is 25 years of age and will be an arbitration eligible restricted free agent at the end of this season.

He appeared in 36 games last season, his fourth in the NHL, and had eight goals and seven assists. He is a talented bottom six and his cap hit is a good fit for the Rangers.