While general manager Chris Drury primarily focused on bolstering the Rangers’ defense in his first moves since the NHL free-agent market opened on Wednesday, he also looked to toughen up the team’s pool of depth players.
As first reported by The Post’s Larry Brooks, the Blueshirts announced that defenseman Patrik Nemeth agreed to a three-year deal at a $2.5 million average annual value. The 28-year-old Nemeth, who was traded from the Red Wings to the Avalanche as a rental leading up to last season’s trade deadline, is a big-bodied lefty who is expected to fortify the Rangers’ third defensive pairing alongside fellow Swede Nils Lundkvist.
The Rangers were in on Phillip Danault before bidding escalated and culminated to the longtime Canadiens center signing for six years with the Kings. Nick Ritchie, who embodies the tough-to-play-against style that Drury has targeted this offseason, was also on the Rangers’ radar throughout the day.
At 6-foot-3 and 228 pounds, Nemeth has shown an ability to protect the front of the net, block shots and play a reliable game in his own end. And on top of bringing experience to the back end, Nemeth can be a prime penalty killer and help his fellow countryman Lundkvist get acclimated to North America.
In 366 NHL games with the Stars, Avalanche and Red Wings, Nemeth has amassed eight goals and 50 assists.
The Rangers also signed 29-year-old defenseman Jarred Tinordi to a two-year, $900,000 contract. Tinordi, a 6-foot-6 lefty, will likely step into a seventh-defenseman role behind Ryan Lindgren, K’Andre Miller and Nemeth. It was a necessary signing after Drury decided to move on from Brendan Smith this offseason.
Tinordi, the son of former Ranger Mark Tinordi, played parts of eight NHL seasons with stops in Montreal, Nashville and Boston before signing with the same team his dad did as an undrafted free agent in 1987. The Minnesota native has one goal, 11 assists and 123 penalty minutes in 102 NHL games.
The additions of Nemeth and Tinordi push young defensemen Libor Hajek and Zac Jones on the outs. Jones, the skillful 20-year-old who won a national championship at UMass, will likely be designated to the AHL Wolf Pack next season barring a trade.
And despite receiving a qualifying offer on Monday, Hajek is now on the outside looking in on the left-side spot of the third pair he held last season. Hajek, who along with Brett Howden was part of the return in the February 2018 trade that sent Ryan McDonagh and J.T Miller to Tampa Bay, wasn’t able to make the early impact the Rangers wanted him to.
In an attempt to add some sandpaper to their depth, the Rangers brought back forward Greg McKegg and signed winger Dryden Hunt. McKegg agreed to one-year, two-way contract for $750,000 and $350,000 guaranteed, per Sportsnet. Coming off a one-year stint in Boston, where he spent most of his time on the taxi squad and only saw five games of NHL action, McKegg will get a chance to battle for a bottom-six role on the Rangers and add to the nine points he had in his lone season on Broadway in 2019-20.
McKegg’s return was announced along with the signing Hunt, another depth player who can hit. The Rangers signed the 25-year-old Hunt, who recorded three goals and five assists in 26 games with the Coyotes last season, to a two-year contract, which is two-way in just Year 1 with a $767,500 AAV.
After two seasons with the Rangers, Phil Di Giuseppe officially became a free agent Wednesday and signed with the Canucks.