The Rangers have agreed to terms with free agent D Patrik Nemeth, according to multiple reports.
The deal will become official on Wednesday at noon once the new NHL season begins. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks was first to report the deal.
Nemeth’s deal will be worth two or three years with an average annual value of $2.25 million to $2.75 million, per Brooks.
An eight-year NHL veteran, Nemeth was dealt from the Detroit Red Wings to the Colorado Avalanche as a rental in their playoff push that didn’t come to fruition. He posted a plus-5 rating with 10 points last season.
But that’s not Nemeth’s game. His value is usually off the stat sheet, providing a big body that’s hard to get around when you’re a forward. At 6-foot-3, 228 pounds, he should be viewed as a penalty killer who can pair up with anyone Gerard Gallant sees fit on the blue line.
New York seems to be looking for more muscle, and the team certainly gets that in Nemeth.