The New York Rangers got help for their injury-ravaged front line today, acquiring forward Wojtek Wolski from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for defeseman Michael Roszival. The Rangers have suffered a rash of inuries to their front line, losing Ryan Callahan and Erik Christensen, and now facing the loss of Alexander Frolov to a season-ending knee injury.
Rangers general manager Glen Sather said Wolski, 24, is a player he has been trying to acquire for a while.
"I had spoken to (Coyotes GM Don Maloney) about a month ago, but there wasn't any way we could make a deal," Sather said. "When the injury happened yesterday, things became a little more urgent so I was getting a few more calls. But he's a guy I had been interested in for a while."
Wolski, 24, has gallons of potential but has disappointed this season. After a career-high 23 goals and 65 points in 80 games split between Phoenix and the Colorado Avalanche last season, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Wolski has a mere 6 goals and 10 assists in 36 games this season.
"I was surprised last year when Colorado traded him," Sather said. "I've been kind of watching him. Things haven't been going as well as he probably expected in Phoenix and I think Donnie wasn't as happy as he was last year when they got him at the deadline and through the playoffs. Sometimes those things come up, and they come up fairly quickly today."
Wolski has been struggling recently, accumulating just three points in his last 17 games. He had 65 points last season for Colorado and Phoenix combined.
"We like our young defense. We think they are progressing very well," Sather said. "We know it's a little risky, but the opportunity to do something here with a 24-year-old guy that has been an obvious goal scorer and a pretty high talent, we thought it was too good of an opportunity to turn down."