The New York Rangers continued to add depth to their roster Tuesday, as they signed center Jeff Halpern to a one-year, $700,000 deal. Halpern isn't expected to be a big offensive play-maker for the Blueshirts, however, he will provide another body to a roster that will be without Marion Gaborik for the early part of the 2013 season.
The signing also leads some to believe that the Rangers could be setting themselves up for a trade, says the SB Nation blog Blueshirt Banter:
One thing to think about though is, that's yet another center the New York Rangers have on the team, which gives them an abundance of depth down the middle. It may lead one to believe that a deal may be in the works to ship one of them out. This is pure speculation, but the asking price for Bobby Ryan was a number two center, could the Rangers possibly deal off a center with ease now that Halpern is in the mix?
Last season, Helpern played with the Washington Capitals, who lost to the Rangers in the Eastern Conference semifinals series. Helpern is a 12-year veteran who has played for five other NHL franchises.
Stick with this StoryStream for updates, news and more on the New York Rangers 2012 offseason. For full time Rangers news and analysis, head over to Blue Shirt Banter.
