The New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers had never made a trade before. The “Hudson River Rivalry” had seen quite a few playoff matchups since it was established in 1982, but not a single trade between the teams located only a few miles apart. Maybe it was the rivalry that caused the lack of transactions. Why would either team want to help out their own rival in their own backyard and in their own division?
That changed on February 22, 2018 when the Rangers traded Michael Grabner to the Devils. The Devils sent over a second-round pick in that year’s draft and the rights to Russian defensemen Yegor Rykov. It wasn’t an earth-shattering trade, but it was a first.
The Ray Shero Devils were trying to make the playoffs for the first time since their loss in the 2012 Stanley Cup Final. The Rangers had just announced a rebuild/retool in a letter to fans. With the 2024 NHL trade deadline coming up, let’s take a look at where those trade pieces are now from the first, and so far only, trade between the Devils and Blue Shirts.
Michael Grabner
Grabner would play 21 regular season games and two playoff games post-trade with New Jersey. His production was a far cry of what it was on the other side of the river. With the Devils, Grabner had two goals and three assists compared to the 25 goals and six assists he had in the 59 games with the Rangers.
Grabner would sign a three-year deal as an unrestricted free agent that offseason with the Arizona Coyotes. After the second season, the shortened 2019-2020 season, Grabner was bought out and hasn’t returned to the NHL. His last NHL appearances were with the Coyotes during their playoff run in the “NHL bubble” where he had three goals in nine games. He has not played professional hockey since.
Yegor Rykov
Rykov was a fifth-round draft pick by the Devils in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Rykov was still playing with SKA Saint Petersburg of the KHL during the trade. He was later traded to HC Sochi while the Rangers retained his rights.
He signed an entry-level contract with New York during the 2019 offseason. He came stateside to join the Rangers for the 2019-2020 season and played 27 games with their AHL affiliate the Hartford Wolf Pack. When that season ended early, and the start of the next season was delayed, Rykov returned to Russia to continue playing in the KHL.
Most recently, he has spent this season between Avangard Omsk of the KHL and Omskie Krylia of the VHL. Rykov never played an NHL game while in North America.
The Second-Round Pick
New York packaged that Devils pick with the 26th-overall pick to acquire one of the Ottawa Senators first round draft picks at No. 22. Ottawa would use what would have been the Devils’ pick to select Jonathan Tychonick. He would never play for the Senators and currently plays for the Newfoundland Growlers of the ECHL. For the sake of a complete analysis, the Rangers would use the 22nd-overall pick on defenseman K’Andre Miller.
Did Anyone Win The Trade?
At first glance it appears neither side came out ahead in this trade. The Rangers got assets from the Devils (specifically referring to Rykov and the second-round pick) that never made any type of NHL impact. The Devils would achieve their short-term goal of making the 2017-2018 NHL playoffs, so maybe we could consider them more “winners” than the Ranger.
Then again, one of those assets given up turned into K’Andre Miller (with a little help from the Senators) who has made a very nice young career as an NHL defenseman. Miller without a doubt ended up becoming the most significant “piece” to come from/originate/somehow be related to this trade.