The New York Rangers have acquired center Alex Wennberg from the Seattle Kraken, according to multiple reports.
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan was the first to break the news of the Wennberg deal amidst a flurry of other trade deadline news on Wednesday afternoon.
The Kraken retained 50 percent of Wennberg’s remaining cap hit for the 2023–24 season and acquired two draft picks: the Rangers’ own 2024 second-rounder, and the Dallas Stars’ 2025 fourth. Daily Faceoff‘s Frank Seravalli was the first to share the news of the return.
Wennberg, 29, has nine goals and 25 points in 60 games with the Kraken this year. He originally arrived in Seattle as an unrestricted free agent signing ahead of the team’s inaugural 2021–22 season.
The Columbus Blue Jackets originally selected Wennberg back in the first round (No. 14 overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft. The 6’2″ center made his NHL debut with the Blue Jackets in the 2014–15 season.
Wennberg spent the first six seasons of his NHL career in Columbus, signing a huge six-year, $4.9 million AAV contract with the team in 2017. The Blue Jackets bought out the contract three years later and Wennberg joined the Florida Panthers on a one-year deal.
After a successful year in Florida, Wennberg signed a three-year, $4.5 million deal with the Kraken with the expectation that he would fill a role in the team’s middle-six forward group. Wennberg collected exactly 100 points in 222 games over his three seasons in Seattle.
Through 693 games over parts of 10 NHL seasons with the Blue Jackets, Panthers, and Kraken, Wennberg has collected 90 goals and 330 points. The Stockholm, Sweden product has added seven goals and 17 points in 42 playoff contests.
The Kraken now possess nine selections in the 2024 NHL Draft: six of their own seven (minus their fifth-round pick), plus the Rangers’ second, Toronto’s third, and Calgary’s seventh.
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