The New York Rangers have added another center to the mix, this time signing Ryan Carpenter to a one-year contract. The financial details of the contract have not yet been released.
General manager Chris Drury had told the media yesterday that the team was still after a depth option that could play in the middle of the ice, and that is exactly what Carpenter represents. The 31-year-old has more than 300 games of NHL experience and spent this most recent season with the Chicago Blackhawks and Calgary Flames, scoring three goals and 12 points in 67 appearances.
While he doesn’t offer much upside in terms of offense, Carpenter is a fast, physical, forward that can be plugged directly into any team’s penalty kill. He will likely step directly into the shorthanded role that Kevin Rooney held last season, anchoring a top unit alongside Barclay Goodrow or perhaps a second group should the team decide to use Vincent Trocheck on the PK.
Deals like this aren’t going to make or break a team’s fortune, but there is a reason why the Flames acquired him at the deadline last season. Depth options that are reliable defensively, willing to forecheck hard, and fit a specific role on special teams are always a wanted commodity, even if you won’t see Carpenter’s name on the scoresheet very often.
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