The Athletic is covering the 2025 NHL trade deadline live. Recently, the New York Rangers made a significant trade. They sent Ryan Lindgren, Jimmy Vesey, and prospect Hank Kempf to the Colorado Avalanche. In return, they received Juuso Parssinen, Calvin de Haan, a second-round pick, and a fourth-round pick. The second-round pick will come from either the Carolina Hurricanes or the Rangers (both owned by Colorado) for this year, and the fourth-round pick will be the better of Colorado or the Vancouver Canucks.
The Rangers are currently four points away from a playoff spot. They didn’t want to let their free agents leave without getting anything in return. Lindgren and Vesey are both on the last year of their contracts, and New York will keep half of Lindgren’s salary cap hit.
Getting a second-round pick is a win for the Rangers since they didn’t have a second-round selection in the next three drafts. De Haan can take over Lindgren’s position on defense. Parssinen, who is still young, was traded to Colorado earlier this season from the Nashville Predators. He will be a restricted free agent soon, and de Haan will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Why does this trade make sense for the Rangers? They had been interested in Parssinen when he was with Nashville. They see him as a potential center for the near future. This season, he has scored 11 points in 37 games between the two teams. If he performs well, he could solidify his role as the third-line center next season, allowing Mika Zibanejad to focus on the top line.
Parssinen had some chances with Colorado’s top six but averaged under 10 minutes of ice time. He was also a healthy scratch for the last three games. Despite his struggles, he is only 24. The Rangers are hoping to tap into his potential. Last season, he scored 20 points in the last 29 games with Nashville. He has teetered between the NHL and AHL without finding consistency. If he doesn’t work out in New York, the Rangers still gain two draft picks without long-term commitments.
De Haan has had a tough season with Colorado. He is expected to take on a less demanding role than Lindgren had. The Rangers still aim for a playoff spot this year. This trade lets them gain draft picks while adding a talented young player in Parssinen, keeping the roster competitive for a Wild Card spot. It may not significantly improve the team immediately, but it also doesn’t weaken it drastically, which is a smart move given the draft picks involved.
Rangers president Chris Drury is reshaping the team according to his vision. Moving Lindgren is part of this transition.
What about Colorado? In Lindgren, the Avalanche gain a tough defenseman who has spent a lot of time with Adam Fox. He might have a lighter workload in Colorado, which could help him perform better. Lindgren has been crucial for the Rangers’ penalty kill but has had ups and downs this season, posting a career-high 19 points.
During five-on-five play, the Rangers had less than 50% of the expected goal share with Lindgren on the ice. That stat may be influenced by his time spent with Fox. Playing alongside Colorado’s star defensemen, Cale Makar and Devon Toews, may allow Lindgren to handle easier matchups.
After this season, the Avalanche will have to decide Lindgren’s future with the team. They invested significantly in him, but his physical style and smaller stature could raise concerns about his durability.
As for Vesey, he brings solid fourth-line depth to Colorado and recently reached 100 career goals. He has had a spotty role in the Rangers’ lineup this year.
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Source linkNew York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche
