NHL trade grade: Rangers solve roster logjam with Brendan Lemieux trade

The Los Angeles Kings are taking a flyer on an interesting forward, as they’ve traded for New York Rangers forward Brendan Lemieux.

The New York Rangers needed to solve a bit of a roster quagmire. Colin Blackwell has been a significant surprise and has earned an everyday spot in the lineup. Combine that with the imminent return of Phil Di Giuseppe and the inevitable arrival of Vitaly Kravtsov from the KHL and the Rangers were in a bit of a pickle. But a good one — maybe a dill pickle?

In any case, they solved this nice problem to have by trading forward Brendan Lemieux to the Los Angeles Kings. In exchange, the Rangers are getting the Kings’ own fourth-round pick in 2021.

With the blue shirts this season, Lemieux has two goals and seven points in 30 games while averaging 10:13 of ice time per game. He didn’t play much on the penalty kill or the power play, which made him expendable.

Brendan Lemieux trade grade

I like this deal for the Rangers. It’s a simple solution to their roster logjam. They did fairly well to get a fourth-round pick for Lemieux, who was a fourth liner for them. The Rangers were hoping his skill would develop to match his physicality, but it didn’t. Sometimes it’s best for both the player and the team to part ways.

In terms of what this trade means, it seems likely Di Giuseppe will be ready to get back on the ice very soon, perhaps as soon as Sunday against the Washington Capitals.

Rangers Trade Grade: B

For the Kings, they’re taking a chance on a first-round talent. Granted, Lemieux was a first-round pick six years ago, but there’s a reason he was drafted that high: his potential to be a power forward.

This will be Lemieux’s fourth organization. He was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres, quickly traded to the Winnipeg Jets a year after being drafted and then traded to the Rangers back in 2019. There’s a reason why the Kings are his fourth organization.

Kings Trade Grade: B-