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Rangers reportedly trade ‘great teammate’ Sam Carrick to Sabres
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- Rangers reportedly trade ‘great teammate’ Sam Carrick to Sabres
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The New York Rangers reportedly are trading Sam Carrick to the Buffalo Sabres. The deal is not yet official, and it's unknown what the Rangers will receive in return for the 34-year-old center.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman was first to report the news.
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Carrick was a healthy scratch for roster management purposes on Thursday, when the Rangers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-2 at Madison Square Garden. Another veteran center, Vincent Trocheck , also didn't play with the NHL Trade Deadline set for 3 p.m. ET on Friday.
A fourth-line staple for two seasons on Broadway, Carrick earned the respect of two coaching staffs and each of his teammates after he signed a three-year, $3 million free-agent contract on July 1, 2024.
Just this past weekend, Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said Carrick is "the ultimate teammate."
"His most redeeming quality is his competitiveness, and I think that's something every organization in the League values," Sullivan said Friday after practice. "It's hard to win in this League if you don't have a certain competitive spirit and a willingness to pay the price to win. I think Sam certainly possesses that."
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Following the Rangers' win Thursday, Adam Edstrom also spoke highly of Carrick, who leads the Rangers in fights with seven this season and has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 60 games.
"Carrick has been a big part of my days in New York," Edstrom said postgame. "Whatever happens, it's out of my control. He's been a great teammate and a great friend and I'd love to still have him on my line."
The Rangers (24-29-8) are in sell mode since they're last in the Eastern Conference and set to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight season. New York traded Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings in early February. Before that, the Rangers moved defenseman Carson Soucy to the New York Islanders.
Carrick had 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in 80 games with the Rangers last season. They signed him after he helped the Edmonton Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2024, when they lost in seven games to the Florida Panthers. He had a part-time role with the Oilers, but a regular one as the heart of the Rangers fourth line.
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In 380 NHL games with the Rangers, Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and Maple Leafs, Carrick has 83 points (38 goals, 45 assists) and 427 penalty minutes.
The Sabres (37-19-6) are second in the Atlantic Division and seek their first playoff appearance in 15 years . They last took part in the postseason in 2011, when they lost in the conference quarterfinals.
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