Rangers Reportedly Signing Patrik Nemeth in Free Agency

With the free agent market scheduled to open at noon on Wednesday, the Rangers will be making an immediate dip into the free agent pool to address their defensive depth. Based on a report from Larry Brooks, the Rangers are ‘expected’ to sign Patrik Nemeth once the market officially opens.

Brooks speculates that the deal will likely fall in the two or three year range, and will be worth between $2.25 - $2.75 million per season. Nemeth started last year with the Detroit Red Wings where he appeared 39 games, and then was flipped to the Colorado Avalanche at the trade deadline in exchange for a draft pick.

In terms of what the Rangers were searching for, Nemeth gives them much needed stability on the bottom pairing. His rugged style also fits into Chris Drury’s current fixation as he continues to build out the roster, and will hopefully be considered a safety blanket for fellow Swede, Nils Lundkvist on the opening night lineup.

Even though the Rangers continue to pay a premium for depth, New York certainly could have done much worse if this situation ends up playing out on Wednesday afternoon.

Thoughts?