Rangers claim Christensen off waivers

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has acquired forward Erik Christensen off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks.

Christensen, 25, has appeared in nine games with Anaheim this season.  Last season, he skated in 64 games with Anaheim and the Atlanta Thrashers, registering seven goals and 21 assists for 28 points, along with 20 penalty minutes. His 21 assists marked a new career-high. He recorded five multi-point efforts on the season, including four two-assist performances. 

Christensen ranked second on Atlanta in faceoff percentage, posting a 54.6% (233-427) success rate, at the time of his trade to Anaheim on March 4. He also tallied two assists in eight playoff contests, collecting his first career post-season point in Game Two of the Western Conference Quarterfinal matchup at San Jose on April 19.

A veteran of five NHL seasons, Christensen skated in his 200th NHL game on March 3, 2009 against Florida.  He established career-highs in goals (18) and points (33) while skating with the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2006-07 season.  Christensen tied for the NHL lead with eight shootout goals that season, converting at a 57.1% (8-14) success rate in the shootout.  He also set a new career-high for points in a game with two, three-point efforts – January 16 against NY Islanders (two goals and one assist) and March 29 at Boston (two goals and one assist) – and posted a career-high, three-game goal-scoring streak from December 1 to December 5 (three goals).

The 6-1, 203-pounder has appeared in 226 career NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Atlanta Thrashers and Anaheim Ducks, registering 42 goals and 56 assists for 98 points, along with 112 penalty minutes.  Christensen made his NHL debut on November 1, 2005 at New Jersey, and he notched his first NHL goal in his second game on November 3 against the NY Islanders.  In addition, Christensen has recorded two assists and six penalty minutes in 12 career playoff contests with Pittsburgh and Anaheim.

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