The New York Rangers traded right wing Emerson Etem to the Vancouver Canucks on Friday for right wing Nicklas Jensen and a sixth-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft.
Etem, 23, acquired by the Rangers from the Anaheim Ducks in a trade for Carl Hagelin at the 2015 NHL Draft, had three assists in 19 games with New York and was a healthy scratch 14 times.
"It's clear that Emerson got off to a tough start here and it just never seemed to gain any traction," Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton told blueshirtsunited.com. "It goes back to training camp really where it didn't seem to be working and a fit. So that's why at this point it was best for us to give him another spot to go to and for us to find a player we like and thought had some future. When Vancouver came along it seemed like the right time to do this."
Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said Friday before the trade that Etem would be sent on a minor league conditioning stint this weekend. Etem was a healthy scratch Tuesday against the Dallas Stars and was not going to be in the lineup against the Washington Capitals on Saturday.
Etem has 15 goals and 34 points in 131 NHL games.
Jensen, 22, selected in the first round (No. 29) of the 2011 NHL Draft, has three goals and six points in 24 NHL games. He played five games last season for the Canucks and didn't have a point.
Jensen had four goals and 12 points in 27 games for the Canucks' American Hockey League affiliate in Utica.
"[Jensen] has a nice skill package; he can skate, has good hands, has good hockey sense," Gorton said. "Our scouts who have seen him recently thought he might benefit from another organization and another opportunity, and we see that a lot in hockey. Hopefully it's somebody that can help us."
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.