Rangers Agree to Terms With Free Agent Defenseman Fredrik Claesson

New York Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton announced today that the team has agreed to terms with free agent defenseman Fredrik Claesson on a one-year contract.
Claesson, 25, skated in 64 games with the Ottawa Senators this past season, registering one goal and six assists for seven points, along with 35 penalty minutes. He established career-highs in several categories in 2017-18, including games played, hits (158), and blocked shots (84). Claesson ranked third on Ottawa in hits and ranked fifth on the team in blocked shots during this past season. He tallied an assist while skating in his 100th career NHL game on March 12, 2018 at Florida.

The 6-1, 200-pounder has skated in 113 career NHL games over parts of three seasons (2015-16 - 2017-18), all with Ottawa, registering four goals and 16 assists for 20 points, along with 41 penalty minutes. Claesson established career-highs in goals (three), assists (eight), points (11), and plus/minus rating (plus-five) in 33 games with the Senators during the 2016-17 season, and he ranked third among Ottawa defensemen in points per game in 2016-17 (0.33). In addition, Claesson helped the Senators advance to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as he registered three assists and posted a plus-three rating in 14 playoff contests. Internationally, the Stockholm, Sweden native has represented his country in several tournaments. Claesson helped Sweden earn a gold medal at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, and he also won a silver medal while representing Sweden at the 2010 IIHF U18 World Championship.
Claesson was originally selected by Ottawa in the fifth round, 126th overall, of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.