New York Rangers Trade Former First-Round Pick To The Vegas Golden Knights

The New York Rangers have traded Brett Howden to the Vegas Golden Knights for defenseman Nick DeSimone and a 2022 fourth-round pick. Howden had just signed a one-year extension with the Rangers earlier this month.

Howden is coming off a rough year and hopes to turn it around in Vegas. In 42 games, he scored one goal and recorded seven points in total. It was his third season in New York, as he was previously acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Ryan McDonagh deal. The Lightning drafted Howden in the first-round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, so he once was viewed as having a lot of potential. Yet, things have taken a bit of turn because of his struggles with the Rangers. In 178 games in New York, Howden scored 16 goals and registered 49 points.

As for DeSimone, he's a career AHL defenseman. He spent five seasons with the San Jose Barracuda and even was an alternate captain for two of them. His best season came in 2018-19, as he scored 14 goals and recorded 46 points in 65 games. After being traded to the Golden Knights in the middle of this season, he would be loaned to the Rochester Americans. He played strongly there, as he had six assists in eight games.

Overall, this potentially could be a good deal for the Golden Knights. Howden is still just 23-years-old, so he has time to improve. He may be put in a good position, too, as the Golden Knights are not the strongest when it comes the center position. Furthermore, they have an array of talented wingers, so that could help him produce more offense. Lastly, being in a new environment with less pressure should be beneficial for him.