New York Rangers & Ottawa Senators Complete Trade

As expected, Tyler Motte is on the move, as the Ottawa Senators have traded the 27-year-old forward to the New York Rangers in exchange for Julien Gauthier and a 2023 conditional seventh-round pick.

Trade announcement: The #Sens have acquired forward Julien Gauthier and a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2023 from the @NYRangers in exchange for forward Tyler Motte. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/rTXRCUWUH1
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) February 19, 2023

We just reported that the Rangers stood out as the top potential landing spot for Motte, and now it has come to fruition. It ultimately makes sense, as Motte worked out well as a deadline acquisition for the Rangers last season. With that, the Rangers' fourth line could use a real boost, and now it has gotten just that with the Michigan native.

Motte has appeared in 38 games this season with the Senators, where he has three goals, nine points, and a plus-1 rating. Although those statistics may not be jaw-dropping, his value comes from his versatility, strong defensive play, and physicality. Therefore, he is exactly the kind of forward that the Rangers needed before their playoff run.

Gauthier, on the other hand, has appeared in 40 games this season, where he has six goals, nine points, and a minus-5 rating. Perhaps a move to Ottawa could lead to the 2016 first-round pick receiving more minutes. Either way, he's not a bad player for the Senators to take a chance on at all.