Wild Acquire Fritsche from Rangers

The Minnesota Wild announced on Thursday that they have acquired center Dan Fritsche from the New York Rangers in exchange for defenseman Erik Reitz. Given the Rangers' depth on offense this season, Fritsche has been limited to 16 games, scoring one goal and three assists for four points. Reitz has played in 31 games with the Wild this season, scoring one goal and one assists while accumulating 41 penalty minutes. This is a decent trade for both teams. Fritsche brings some offensive depth and speed to the Wild's struggling offense, while Reitz brings plenty of toughness to the Rangers' defense. However, it's somewhat puzzling that the Wild traded for Fritsche when they could have acquired him off waivers earlier in the week. While Reitz gives the Rangers some young toughness on defense, he won't address their struggles on the blueline. It would not be surprising to see the Rangers make a trade for an experienced defenseman by the trade deadline, and possibly offer up a forward to do so, such as Petr Prucha.