NY Rangers Acquire Defenseman Niemi from NY Islanders

The NY Rangers have announced that they have acquired defenseman Jyri Niemi from the New York Islanders in exchange for a sixth round pick in the 2010 Entry Draft. The Rangers then signed him to a three-year entry level contract after the trade. This is the first trade the Rangers and Islanders have made with each other in 37 years. In 50 games this past season with Saskatoon of the WHL, Niemi scored eight goals and 21 assists for 29 points. This is really just a depth move for the Rangers, as Niemi will be a long shot to make the team at training camp in the fall. However, he does possess some offensive skill on the blueline, so he's not a bad depth player for the organization right now.