Rangers trade ‘great teammate’ Sam Carrick to Sabres for 2 draft picks
The New York Rangers traded Sam Carrick to the Buffalo Sabres for a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and a sixth-rounder this year.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman was first to report the news.
Carrick was a healthy scratch for roster management purposes on Thursday, when the Rangers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-2 at Madison Square Garden. Another veteran center, Vincent Trocheck, also didn’t play with the NHL Trade Deadline set for 3 p.m. ET on Friday.
A fourth-line staple for two seasons on Broadway, the 34-year-old earned the respect of two coaching staffs and each of his teammates after he signed a three-year, $3 million free-agent contract on July 1, 2024.
Just this past weekend, Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said Carrick is “the ultimate teammate.”
“His most redeeming quality is his competitiveness, and I think that’s something every organization in the League values,” Sullivan said Friday after practice. “It’s hard to win in this League if you don’t have a certain competitive spirit and a willingness to pay the price to win. I think Sam certainly possesses that.”
Following the Rangers’ win Thursday, Adam Edstrom also spoke highly of Carrick, who leads the Rangers in fights with seven this season and has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 60 games.
“Carrick has been a big part of my days in New York,” Edstrom said postgame. “Whatever happens, it’s out of my control. He’s been a great teammate and a great friend and I’d love to still have him on my line.”
The Rangers (24-29-8) are in sell mode since they’re last in the Eastern Conference and set to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight season. New York traded Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings in early February. Before that, the Rangers moved defenseman Carson Soucy to the New York Islanders.
They now have 11 picks in the draft, which takes place June 26-27, somewhat ironically, at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. They have two selections in the first round — their own, which will be a lottery pick, and one belonging to the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Rangers also have Carolina’s second-round selection, and four picks in the third round, giving them seven selections in the first half of the 2026 draft. General manager Chris Drury could really restock a barren pipeline this spring in what’s believed to be a strong draft class. Or he could use some of those picks to land more NHL-ready players in trades on Friday or in the offseason.
Carrick had 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in 80 games with the Rangers last season. They signed him after he helped the Edmonton Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2024, when they lost in seven games to the Florida Panthers. He had a part-time role with the Oilers, but a regular one as the heart of the Rangers fourth line.
In 380 NHL games with the Rangers, Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and Maple Leafs, Carrick has 83 points (38 goals, 45 assists) and 427 penalty minutes.
The Sabres (37-19-6) are tied for first with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division and seek their first playoff appearance in 15 years. They last took part in the postseason in 2011, when they lost in the conference quarterfinals.
Buffalo acquired defensemen Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn from the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday, after a deal with the St. Louis Blues for Colton Parayko fell through when the veteran defenseman refused to waive a no-movement clause in his contract.
