Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports
In an effort to get better while saving their money, the New York Rangers signed Benoit Pouliot. Pouliout was the fourth pick in the 2005 NHL entry draft.
Pouliot has never really developed into the player he was supposed to be. He has never scored more than 20 goals in a season before. His most successful season as a full-time NHL player was in 2011-2012 when he recorded 16 goals and 16 assists for a total of 32 points. He has been bounced around between the NHL and AHL while being a member of four different teams. The Rangers will be his fifth team in his career.
Glen Sather is once again trying to find value in his free agent signings. He is hoping that he finds lightning in a bottle and Pouliot can score anywhere from 10-15 goals as a third-line player this season. He is a big player who can help add some skill and grit to the Rangers’ weak bottom six. However, he is not going to fill up the stat sheet like crazy.
This signing is one that the Rangers desperately needed to make. They also inked Dominic Moore and defenseman Aaron Johnson on Friday. It is clear that the Rangers are trying to fill the depth problems that have plagued them over the last couple of years. Also it makes you wonder about the health of Marc Staal since the Rangers have traded for and signed three defensemen over the last week and a half.
It is clear that the Pouliout signing is not one that is going to make headlines, but it is still a solid signing that could prove beneficial down the road for the Rangers.
