Rangers Acquire Jokinen, Prust From Calgary

[orr28_enforcer]

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the Rangers have acquired forwards Olli Jokinen and Brandon Prust from the Calgary Flames, in exchange for forwards Chris Higgins and Ales Kotalik.

Jokinen, 31, has skated in 56 games for Calgary this season, tallying 11 goals and 24 assists for 35 points, along with 53 penalty minutes and a plus-two rating. He is tied for third in the NHL with five shootout tallies, including one game deciding goal. He ranks second on the team in assists (24), third in points (35) and is tied for third in goals (11).

Originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings with the third overall pick in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, Jokinen has eclipsed the 30-goal mark four times in his career, most recently in 2007-08 when he recorded 34, including 18 power play goals which ranked third in the NHL.

The 6-3, 207-pounder enjoyed his finest NHL season in 2006-07, establishing career-highs in goals (39), assists (51), points (91), plus/minus rating (plus-18), and shots (351). He ranked second in the NHL in shots, tied for seventh in game winning goals (eight), 11th in goals, and ranked 14th in points.

In 855 career NHL games, Jokinen has recorded 248 goals and 305 assists for 553 points, along with 847 penalty minutes. The Kuopio, Finland native is the Florida Panthers all-time franchise leader in goals (188), assists (231), points (419) and consecutive games played (376).

Jokinen will represent Finland at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada and will be making his third Olympic appearance (2002, 2006, 2010). He helped lead Finland to the Silver Medal at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy, tying for the tournament lead with six goals and ranking sixth with eight points in eight games. In addition, Jokinen was a member of the Silver Medal-winning Team Finland at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.

Prust, 25, has skated in 43 games with Calgary, registering one goal and four assists, along with 98 penalty minutes and a plus-six rating. His 98 penalty minutes lead the team, while his plus-six rating ranks third. The 5-11, 195-pounder ranks second in the NHL in fighting majors with 18.

Prust, who helped lead the London Knights to the Memorial Cup in 2005, appeared in 36 games for Calgary and the Phoenix Coyotes last season, recording one goal and two assists, along with 108 penalty minutes. He began the season with Calgary before being traded to Phoenix along with Matthew Lombardi and a first round pick, in exchange for Jokinen on March 9, 2009. He was dealt back to Calgary, in exchange for Jim Vandermeer on June 27. The London, Ontario native was originally selected by Calgary, in the third round, 70th overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

Higgins has skated in 55 games this season, registering six goals and eight assists for 14 points, along with 32 penalty minutes. He was acquired from Montreal along with Ryan McDonagh, Doug Janik and Pavel Valentenko, in exchange for Scott Gomez, Tom Pyatt and Mike Busto on June 30, 2009.

Kotalik has appeared in 45 games this season, recording eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points, along with 38 penalty minutes and a minus-18 rating. He signed with New York as an unrestricted free agent on July 9, 2009.

[rondo]

My guess is calgary is loading up to try and get Kovalachuk. If not I don't know if these guys are the answere the flames are looking for.

[BigBadWolf1171]

Rags surely getten the better end of this deal

[Purely_Purinton]

Thank God, don't let the door hit you on the way out Kotalik and Higgins! I hope this isn't the end for Voros, he's done all you could ask of him and there would be no point to getting Prust if you're just gonna dump Voros. At this point I'd rather see Brash gone.

[BigBadWolf1171]

this should shake up the NY players a little bit, maybe get them going. seems like they play like its game 7 of the cup one night and dont bother to show up the next.

[Orr=God]

nice to see a capable figher joining the rangers. i havent seen much of prust, does he throw hits, or is he mainly a fighter.

[dave chappelle]

I Hope Prust gets icetime and keeps fighting. Jokinen can suck my balls.

[acd1]

I don't think Sutter is a very good GM, but even he isn't stupid enough to make these deals. He's got to be setting the Flames up for something else....

[avamania2003]

Rangers win this one getting prust ! Rest of the players haven't done anything this year so don't see it helping either team !

[Gunslinger]

Yeah, Prust is the player I like the best in this deal. Not sure what the Flames are doing cuz they seem to be giving up more than they are getting recently.

[enforcer55]

I like Prust, tough to see him go, Jokinen was a bust , thought he would have done better. flames now have 13 wingers, does this mean more trades coming, Langkow,Moss or Boyd next???? I get the feeling it's not over.

[lgbar75]

Getting Prust out of all this makes the Rangers winners here. Sorry to see Higgins go, but he just had no luck putting the puck in the net.

[DUSTER76]

It's a good day on Broadway!

Now we get to watch Torts screw another one.

[Mclaren14]

crap deal for both teams...Jokinen has been a bust this season so hasnt Kotalik, well Kotalik was never good to begin with so hes not really a bust then you have Higgins...well to be honest who cares about Chris Higgins....honestly Prust is the best acquisition in this deal, the Rangers are soft and Brashear is just washed up

[Killah_punk]

Looks like the Rangers got the edge in this trade. I wonder will Jokinen be put on a line with Gaborik. Prust should be a good addition to the Rangers. Will he maintain his FM's pace, hopefully Torts doesn't put the cuffs on him. Hopefully the Flames will get rid of a forward or two, or McGrattan might be spending alot more time in the press box, which would be a shame.