Alex Wennberg had missed the Kraken’s last two games and had been hanging around for a deal to be done.
The 29-year-old center was moved to the Rangers on Wednesday in exchange for a second-round pick in 2024 and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2025, which was not surprising given Seattle had told him he would be moving.
Wennberg then boarded a five-hour-plus redeye trip to New York with his wife Felicia, who was 37 weeks pregnant, and their son Rio.
Arriving at the MSG Training Center a little over an hour and a half after landing at 8 a.m. on Thursday, the Swede on the ice for his first practice with the Rangers at 11 a.m., sporting a tinted visor and a white-taped stick.
In his first interview with reporters inside the Rangers’ locker room in Tarrytown, Wennberg stated, “First of all, it’s a dream come true playing for the Rangers for me.” Additionally, at this position, aiming for the postseason. We’ve been trying to get in, so for me, [moving] from Seattle to here, I feel like I can help this team get to the playoffs and I also want to win the Cup.”
During practice on Thursday, head coach Peter Laviolette shuffled his bottom six players, suggesting that nothing is fixed in stone and that the Rangers will likely make further moves before Friday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline.
Wennberg got rebounds from Jimmy Vesey and Will Cuylle in addition to Adam Edstrom and Vesey.
Wennberg is anticipated to join the Rangers’ PK forward rotation alongside Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, Barclay Goodrow, Vincent Trocheck, and Vesey. Wennberg was a great penalty killer in Seattle.
