The New York Rangers have traded center Adam Edstrom to the Nashville Predators, the team announced Saturday. The move comes as the Rangers continue to adjust their roster ahead of the upcoming season.
In exchange for the 25-year-old Edstrom, the Rangers acquired the No. 148 pick in the current NHL draft and forward Massimo Rizzo. Edstrom's tenure with the Rangers was significantly impacted by injuries over the past two seasons, limiting his on-ice contributions.
During the most recent season, Edstrom suffered a fractured ankle early on, requiring surgery in December and keeping him sidelined until March. These injury setbacks limited him to just 86 games and 14 points, with eight goals and six assists, across the last two years.
Edstrom had expressed hope for a healthy summer to be ready for the 2026-27 season, noting the difficulty of being sidelined. "From last year to this year, I feel like I’m getting kind of used to [the injuries], which is not a good thing," he said on breakup day. "It’s always tough to be out of the lineup like that [as a healthy scratch]. You want to play and you want to contribute. I’m just looking forward to a good summer and then getting into camp and playing well."
Regarding Rizzo, who is a restricted free agent, the Rangers are not expected to extend a qualifying offer. This trade follows the Rangers' acquisition of forward Pavel Dorofeyev on Friday, a move aimed at strengthening the team's top offensive lines.