New York Rangers Expected To Sign Andy Welinski

According to CapFriendly, the New York Rangers have signed defenseman Andy Welinski to a one-year, two-way contract (link). The contract is worth $750K at the NHL level and $400K in the minors. The right-handed defenseman will serve as veteran depth for a Rangers team that had to part with some of their’s earlier today.

A third-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2011, Welinski has played parts of three NHL seasons, all with Anaheim. Welinski spent four years as a rock-solid defenseman for the University of Minnesota-Duluth before turning pro after the 2015-16 NCAA season. He would spend two full years with the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, making his NHL debut during that second season in 2017-18. Welinski split 2018-19 between San Diego and Anaheim, returning to the AHL full-time in 2019-20, splitting 2020-21 once again, getting into just 16 games between both levels. The 29-year-old spent all of last season with the Stockton Heat in the Calgary Flames organization.

On a two-way contract, Welinski is a smart addition for the Rangers, who traded defenseman Patrik Nemeth away earlier today and lost Justin Braun in free agency as well. Though the organization has strong defensive depth between their stars and their prospects, the team did have to rely on depth this year at times too. Between yesterday’s Libor Hajek extension and today’s Welinski deal, the Rangers should have plenty of reserves should they deal with an abundance of injuries.