Rangers Acquire Defenseman Ryan Sproul for Puempel
Oct 21, 2017New York Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton announced today that the team has acquired defenseman Ryan Sproul from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Matt Puempel.
Sproul, 24, has skated in 220 career American Hockey League (AHL) games over parts of five seasons (2012-13 – 2015-16; 2017-18), all with the Grand Rapids Griffins, registering 29 goals and 66 assists for 95 points, along with 101 penalty minutes. He was selected to the AHL’s All-Rookie Team in 2013-14, as he led AHL rookie defensemen in goals (11) and ranked second among AHL rookie defensemen in points (32) during the season. Sproul established AHL career-highs in games played (75), goals (12), assists (23), and points (35) during the 2015-16 season. He has tallied four points (one goal, three assists) in five AHL games thus far in 2017-18.
The 6-4, 205-pounder has skated in 28 career NHL games over parts of two seasons (2013-14; 2016-17), both with the Red Wings, registering one goal and six assists for seven points, along with six penalty minutes. Sproul played one game with Detroit in 2013-14, making his NHL debut on Apr. 13, 2014 at St. Louis. He registered his first career NHL assist/point while skating in his second career NHL game on Oct. 21, 2016 vs. Nashville. Sproul tallied two points (one goal, one assist), including his first career NHL goal, on Nov. 15, 2016 vs. Tampa Bay.
Sproul also played three seasons of junior hockey with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), registering 57 goals and 96 assists for 153 points, along with 134 penalty minutes in 172 games. He received the Max Kaminsky Trophy as the OHL’s Top Defenseman in his final year of junior hockey in 2012-13, as he led all OHL defensemen in points (66) and tied for first among OHL defensemen in goals (20) during the season.
The Mississauga, Ontario, native was originally selected by Detroit in the second round, 55th overall, of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
Puempel, 24, skated in 27 games with the Rangers, registering six goals and three assists for nine points, along with four penalty minutes.