The New York Rangers have recently rewarded the play of one of their centers with a nice contract extension. Jonny Brodzinski has just signed a two-year extension that’s going to earn him about $1.575 million.
Brodzinski was entering the final year of a two-year, two-way deal with the organization. Had this extension not taken place, we’d have seen him enter free agency for the third time in his professional career. Instead, the team rewards the hole he’s been able to fill on their third line. See, Brodzinski has stepped up tremendously since the team lost Filip Chytil to a season-ending injury back in November.
Brodzinski replaced him on that third line opposite Kaapo Kakko and William Cuylle, and has produced solid numbers. He’s racked up four goals, 15 points, and has done well with the puck in his possession across 37 total games. Both his goals and points scored are career high totals for him as well. Theen again, it’s also the most action he’s seen at this point in his career.
New York Rangers Reward Brodzinski
He started his career back with the Los Angeles Kings and has primarily bounced between them and the Rangers up to this point. During his decade long career, he’s never signed a full one-way contract, only a one-way salary in the second half of the 2018-19 season with the Kings. He was a former captain on the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack and has been an excellent talent for that group.
Sure, his contract extension isn’t seeing him break the bank, but the Rangers are really thankful for what he’s provided on that third line. Without him, they could be finding themselves in a far different position than they are now. We’ll see how he continues to mesh with his teammates down the stretch of the season, but there’s a genuine chance that the Rangers roll with him the rest of the way. Or at the very least, that they have enough confidence to do so.
