Rangers trade G Georgiev to Avalanche; Kuemper to hit market

The New York Rangers have traded goaltender Alexandar Georgiev to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for three draft picks.

The Rangers will receive a third-round and fifth-round selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, as well as a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft in the deal.

OFFICIAL: #NYR have acquired a third-round and fifth-round selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, as well as a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, from Colorado in exchange for goaltender Alexandar Georgiev.

The 26-year-old Georgiev recorded a .898 save percentage and 2.92 goals-against average in 33 games last season. A restricted free agent, he is coming off a two-year, $4.85 million contract with an average annual value of $2.4 million.

In 129 career NHL games, the Ruse, Bulgaria native has a career .908 save percentage and 2.94 GAA.

The trade has signaled the end of pending unrestricted free agent Darcy Kuemper's time in Colorado, just weeks after backstopping the team to a Stanley Cup title.

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports the Avalanche did not have the cap space to keep Kuemper and opted to acquire Georgiev instead. The team also has Pavel Francouz under contract for the next two seasons at a $2 million cap hit.

Dreger adds that Kuemper is believed to be hoping to fetch a contract similar to the one former Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer, signed with the Seattle Kraken in free agency last year - which carried a cap hit of $5.9 million.

Teams responding to Kuemper’s availability. The belief is he’s hoping to fetch a free agent contract similar to Grubauer’s 6 year deal with Seattle. $5.9 mil aav.

Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic had met with Darcy Kuemper's agent, Ben Hankinson, on Wednesday, according to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre