The New York Rangers have traded forward Wojtek Wolski to the Florida Panthers in exchange for minor league defenseman Michael Vernace and a 2013 third-round draft pick.

Wolski has no goals and three assists in nine games for the Rangers this season.

Although recently called back up to the Rangers after a two-week AHL conditioning stint with the Connecticut Whale, Wolski has remained a healthy scratch.

Wolski suffered a sports hernia injury early in the season and although he was able to play as early as December, he was kept out of the lineup on a consistent basis.

The Rangers acquired Wolski from the Phoenix Coyotes in early January of 2011 in a trade for former Rangers defenseman Michal Rozsival—a player many Rangers fans thought general manager Glen Sather could never dump thanks to his four-year, $20 million contract.

With Wolski off the Rangers' roster, $3.5 million has been cleared off the salary cap space.

Vernace, 25, has one assist in 22 games in his NHL career. He played 12 games with the Colorado Avalanche in 2008-09 and another 10 with the Tampa Bay Lightning last season.