Brendan Smith Traded to New York Rangers for Multiple Draft Picks

The Detroit Red Wings agreed to trade defenseman Brendan Smith to the New York Rangers on Tuesday in exchange for a 2018 second-round pick and a 2017 third-round selection.

"I'm happy for Brendan, I like him, he can skate and he's competitive, and [defensemen] are at a premium," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said, per Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News. "It was a tough decision. He's 28, but I felt we've been trading draft picks for so long, this was an opportunity to acquire some picks."

Smith, 28, scored five points (three assists, two goals) in 33 appearances for Detroit this season. A knee sprain cost Smith nearly the entire month of December, and he was out almost all of January after aggravating the injury.

A free agent this summer, Smith has been the subject of trade rumors ahead of Wednesday's trade deadline. He told Ansar Khan of MLive.com he preferred to stay in Detroit but acknowledged the business side of things might push the team into making a move.

"I'm just going to keep trying to play and get better and try to help the team win," Smith said. "I have no idea (what will happen). I think that stuff is all situational with how the league's going and how teams are winning and if we keep winning, I'm not sure."

After the trade was announced, Smith sent out a couple of tweets on the move:

The Red Wings are tied for last place in the Eastern Conference with 58 points. They are almost certain to miss the playoffs for the first time since 1989-90.

The Rangers, three years removed from a Stanley Cup Final berth and two years since an Eastern Conference Final appearance, are fourth in the East. They are just two points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for second, though it seems unlikely they'll catch the first-place Washington Capitals.

Much of New York's struggles this season have been with defensive consistency. The Rangers' penalty-killing percentage is 14th in the league, and they're 10th in goals allowed overall.

While Smith isn't an All-Star presence, he'll provide some stability to their defensive depth chart for a playoff push. If the Rangers fail in making a deep run in the playoffs, however, giving up two early-round picks might wind up looking like an overpay.