New York Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton announced that the team has agreed to terms with free agent defenseman Chris Summers on a new contract.
Summers, 28, skated in 74 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) this past season, registering three goals and eight assists for 11 points, along with a plus-two rating and 51 penalty minutes. He tied for third on the team – and tied for second among Wolf Pack defensemen – in games played in 2015-16. Summers tied single-game AHL career-highs by registering two assists and two points on Nov. 15 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and on Mar. 12 vs. Lehigh Valley. In addition, he recorded a goal and posted a plus-three rating in two of the final five games of the season – Apr. 9 vs. Springfield and Apr. 15 at St. John’s.
The 6-2, 209-pounder skated in three games with the Rangers during the 2015-16 season, registering five shots on goal and four penalty minutes. Summers was credited with two hits and recorded two shots on goal in 15:35 of ice time while making his season debut with the Blueshirts on Dec. 18 at Winnipeg.
Summers has skated in 70 career NHL games over parts of six seasons with the Rangers and Coyotes, registering two goals and seven assists for nine points, along with 51 penalty minutes. He has skated in six games with the Blueshirts over the last two seasons (2014-15 and 2015-16). In addition, Summers has appeared in 312 career AHL games, recording nine goals and 38 assists for 47 points, along with 265 penalty minutes. In 87 games with the Wolf Pack over parts of two seasons (2014-15 and 2015-16), Summers has registered three goals and nine assists for 12 points, along with a plus-five rating.
The Ann Arbor, Michigan, native was acquired by the Rangers from the Coyotes, along with Keith Yandle and a fourth round pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for John Moore, Anthony Duclair, a second round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, and a first round pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft on March 1, 2015.
