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Rangers address center depth, sign Desharnais

Edmonton Oilers v Anaheim Ducks - Game Seven

ANAHEIM, CA - MAY 10: David Desharnais #13 of the Edmonton Oilers reacts against the Anaheim Ducks in Game Seven of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center on May 10, 2017 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

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Timing, eh?

Just hours after we asked what the Rangers were going to do at the center position, GM Jeff Gorton went out and addressed the depth issue, signing veteran David Desharnais to a one-year, $1 million deal.

The news, first reported by the New York Post, gives the Rangers a fourth piece down the middle in addition to Mika Zibanejad, Kevin Hayes and J.T. Miller. Gorton has said the club is comfortable with Miller playing center, even though he’s spent considerable time on the wing.

This is a low-risk move for the Blueshirts. The 30-year-old is coming off a year split between Montreal and Edmonton, in which he scored six goals and 14 points over 49 games. He finished reasonably well with the Oilers, appearing in all 13 games while averaging just under 10 minutes a night.

In Round 1, he scored the OT winner in Edmonton’s 4-3 win over the Sharks in Game 5.

It remains to be seen if Gorton is done adding at the center position. It’s fair to think he’s not. The Rangers are still pretty thin and, over the weekend, he indicated he’s been in trade discussions with teams to try and upgrade.