Rangers Acquire Stu Bickel From Anaheim

In a relatively minor trade, the Rangers have acquired defenseman Stu Bickel from Anaheim in exchange for defenseman Nigel Williams. Bickel, 24, is 6’4 and 218 lbs, and has played in six games with Anaheim’s AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch. In those six games, Bickel has put together a line of 0-3-3 with 14 PIMs. Bickel is a typical stay at home defenseman, who has a bit of a mean streak to him. Williams, 22, was initially acquired by the Rangers in exchange for Brian Fahey in the 2009 offseason, and had a line of 0-1-1 with a -3 rating on a terrible Hartford Wolfpack/Connecticut Whale team. Williams had been a locker room cancer, according to Laurie Carr. As per Jesse Rubenstein, Williams had been requesting a trade all year.

This move was made to strengthen the Hartford defense locker room, which has been abysmal an issue this season, by ridding themselves of a clubhouse cancer.