NEW YORK, July 23, 2021 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the team has acquired forward Sammy Blais and a second-round pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Pavel Buchnevich.

Blais, 25, skated in 36 games with St. Louis this past season, registering eight goals and seven assists for 15 points, along with 12 penalty minutes. The 6-2, 205-pounder has skated in 119 career NHL games over parts of four seasons (2017-18 – 2020-21), all with the Blues, registering 17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points, along with 44 penalty minutes. Blais helped St. Louis win the Stanley Cup in 2018-19. The Montmagny, Quebec native was originally selected by the Blues in the sixth round, 176th overall, of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

The Rangers currently have eight picks in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, including three picks in the first two rounds and six picks in the first four rounds.

Buchnevich skated in 301 games over five seasons with the Rangers, registering 79 goals and 116 assists for 195 points, along with 112 penalty minutes.