New York Rangers and Dylan McIlrath Avoid Arbitration as Red Wings, Hurricanes & Maple Leafs Announce Signings

The New York Rangers and defenseman Dylan McIlrath avoided arbitration on Friday as they agreed on a one-year deal worth 800,000. 

The 24-year-old defenseman skated in 34 games for the Blueshirts this past season putting up two goals and two assists as he helped patrol the blue line. His plus-7 rating was tied for 13^th amongst National Hockey League rookies and fifth for NHL rookie defensemen. 

The six foot five, 215-pound defender picked up his first NHL point in Edmonton, Alberta, on December 15. He found the back up the net for his first goal, against the Edmonton Oiler, four days later in Madison Square Garden. He became the first Rangers rookie defenseman, to register a goal, since Ryan McDonagh accomplished the feat five years ago on April 9, 2011. 

Over parts of three seasons with the Rangers, McIlrath has appeared in 37 games, scoring two goals and two assists with 80 penalty minutes and a plus-6 rating. The Winnipeg, Manitoba native was selected by New York with the 10^th pick in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut on December 12, 2013 against the Columbus Bluejackets. 

In other NHL news: 

The Carolina Hurricanes announced that they signed all five of their restricted free agents. General manager, Ron Francis announced on Thursday that defenseman Ryan Murphy signed a two-year deal, worth 1.6 million-dollars. In 35 games with the Hurricanes, this past season, he had 10 assists. 

Murphy’s deal was made after forwards Brandan Woods and Brody Sutter as well as defensemen Dennis Robertson and Keegan Lowe to one-year, two-way contracts.   

The Winnipeg Jets also announced that they resigned forwards, Joel Armia and Adam Lowry to two-year, one-way contracts. 

After splitting time with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League, Armia scored four goals and six assists in 43 games with the Jets. Winnipeg acquired Armia from the Buffalo Sabres along with Drew Stafford, Brandon Lemieux, Tyler Myers and a first round pick for Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian and Jason Kasdorf, on February 11, 2015. 

The Sabres selected the Pori, Finland native with the 16^th overall selection in the 2011 NHL Draft.

Lowry, 23, scored seven goals and 10 assists in 74 games this past season with Winnipeg. In two seasons with the Jets, he has 18 goals and 22 assists in 154 games. 

The Jets chose the Calgary, Alberta native with the 67^th pick in the 2011 NHL Draft. 

The Detroit Red Wings and Luke Glendening agreed to a 7.2 million-dollar, four-year extension on Thursday. Over the past two seasons, Glendening has only missed one NHL game for the Red Wings. 

The former University of Michigan center put up eight goals and 13 assists this past season. During the 2014-2015 season, he reached a career high with 12 goals and six assists. In his first season, in 2013-2014, he skated in 54 games while scoring one goal and six helpers. 

The Toronto Maple Leafs agreed on Friday to a one-year, two-way contract with goaltender Garret Sparks. In 17 games during his rookie campaign last season, he put up a 6-9-1 record with a 3.02 goals against average and ,893 save percentage. 

In 21 games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, he compiled a 4-4-0 record with 2.33 GAA and .928 save percentage and three shutouts. In five postseason games with the Marlies, he put up a 2-2-0 record with a 2.30 GAA and .915 save percentage and one shutout. 

Sparks became the first Maple Leafs goaltender to record a shutout in his debut, on November 30, 2015. The Maple Leafs picked Sparks in the seventh round, 190^th overall of the 2011 NHL Draft.