Derek Stepan #21 of the New York Rangers (Photo by Rocky W. Widner/NHL/Getty Images)
What happened on June 23 in the history of the New York Rangers
Many believe that the rebuilding of the New York Rangers began on February 8, 2018 when the team sent a letter to fans laying out a plan to rebuild and asking for patience. It actually got a jump start on this date in 2017 when the Blueshirts traded away their top center and a fixture in the lineup for seven years.
On the day of the NHL Entry Draft the Blueshirts swapped Derek Stepan and backup goalie Antti Raanta to the Arizona Coyotes for the seventh overall pick in the first round and defense prospect Tony DeAngelo.