Rangers pick up the rights to the Lisbon native.
ORONO – It certainly is nice to be wanted.
The NHL rights to Maine sophomore and Lisbon native Greg Moore have been traded from the Calgary Flames to the New York Rangers Saturday.
Moore, who last played with the National Development Team before joining the Black Bears, has 14 goals, and eight assists this season.
The Rangers parted with winger Chris Simon in exchange for goaltender Jaime McLennan, Blair Betts, and the rights to Moore.
“Right now it obviously doesn’t affect me now,” said Moore. “There is nothing I can do. I just got the news before I came to the game today. It doesn’t really bother me or change things at all. I need to focus on what I am doing now and worry about those kinds of things in the future.”
Simon is described as a rugged winger who has scored 14 goals and assisted on nine others this season. He is also second in the NHL this season with 225 penalty minutes and is considered one of the most feared fighters in the league.
McLennan is 32 and has a 12-9-3 record as a backup goaltender with the Flames this season. He has a 2.20 goals-against-average and a .910 save percentage.
Betts has played in 20 games for Calgary.
“I have always paid attention more when Calgary is on TV,” said Moore. “I wouldn’t go out of my way or anything though.”
Moore, in his second season with Maine, has played in 63 games and scored a total of 23 goals for Maine.
“It’s a good thing, but it depends on how you look at it,” said Moore. “Did Calgary want to get rid of me or did the Rangers want me? The Rangers have a lot of good players and it’s closer to home.”
The sophomore helped Maine this weekend with one goal Friday night in a win over Boston College.
“He’s a great prospect,” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead. “He plays hard, he’s a power forward. He blocks shots then goes down and scores goals at the other end.
“New York actually was one of the teams that spent a lot of time talking to him. They really liked him, particularly Bob Crocker, the New England scout. I sure he had a hand in letting them know that this kid is really emerging.”
pmullen@sunjournal.com
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