The New York Rangers are close to a trade that will send center Sam Carrick to the Buffalo Sabres, as first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Carrick has been informed of the deal, according to a league source, but the teams have not made an official announcement.

The 34-year-old Carrick has been New York’s primary fourth-line center since signing ahead of the 2024-25 season. He has four goals and 10 points in 60 games this season and also brings some edge. He has fought seven times this season, more than any other Rangers player.

Carrick has another year on his contract at $1 million average annual value. The Rangers are in what president and general manager Chris Drury declared a “retool” in a January letter to fans.

“I signed here hoping to finish my contract here,” Carrick told The Athletic in the aftermath of the letter. “Having a family and stuff makes things a little bit more difficult if change is coming. But if it does, you deal with it.”

The center has previous playoff experience with the 2024 Edmonton Oilers: he was in and out of the team’s lineup during their run to the Stanley Cup Final. He had previously played with the Ducks and Maple Leafs and has 380 total games of NHL experience.

Carrick is from the Toronto area, so the trade brings him to the non-Maple Leafs team closest to his hometown.

What the trade means for the Sabres

Carrick gives the Sabres some more depth in their bottom six. They’ve been without Justin Danforth for most of the season because of a broken kneecap and he’s still dealing with some pain. Tyson Kozak, who has been a consistent presence in the bottom six, is day-to-day with an injury as well. He’s dealt with multiple injuries this season.

Carrick’s ability to play both center and wing gives the Sabres some lineup flexibility. And Sabres coach Lindy Ruff should be able to trust him defensively. He’s also strong in the faceoff circle, an area the Sabres have struggled with all season. He’s won more than 50 percent of his faceoffs in four straight seasons. No player on the Sabres who has taken at least 100 faceoffs this season has won more than 50 percent of them.

It doesn’t hurt that Carrick, 34, has some playoff experience and is a willing fighter. The Sabres are lacking a bit in both of those areas. Carrick has one year left on his contract after this one at $1 million per year, so he’s affordable depth. — Matthew Fairburn

What the trade means for the Rangers

Carrick has been a dependable Ranger since signing a three-year, $3 million contract in the summer of 2024. He’s been a staple as their fourth-line center, a go-to penalty killer and a consistent source of toughness, whether it be through his play or willingness to drop the gloves with all-comers. The 34-year-old isn’t going to produce a ton of offense, with only 10 points (four goals and six assists) through 60 games this season, but he’s defensively sound and strong on the faceoff dot (53.9 percent).

New York valued him in that role, but it also has a logjam of bottom-six players — both veterans and prospects — and figured to offload at least one or two in the aftermath of team president Chris Drury’s Jan. 16 retool letter. Carrick emerged as the most valuable player among that group and therefore the most likely to be traded.

The Rangers desperately need to restock their prospect pool and draft capital, with any little bit helping. They have internal options to take over the 4C spot, whether it be veterans such as Jonny Brodzinski and Justin Dowling or younger players such as Juuso Pärssinen and Dylan Roobroeck. Longer term, they view Carey Terrance — the prospect who was acquired as part of last year’s trade that sent Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks — as someone who’s being groomed for that role. — Vincent Z. Mercogliano