Rangers Acquire Rugged Left Wing Clowe From Sharks

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Help is on the way.

In danger of missing the playoffs a year after coming within two wins of getting to the Stanley Cup finals, the Rangers bolstered their offense on Tuesday night by acquiring rugged forward Ryane Clowe from the San Jose Sharks.

The teams announced the trade on Tuesday night.

"We are extremely pleased to be able to acquire Ryane," Rangers general manager Glen Sather said in a statement. "He is a unique combination of size, skill and toughness. His strong leadership and character make him a tremendous addition to our organization on and off the ice."

New York sent San Jose two second-round picks and a third-round pick for Clowe, 30, who was considered a highly sought after target leading up to Wednesday's 3 p.m. trade deadline. One of the second-round picks is conditional on Clowe re-signing with the Rangers or the Blue Shirts winning two playoff series. The pick becomes a fifth-round selection if neither happens.

Clowe, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound left wing, is in the final year of a four-year deal he signed with San Jose back in 2009 and that paid him an average of $3.625 million annually. He should bring grit and a scoring touch to a Rangers offense that has generated the fewest goals in the NHL, despite having stars like Brad Richards, Marian Gaborik and Rick Nash.

Clowe appears to be fully recovered from a shoulder injury that had limited him to just 11 assists in 28 games this season, but over his eight-year career -- all with the Sharks -- he registered 101 goals and 170 assists. In 68 career playoff games, Clowe has 18 goals and 27 assists.

The Rangers are in ninth place in the East with 37 points, two behind the Islanders and Devils. Clowe is expected to be in the lineup Wednesday when the Rangers host NHL-best Pittsburgh in the opener of a home-and-home set.

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