Canes trade former 1st-round pick Julien Gauthier to Rangers

The Carolina Hurricanes traded forward Julien Gauthier to the New York Rangers for defense prospect Joey Keane, the team announced Tuesday.

Gauthier, the 21st overall pick in the 2016 draft, has skated in just five career NHL games. However, the 6-foot-4, 227-pound right winger has 26 goals and 11 assists in 44 games with the AHL's Charlotte Checkers this season.

Keane, 20, has 30 points in 49 games with the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack this year - his first professional campaign. He was a third-round pick in 2018. As a right-handed blue-liner, his path to the NHL was blocked by Jacob Trouba, Tony DeAngelo, and Adam Fox in New York.