NEW YORK, October 9, 2020 – The New York Rangers announced today that the team has agreed to terms with free agent forward Colin Blackwell.
Blackwell, 27, split this past season between the Nashville Predators in the NHL and the Milwaukee Admirals in the American Hockey League (AHL). He skated in 27 NHL games with the Predators in 2019-20, registering three goals and seven assists for 10 points, along with a plus-seven rating and 10 penalty minutes. Blackwell, who recorded all of his 10 points this past season at 5-on-5, ranked fifth on Nashville in points per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 (2.07) and ranked third in assists per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 (1.45) during the season. He also ranked sixth on the Predators in plus/minus rating this past season, and he was on the ice for only 10 even strength goals against in 293:22 of even strength ice time in 2019-20.
The 5-9, 190-pounder also skated in 26 AHL games with Milwaukee this past season, registering six goals and 17 assists for 23 points, along with a plus-14 rating and 21 penalty minutes. Blackwell ranked third on the Admirals in points per game in 2019-20 (0.88) and posted a nine-game point streak during the season.
Blackwell has skated in 33 career NHL games over parts of two seasons (2018-19 and 2019-20), both with Nashville, registering three goals and seven assists for 10 points, along with a plus-six rating and 12 penalty minutes. He has also skated in 187 career AHL games over parts of four seasons (2016-17 – 2019-20), recording 41 goals and 64 assists for 105 points, along with a plus-10 rating and 90 penalty minutes. Blackwell also helped his team advance to the Calder Cup Playoffs in three consecutive seasons from 2016-17 – 2018-19 (the 2020 Calder Cup Playoffs were cancelled), and he has tallied seven points (five goals, two assists) in 23 career Calder Cup Playoff games.
The Lawrence, Massachusetts native was originally selected by San Jose in the seventh round, 194th overall, of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.