Rangers Agree to Terms with Free Agent Forward Kevin Rooney
NEW YORK, October 9, 2020 – The New York Rangers announced today that the team has agreed to terms with free agent forward Kevin Rooney.
Rooney, 27, skated in 49 games with the New Jersey Devils this past season, registering four goals and five assists for nine points, along with a plus-eight rating and 20 penalty minutes. He established career-highs in several categories in 2019-20, including games played and plus/minus rating, and he led New Jersey in plus/minus rating during the season. Rooney posted a plus/minus rating of even or better in 43 of 49 games he played this past season, and he was on the ice for only 10 even strength goals against in 470:43 of even strength ice time. He had an on-ice even strength goals for percentage of 60.0% this past season (15 even strength goals for and 10 even strength goals against), which was tied for the 25th-best among NHL forwards (min. 40 games played).
The 6-2, 190-pounder ranked third among Devils forwards in average shorthanded ice time in 2019-20 (2:06) while helping New Jersey rank seventh in the NHL in penalty kill efficiency during the season (82.4%), and he was only on the ice for 11 power play goals against in 102:51 of shorthanded ice time (6.42 power play goals against per 60 minutes of shorthanded ice time). Rooney tied for second on New Jersey in shorthanded goals (two) and tied for third on the team in shorthanded points (three) this past season. He registered 64 hits in 49 games in 2019-20, and he ranked fifth on the Devils (min. 10 games played) in hits per 60 minutes of ice time (6.68). Rooney ranked third on the Devils in penalties drawn per 60 minutes of ice time (min. 10 games played – 1.32) and net penalties per 60 minutes of ice time (0.52) this past season (he drew 12 penalties and took seven penalties in 2019-20).
Rooney has skated in 95 career NHL games over parts of four seasons (2016-17 – 2019-20), all with New Jersey, registering 10 goals and nine assists for 19 points, along with a plus-one rating and 39 penalty minutes. He established career-highs in goals (six) and points (10) in 41 games with the Devils in 2018-19.
The Canton, Massachusetts native was originally signed by the Albany Devils of the American Hockey League (AHL) to an Amateur Tryout (ATO) on March 29, 2016 following his collegiate career at Providence College. Rooney signed his first NHL contract with New Jersey on February 27, 2017.