On June 25, 2016, the Rangers acquired Nick Holden from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a 2017 fourth-round draft pick. Over the course of the summer, the Rangers re-signed J. T. Miller, Chris Kreider and Kevin Hayes, while Dominic Moore, among others, departed via free agency. On July 18, the Rangers traded their leading scorer Derick Brassard and a 2018 seventh-round draft pick to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Mika Zibanejad and a 2018 second-round draft pick. The team also signed Michael Grabner to a two-year contract and the much-anticipated college sensation Jimmy Vesey to a two-year, entry-level contract. In the ensuing season, the Rangers earned 102 points and clinched the top wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. They would go on to defeat Montreal in six games in the Eastern Conference First Round but fell to the Ottawa Senators in six in the next round.