New York, NY (My Sportsbook) - The New York Rangers acquired forward Alexei Kovalev from Pittsburgh in an eight-player deal on Monday.

The Penguins also sent forward Dan LaCouture and defensemen Janne Laukkanen and Mike Wilson to the Rangers in exchange for forwards Rico Fata and Mikael Samuelsson and defensemen Joel Bouchard and Richard Lintner.

Kovalev, 29, ranked second on the Penguins and currently is fourth in the NHL with 64 points, tallying 27 goals and 37 assists in 54 games this season. Kovalev made his second career appearance in the NHL All-Star Game, and first as a starter, on February 2 in Sunrise, Florida.

A veteran of 11 NHL seasons with the Rangers and Penguins, Kovalev has appeared in 747 career NHL games, registering 268 goals and 354 assists for 622 points. He has participated in 83 career playoff games, recording 27 goals and 40 assists for 67 points.

Kovalev was traded to Pittsburgh early in the 1998-99 season, along with Harry York, from New York in exchange for Petr Nedved, Chris Tamer and Sean Pronger. In 402 career contests with New York from 1992-1998, Kovalev registered 119 goals and 156 assists for 275 points. He also appeared in 44 postseason games, tallying 16 goals and 23 assists for 39 points. Kovalev was a key member of the 1994 Stanley Cup Championship team.

As a member of the Penguins, Kovalev appeared in 345 contests, recording 149 goals and 198 assists for 347 points. He also skated in 39 postseason games, registering 11 goals and 17 assists and helping Pittsburgh reach the Eastern Conference finals in 2001. Last season, he led the team in goals, assists and points, tallying 32 goals and 44 assists for 76 points in 67 games.

He established single-season career-highs in all major offensive categories in 2000-01, collecting 44 goals and 51 assists for 95 points. The Togliatti, Russia native was originally the Rangers' first-round choice, 15th overall, in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft.

Laukkanen, 32, appeared in 17 games this season with Pittsburgh, registering one goal and six assists. He skated in his 400th NHL match on November 27 against Philadelphia. Laukkanen is currently sidelined due to a hip injury. In 405 career contests with the Penguins, Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche and Ottawa Senators, he has registered 21 goals and 99 assists.

LaCouture, 25, has skated in 44 games this season, registering two goals and two assists, along with 72 penalty minutes. In 182 career games with the Penguins and Edmonton Oilers, he has 10 goals and 17 assists.

Wilson, 27, has spent this season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League, skating in 45 games and tallying four goals and five assists. In 335 career NHL matches with the Penguins, Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers, he has registered 16 goals and 41 assists. He has also appeared in 29 postseason contests.

Lintner, 25, played in 10 games for New York this season, scoring one goal. In 93 career games with the Rangers and Predators, he has five goals and 10 assists.

Fata, who will be 23 in two days, has two goals and five assists in 73 career games with New York and Calgary.

Bouchard, 29, has 20 goals and 37 assists in 304 NHL games with Calgary, Nashville, Dallas, Phoenix, New Jersey and the Rangers.

Samuelsson, 26, has 14 goals and 24 assists in 129 games for San Jose and New York.