Jaromir Jagr wanted it for months and before Saturday’s 4-0 shutout win over the Florida Panthers, the Rangers looked like they needed an influx of new blood.

So, it came as little surprise when the organization announced the acquisition of Petr Sykora from the Anaheim Mighty Ducks for struggling young defenseman Maxim Kondratiev.

Sykora gives the Blueshirts a strong second line right wing and bolsters the scoring, which had relied too much on Jagr and rookie Petr Prucha. The 29 year-old former Devil has been solid his six seasons in the NHL with 202 goals with 259 assists in 608 career matches.

"Petr is highly skilled offensive player, who adds speed and a scoring presence to our lineup", said President and GM Glen Sather in a press release. "He is a versatile player, who we feel will play an important role on our team."

It’s obvious how Sykora can help the Rangers on the ice, but his presence will also support the morale in the locker room, which has started to drop as the Blueshirts went 3-4-3 in their last 10 games.

That frustration was evident after the Flyers beat New York 4-3 in overtime on Thursday. Jagr wondered out loud if the Rangers had the talent to compete with some of the top teams in the NHL. "Maybe we are not better than we are," he speculated. "But we can learn. Of course we can work hard, but maybe we don't have the talent. Later on in the season, the talent always shows, because the energy wears down."

So the star forward gets his wish and the Rangers are more talented with the trade. Sykora is a proven playoff competitor and a player who has already succeeded in the New York area. Because of his time in New Jersey, the forward also knows the value of defensive play, which is also something the team can use.

It also allows Steve Rucchin to move to the third line, where his defensive skills will be better utilized. Because Blair Betts is out for at least a month, the Rangers will need the center on the checking line and leadership with the young players on the ice with him.

After seven years of missing the post season, Garden officials also don’t want to see the team slip in the standings anymore. Over the past month, the Blueshirts went from second in the conference to fifth and only nine points from the number nine slot. With the Knicks looking lottery bound – although not holding a ticket – the hockey team is the best bet for the playoffs on 33^rd Street.

And even though this was suppose to be a rebuilding year, it would be a shame for a second half swoon to destroy any good will Coach Tom Renney and company earned with the fans the first half.

But in losing Kondratiev, the Rangers traded one of the pieces to the Brian Leetch trade, yet it doesn’t seem like a big loss. A healthy scratch many times this season, the defenseman made many absence minded mistakes and seemed to not be the prospect the organization expected him to be. With a number of young blue liners in the system, the 22 year-old may have become the odd man out in the organization anyway.

In a few years, Kondratiev may become a serviceable NHL player or he could be a bust, but the Rangers felt this was the best course of action for the organization at this time. Jagr gets his wish and now it’s time to see if it can pay off.