The Ducks have traded minor-league defenseman Matt McCue to the New York Rangers for forward prospect Tomas Zaborsky.

The 22-year-old Zaborsky, a native of Slovakia, has yet to reach the NHL since being drafted by the Rangers in the fifth round of the 2006 draft. In 43 games for Assat Pori of the Finnish Elite League, Zaborsky had nine goals, 26 points and 67 penalty minutes. Zaborsky split his first professional season between the AHL (goal, three points in eight games) and the ECHL (14 goals, 28 points in 47 games) in 2008-09.

The Ducks signed McCue as a free-agent forward out of the Western Hockey League and attempted to convert him to the blue line as a professional. Known more as a fighter than a scorer, McCue had two assists and 68 penalty minutes in 19 games with ECHL affiliate Bakersfield last season. In 10 games with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, he had one goal and 24 penalty minutes.