James Wisniewski traded to Anaheim Ducks, sorry to leave Columbus
James Wisniewski had been a healthy scratch for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He had been asked for a list of teams to whom he’d be willing to be traded.
He can, in fact, take a hint.
"I kind of saw it coming,” he told Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch, after being traded to the Anaheim Ducks. "Having my family here for four years, having my kids here, having a home here … we have roots here. That’s going to be tough."
The Ducks acquired Wisniewski and a third-round pick from Columbus for a second-round pick, William Karlsson and Rene Bourque, who was passed through waivers recently.
The trade was a bit of a surprise as Wisniewski injured his left foot against the Pittsburgh Penguins Sunday night. Portzline reports it was a bone bruise in his left foot, but not a break.
Karlsson, 22, was a 2011 second-round pick for the Ducks who had 2 goals in 18 games this season, spending most of it in the AHL. Bourque has been traded twice and waived twice this season, which is a heck of an achievement.
In Wisniewski, the Ducks bring back a former Anaheim player (2008-10) who had 8 goals and 21 assists in 56 games this season. He’s a great puck-mover and can be a bit of an agitator. They're going to hope he's a solution for their struggling power play.
He has a $5.5 million cap hit through 2018, which is a healthy addition to the Ducks’ cap (the Jackets didn’t retain any salary). But they’re going for it this season, clearly.
On The Milbury Scale:
THREE MILBURYS. The Ducks won this deal, basically flipping a second rounder and Karlsson, who can’t seem to break through this season (his first in North America), for a good defenseman that will bolster their group. A big piece of the puzzle, as they say. Provided Boudreau doesn’t go out before Round 3. Again.
MORE FROM YAHOO HOCKEY:
