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Predators acquire Vernon Fiddler from Devils for draft pick

Josh Cooper
DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 31: Vernon Fiddler #38 of the New Jersey Devils skates around the net with the puck in front of Thomas Vanek #62 of the Detroit Red Wings during an NHL game at Joe Louis Arena on January 31, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. The Devils defeated the Wings 4-3. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)
Vernon Fiddler of the New Jersey Devils skates around the net with the puck in front of Thomas Vanek of the Detroit Red Wings during an NHL game at Joe Louis Arena on January 31, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. The Devils defeated the Wings 4-3. (Getty Images)

The Nashville Predators have traded a fourth-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft to the New Jersey Devils for pesky forward Vernon Fiddler.

The 36-year-old Fiddler started his NHL career with the Predators where he played 305 games from 2002-03 through 2008-09. During the offseason, the Devils added Fiddler on a one-year, $1.25 million contract.

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Fiddler played last season with the Dallas Stars where he scored 12 goals. The previous season he scored a career-high 13 goals.

This season, Fiddler has scored one goal and notched three points in 39 games while averaging 12:14 of ice-time. Fiddler ranks third amongst Devils forwards in average penalty kill ice-time per-game at 2:06.

The forward also holds a 52.2 faceoff percentage, winning 247 in 473 attempts. Fiddler missed 12 games earlier this season with a lower-body injury.

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The decision to add Fiddler continues a recent trend by the Predators to muscle up with tough, veteran forwards. On Jan. 13, Nashville added Colorado Avalanche bruiser Cody McLeod and since then the team has gone 6-2-1. The Predators are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and have surged into third-place in the Central Division recently.

The Devils are 5-3-2 in their last 10 games and seven points back of the Philadelphia Flyers for the final Wild Card spot. Though the Devils are still in the playoff mix, general manager Ray Shero recently said he doesn’t see the team giving up draft picks and younger players for more established pending unrestricted free agents that could give them a short-term boost. New Jersey now has 10 picks in the 2017 NHL Draft.

“Up until March 1, we’ll be trying to improve our hockey team,” Shero said according to NJ.com. “And it’s easy to say, but for us, I don’t see us getting into the rental market for expiring contracts, giving up assets and draft picks for that.”

With the acquisition of Fiddler, the Predators currently have $11,041,290 of salary cap space, still more than enough if they want to make a splash with a bigger name before the trade deadline.

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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