Wednesday afternoon the Winnipeg Jets acquired LW Jiri Tlusty in exchange for 2016 3rd rd pick and a conditional 2015 6th rd pick from the Carolina Hurricanes.
#NHLJets acquire Jiri Tlusty from Carolina in exchange for 2016 3rd rd pick and a conditional 2015 6th rd pick. >> http://t.co/klev82aYPK
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) February 25, 2015
A former first round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2007 NHL Draft, Tlusty has spent the last five and half seasons with the Hurricanes. The Jets will be his third NHL team.
Tlusty has 13 goals and 23 points in 52 games and is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. His cap hit is currently $2.95M. In his seven seasons in the NHL, Tlusty has never appeared in the playoffs. He has long been the subject of trade rumors given his contract status and the Carolina Hurricanes position in the standings this season.
Tlusty should provide the Jets with some skill, and some extra scoring punch on their second and third lines as they try to lock down one of the final playoff spots in the Western Conference. He helps to replace some of the scoring lost by the Jets in the Evander Kane saga that played itself out over the last several weeks.
The Jets also announced they’ve put forward Blake Wheeler on injured reserve. The move gives the Jets the roster space needed to make the move. Rosters expand after the trade deadline, and once Wheeler is healthy they will not need a corresponding roster move to activate him.
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