The Anaheim Ducks have agreed to trade defenceman Michael Del Zotto to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick in 2019. TSN senior hockey writer Frank Seravalli first broke news of the deal.
Blues acquire D Del Zotto from Ducks. MORE: https://t.co/RIUvMlIPLi#TradeCentre pic.twitter.com/qRtPWwDrJN
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) February 25, 2019
Ducks Trade Michael Del Zotto to the Blues
The Ducks completed a trade Monday with the Blues. St. Louis gets veteran defenceman Michael Del Zotto in exchange for a sixth-round draft choice in 2019.
Key Players
In Del Zotto, the Blues get a veteran defenseman who plays a physical game. This season, he scored one goal and six assists for seven points in 35 games, adding eight minutes in penalties. His possession numbers are 49.9 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of 2.1. Those totals are down compared to last season, where he scored six goals, 16 assists for 22 points.
In his ten-year NHL career, Del Zotto has played for the New York Rangers, Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks. He has 54 goals and 164 assists for 218 career points in 601 career games. The Rangers originally drafted him in the first round, 20th overall of the 2008 NHL draft.
This is the second time that the Stouffville, Ontario has been traded. He was sent to the Ducks from the Canucks on Jan. 17. He played 12 games with Vancouver.
What This Means for the Future
St. Louis has made a charge up the standings and adding Del Zotto helps shore up its blueline. Del Zotto comes to the team as a pending unrestricted free agent, He is on the last year of a two-year, $6 million deal he signed with Vancouver.
Anaheim looks to be in full seller mode after their pair of long losing streaks. The Ducks shed some payroll and get themselves a draft choice after giving Del Zotto a short audition.
The Blues host the Nashville Predators on Tuesday in a pivotal Central Division game.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 12: Michael Del Zotto #4 of the Vancouver Canucks smiles before a face off against the New York Rangers in the first period at Madison Square Garden on November 12, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
