The Detroit Red Wings traded veteran defender Nick Leddy to the St Louis Blues Monday as part of a multi-player deal.
Together with Leddy, the Blues bought defender Luke Witkowski in exchange for striker Oskar Sundqvist, defender Jake Walman and a choice of the second round 2023.
The Blues had hoped to add some defensive depths before Monday’s deadline and that’s exactly what this deal achieved.
Leddy had one goal, 15 assists, 16 PIMs and averaged 21:23 minutes per night in 55 games with the Red Wings this season.
The 31-year-old is in the final year of his seven-year contract, which he signed in 2015 while playing for the New York Islanders. He was traded from the Islands to the Red Wings this past off-season for Richard Panik and used a 2021 second-round draft pick to select Aatu Raty.
Detroit retains 50 percent of Leddy’s remaining salary and $ 5.5 million cap hit, meaning his AAV drops to $ 2.75 million for the Blues.
Leddy has been a healthy step in the last two games to ensure that the pending UFA would not suffer any injury before GM Steve Yzerman could facilitate a trade.
The Red Wings, a team that continues to build by adding assets, traded Troy Stetcher to the Kings on Sunday for a seventh-round pick.
Detroit has an extra second, two extra quarters and an extra seventh in the 2022 draft and now has two second-rounders for the 2023 draft. Detroit also currently has the third-most-projected cap space in the NHL, according to CapFriendly.
Witkowski, 31, has played 44 games with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins this season, scoring three goals, four assists and 62 penalty minutes.
Sundqvist has four goals and 15 points in 41 appearances for the Blues this season. The 27-year-old has a $ 2.75 million cap hit and is under contract for next season.
Walman has played in 32 games with the Blues this season. The 26-year-old was a 2014 third-round pick from St. Louis.
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