Bruins-Stars Agree To 7-Player Trade Sending Seguin To Dallas
BOSTON (CBS) – Tyler Seguin is heading to Dallas.
The Boston Bruins and Dallas Stars agreed to a deal on Thursday that sends Seguin, forward Rich Peverley, and 22-year-old defenseman Ryan Button to Dallas for forwards Loui Eriksson and a trio of prospects.
While on a conference call shortly after the deal was made, Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli said Eriksson will play right wing for Boston.
"He's a good two-way player, knows where to find the spots to score," Chiarelli said of his new forward. "(He) has a good shot, good release from either side, can play on the (power play), can play on the - probably better suited off the post, down low, which I'd like to get some left shot skill too, which makes him even more attractive."
"He can play the right side, and he has left shot skill. He spreads out your power play. He's a fast and a good two-way player. There's a lot of his game that fits into how we play," said Chiarelli.
The 27-year-old Eriksson was selected 33rd overall in the second round of the 2003 NHL Draft. Last season, he scored 12 goals and had 17 assists for Dallas, coming in at a minus-nine.
Over his seven-year career, Eriksson has 150 goals and 207 assists in 501 games played. He scored a career-high 36 goals in the 2008-09 season, and had a career-high 73 points (27 goals, 46 assists) in 2010-11.
In 22 postseason games, Eriksson has four goals and five assists.
The Bruins also receive forwards Matt Fraser, Reilly Smith and defenseman Joe Morrow in the deal. The 22-year-old Fraser skated in 12 games with Dallas in 2013, notching one goal and two assists. Smith appeared in 37 games for Dallas in 2013, netting three goals and six assists for nine points with a plus-eight rating.
The 20-year-old Morrow split time between the Texas Stars and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League in 2012-13, skating in 66 games and notching five goals with 14 assists.
With Nathon Horton telling the Bruins he would not be back next season, Boston was in need of a front-line winger to fill the void. Eriksson, who is signed through the 2015-16 season, could fill that spot for Boston.
Smith, a 22-year-old forward drafted in the third round in 2009, has 40 NHL games to his name, scoring three goals and registering six assists.
In Seguin, the Bruins trade away the second-overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft. Seguin has 56 goals and 65 assists in 203 games played over his three-year career, but struggled mightily this postseason. The 21-year-old recorded just one goal and seven assists in 22 playoff games, as Boston fell to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Final, 4-2.
Prior to last weekend's NHL Draft, Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli said Seguin needed "to commit and focus" on the 2013-14 season, and become "more of a professional."
Moving Peverley would give Boston some added cap relief this offseason, saving them up to $4.5 million towards 2013-14.
Stick with CBSBostonsports.com and 98.5 The Sports Hub for any updates involving the Boston Bruins.
