The Devils acquired defenseman Sami Vatanen for Henrique, a center who scored 20 or more goals three times since joining the team in 2011.
NEWARK — The Devils acquired defenseman Sami Vatanen from the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday for center Adam Henrique and forward Joseph Blandisi.
The Devils gets a conditional 2019 or 2020 third-round draft pick along with Vatanen and sent a 2018 third-round pick to Anaheim.
Even though he has only a goal and three assists in 15 games this season, Vatanen, 26, gives the Devils the offensive defensemen they were looking for. He is signed for two more seasons at a salary-cap hit of $4.875 million.
In Henrique, the Ducks get center depth as they deal with injuries to Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler. Henrique, 27, has four goals and 10 assists in 24 games this season and is signed through 2018-19. He was the Devils’ leading point scorer in the 2014-15 season and scored 20 or more goals three times since joining the team in 2011. As a rookie that season, he scored two series-clinching goals during the Devils’ run to the Stanley Cup finals.
The conditional pick is exchanged in 2019 if the Ducks sign Henrique before making their third-round pick at that draft and in 2020 if they sign him afterward. If they do not re-sign Henrique, no pick is exchanged.
