Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin was reportedly only interested in doing a hockey deal as opposed to acquiring a rental. It seems that report was accurate.
It was announced by both teams Tuesday morning that the Canadiens had traded young left winger Jiri Sekac to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for right winger, Devante Smith-Pelly.
Both players are 22, but Smith-Pelly has significantly more NHL experience to his name. He has appeared in 129 NHL games after being selected in the second-round of the 2010 NHL Draft by the Ducks.
Smith-Pelly - 6-foot, 222-pounds - brings the size to forward that Bergevin has long sought. He is, per Sportsnet.ca, "a power forward known for his hard hitting and forechecking."
In 12 playoff games for Anaheim last season he paced the club in goals, potting five. He has 14 goals and 40 points in parts of four NHL seasons.
The swap also offers the Habs and Bergevin a bit of breathing room when it comes to the cap. Smith-Pelly carries a hit of only $800,000, while Sekac makes $1.35 million, per Sportsnet. Both players are signed through the 2015-16 season.
As for Sekac, he's appeared in only 50 NHL contests during his career, notching 16 points. He was not drafted, instead signing with the Canadiens after two season with Lev Praha of the Kontinental Hockey League.
Sekac has a lot of potential, but as TSN's Bob McKenzie noted in the wake of the transaction, a move to the Ducks may offer more clarity on his skillset.
"It was pretty clear Jiri Sekac wasn't able to win over head coach Michel Therrien. We may get a better idea of Sekac's ability in ANA," McKenzie tweeted.
