COLUMBUS, Ohio (CP) - The Columbus Blue Jackets acquired centre Sergei Fedorov from the Anaheim Mighty Ducks on Tuesday in the first significant trade of the NHL season.
The Blue Jackets, struggling badly without injured star Rick Nash, also get a fifth-round draft in the deal while sending forward Tyler Wright and defenceman Francois Beauchemin to Anaheim, which was looking to clear some salary-cap space.
Columbus takes on some extra $4.5 million US in salary in the deal.
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"Sergei Fedorov is one of the league's most gifted players and a proven winner who will bring tremendous experience, speed and playmaking abilities to our lineup," Blue Jackets general manager Doug MacLean said in a release. "We are thrilled to have him as a member of the Blue Jackets organization and he, very much like Adam Foote, will be a great mentor for the young players we have in Rick Nash, Dan Fritsche, Gilbert Brule and Nikolai Zherdev."
Fedorov, who turns 36 in December, will make $6.08 million this season.
Wright, 32, will earn $947,133 while the 25-year-old Beauchemin will make $500,000.
Ducks general manager Brian Burke told The Canadian Press that he planned to use the extra cap space he cleared in the deal to make other moves down the line.
"We like Sergei and it's too bad we have to lose a player of his stature," he said. "But this solves our financial problems and we're looking to reinvest that money."
Fedorov, due back from a groin injury after missing 13 games, should give Columbus an offensive lift while Nash recovers from a sprained knee.
Nash tied for first in the NHL with 41 goals in the 2003-04 season and is expected to miss at least another three weeks.
Fedorov has one assist in five games this season.
Wright has four assists in 18 games while Beauchemin has two assists in 11 games and is a minus-6.