Jackets Acquire Defensemen Tyutin, Backman Club acquires pair of defensemen from NY Rangers for forwards Nikolai Zherdev and Dan Fritsche Jul 2, 2008, 5:24 PM EDT COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired defensemen Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman from the New York Rangers in exchange for forwards Nikolai Zherdev and Dan Fritsche, club General Manager Scott Howson announced Wednesday.

Tyutin, who will turn 25 on July 19, has registered 15 goals and 51 assists for 66 points and 159 penalty minutes in 250 career NHL games with the Rangers. Backman, 28, has tallied 21-51-72 and 150 penalty minutes in 246 career NHL games with the Rangers and St. Louis Blues.

"The addition of Fedor and Christian to our lineup has really improved our puck moving ability from the blueline," said Howson. "All strong teams are built from the backend out and we feel like we made significant strides in that area today."

A 6-foot-3, 210-pound native of Izhevsk, Russia, Tyutin was the Rangers' second pick, 40th overall, in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. He played one season of junior hockey with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League and two in the Russian Elite League before splitting the 2003-04 season between New York and its American Hockey League affiliate in Hartford. After spending the 2004-05 campaign with Hartford and St. Petersburg (Russia), he played his first full season in the NHL in 2006-07 and notched 2-12-14 and 44 penalty minutes in 66 games. Last season, he tallied 5-15-20, 43 penalty minutes and a +5 plus/minus rating in 82 games.

Tyutin (pronounced TYOO-tihn) has also captured three gold medals playing for Russia in international competition. This past spring, he tallied 0-1-1, six penalty minutes and was +3 in six games to help Russia capture the gold at the World Championships. He also won gold medals at the 2002 and 2003 World Junior Championships. In addition, he tallied 0-1-1 and four penalty minutes in eight games for Russia at the 2006 Olympic Games.

Backman was St. Louis' first pick, 24th overall, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. He spent the next four seasons playing in his native Sweden before making his North American debut in 2002-03. He appeared in four games with the Blues that season and registered 8-19-27 and 66 penalty minutes in 72 games with the AHL's Worcester IceCats. As an NHL rookie in 2003-04, he collected 5-13-18, 16 penalty minutes and was +3 in 66 games with the Blues.

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound blueliner spent the 2004-05 campaign with Frolunda (Sweden) and then spent the next two-plus seasons with St. Louis before joining the Rangers during the 2007-08 season. He combined for 3-15-18 and 50 penalty minutes, including 2-6-8 and 20 penalty minutes in 18 games with New York. He also appeared in eight Stanley Cup Playoffs games with the Rangers, racking up 12 penalty minutes.

A native of Alingsas, Sweden, Backman tallied 1-2-3 in eight games at the 2006 Olympic Games, helping Sweden capture the gold medal. He has also represented his country at the 2004 and 2005 World Championships, winning a silver medal in 2004, was named to Sweden’s 2004 World Cup of Hockey Team and appeared in the 1999 and 2000 World Junior Championship Tournaments.

Deposits are now being accepted for Blue Jackets season tickets for the 2008-09 season. New 10 and 20 game plans also are available starting at $240. For information on season tickets, mini-plans or group tickets, call (614) 246-PUCK or 800-NHL-COLS.


What do you think about this trade? I like it, the Jackets need defense bad, and this should work out pretty darn well.