Blues pick up Lynch, Woywitka

The St. Louis Blues, parent club of the AHL’s Peoria Rivermen, announced late Tuesday that the club has acquired defensemen Eric Brewer, Doug Lynch and Jeff Woywitka from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for defenseman Chris Pronger.

“Eric Brewer has been a premier defenseman in the National Hockey League for the past several seasons and we are very excited about the talents he brings to the Blues,” said Blues senior vice president and general manager Larry Pleau. “We are also adding two skilled younger defensemen who are clearly up-and-coming players at this level. We’re looking forward to having all three of these players in our lineup together one day in the future.”

Lynch, 22, has played the last two seasons in the AHL with Toronto and Edmonton, totaling 50 points (12g, 38a) in 148 games, appearing in the 2004 AHL All-Star Classic and being named to the 2004 AHL All-Rookie Team. Last season with the Road Runners, Lynch scored one goal and added 13 assists in 74 contests.

Lynch was a second-round draft pick by the Oilers in 2001.

Woywitka, 21, has not missed a game over his first two pro seasons in the AHL, combining for 10 goals and 44 assists in 162 games with Philadelphia, Toronto and Edmonton. In 80 games with the Road Runners in 2004-05, Woywitka notched six goals and 20 assists to lead all Edmonton defensemen in scoring.

Jeff Woywitka has played in 162 games over the last two AHL seasons with Philadelphia, Toronto and Edmonton.

Woywitka was a first-round pick by Philadelphia in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

Brewer, 26, has played six seasons in the NHL, totaling 113 points (34g, 79a goals) in 404 games. The fifth overall pick in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, Brewer spent part of the 1999-2000 season in the AHL with Lowell, recording four points (2g, 2a) in 25 games in the regular season and skating in seven Calder Cup Playoff matches.

The Vernon, B.C., native represented Team Canada while capturing a gold medal at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City and winning the championship of the World Cup of Hockey 2004.