The hours leading up to the NHL’s trade deadline at 3:00 p.m. ET on Thursday made for some hectic times, as no fewer than 12 American Hockey League players were involved in deals.
The Chicago Blackhawks acquired forward Brandon Bochenski from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forward Tyler Arnason. Bochenski was the AHL’s top-scoring rookie in 2004-05, and in 33 games for Binghamton this season, he had 22 goals and 24 assists for 46 points. In his final game with the B-Sens on Wednesday night, Bochenski recorded five points (2g, 3a) in a 7-4 win over Norfolk (coincidentally, Chicago’s AHL affiliate).
Arnason won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Award as the AHL’s outstanding rookie in 2001-02. In 245 career NHL games with the Blackhawks, he has registered 57 goals and 82 assists.
The Phoenix Coyotes have acquired 2005 Calder Cup champion Josh Gratton along with two second-round draft picks in 2006 from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenseman Denis Gauthier.
Gratton, 23, has recorded nine goals, 10 assists and 265 penalty minutes in 53 games with the Philadelphia Phantoms this season, ranking third in the AHL in PIM.
In 2004-05, he picked up 14 points and 246 PIM in 57 regular-season games and three goals and three assists in 21 postseason contests, helping the Phantoms to the Calder Cup championship.
The Coyotes were busy on Thursday, also acquiring forward Joel Perrault from Anaheim in exchange for defenseman Sean O’Donnell, and forward Yanick Lehoux from Los Angeles for forward Tim Jackman.
Perrault, 22, had 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points in 25 games for Portland in the AHL this season. Lehoux has picked up 11 goals and six assists in 36 AHL games between Manchester and San Antonio, and Jackman had seven goals and 13 assists in 50 games for the Rampage.
The Dallas Stars traded Iowa defenseman Shawn Belle to the Minnesota Wild along with Martin Skoula for Willie Mitchell and a draft pick.
Belle, a 21-year-old rookie, was a first-round draftee by St. Louis in 2003. In 45 games for Iowa this season, he had one goal and two assists.
Iowa also lost the services of forward Yan Stastny, traded by the Edmonton Oilers to the Boston Bruins along with former AHL All-Star Marty Reasoner in exchange for Sergei Samsonov.
Stastny, 23, had 14 goals and 17 assists in 51 games for the Stars this season.
Rookie defenseman Brett Skinner of the Manitoba Moose was acquired by the Ducks along with a second-round draft pick from Vancouver for defenseman Keith Carney. Skinner, 22, had three goals and 18 assists in 50 games for the Moose this year.
Vancouver also sent Moose defenseman Tomas Mojzis to St. Louis in a trade for former Eddie Shore Award winner Eric Weinrich. Mojzis, a third-year pro, had five goals and 13 assists in 37 games for Manitoba in 2005-06.
The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired forwards Niklas Nordgren and Krys Kolanos from Carolina, along with a second-round draft choice, for Mark Recchi.
Nordgren had spent most of the season with the Hurricanes, but added six goals and four assists in eight AHL games for Lowell in 2005-06. Kolanos, a first-round draft choice by Phoenix in 2000, has recorded 10 goals and 12 assists in 22 AHL games for Lowell and San Antonio this season.
Pittsburgh also picked up Houston forward Petr Taticek from the Florida Panthers for Ric Jackman. Taticek, the ninth overall pick in the 2002 NHL draft, had nine goals and 21 assists in 44 games for the Aeros this season.
Kris Beech, who reached the Calder Cup Finals with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2004, is heading back to the Washington Capitals. In exchange, Nashville has acquired defenseman Brendan Witt.
Beech, 25, was originally drafted by the Caps in the first round of the 1999 NHL draft. In 48 games with Milwaukee this season, he recorded 18 goals and 32 assists for 50 points.
