The Anaheim Ducks, parent club of the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, annonced on Tuesday that they have acquired defenseman Nigel Williams from the New York Rangers, parent club of the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, in exchange for defenseman Stu Bickel.
The Ducks also acquired center Stefan Chaput and right wing Matt Kennedy from the Carolina Hurricanes, parent club of the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, in exchange for center Ryan Carter.
Williams, 22, has appeared in 12 contests for Wolf Pack this season, earning one assist with two penalty minutes. In 2009-10 with Hartford, the 6-5, 237-pound blueliner established a career high in assists and ranked tied for third among team defensemen in goals (4g, 16a).
A native of Aurora, Ill., Williams made his professional hockey debut with the Lake Erie Monsters (AHL) in 2008-09, earning seven goals and 14 assists in 70 games. In 138 career AHL contests, Williams has notched 42 points (11g, 31a) with 107 PIM. He was a second-round draft pick by Colorado in 2006.
Chaput, 22, has played in 20 games with Charlotte this season, recording three assists with nine penalty minutes. He was drafted by Carolina in the fifth round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-foot, 192-pound forward scored 10 goals and 28 assists with 18 PIM for Albany (AHL) last season.
A native of Montreal, Que., Chaput played four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) before turning professional, scoring 168 points in 196 career games for Lewiston.
Kennedy, a 21-year-old rookie, has played in eight games with Charlotte this season, recording one assist with six PIM. In 2008-09 with Guelph (OHL), he was the team captain and club leader in goals (33) and points (73). The 6-foot-2, 202-pound right wing had 151 points with 336 PIM in 231 career regular-season OHL games.
A native of Richmond Hill, Ont., Kennedy was drafted by Carolina in the fifth round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
Carter, 27, appeared in 18 contests for the Ducks this season, scoring one goal and two assists with 22 PIM. Signed as a free agent on July 12, 2006, Carter has appeared in 138 career NHL games over four seasons with Anaheim, earning 29 points (12g, 17a) with 141 PIM.
Carter, a native of White Bear Lake, Minn., made his NHL debut in the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs, playing in four contests for the Ducks en route to Anaheim’s first Stanley Cup championship.
Bickel, 24, appeared in six contests with Syracuse this season, earning three assists, 14 PIM and a plus-1 rating. Signed by Anaheim as a free agent on July 2, 2008, Bickel has appeared in 63 career AHL contests, scoring two goals and six assists with 103 PIM.
A native of Chanhassen, Mass., Bickel played one season of college hockey with the University of Minnesota, collecting one goal and five assists in 45 games before turning pro. He has tallied two goals and six assists in 63 career AHL games with Syracuse, San Antonio and Iowa.
