AHL All-Star Balcers heading to Ottawa

Photo: Lindsay Mogle/AHL

The Ottawa Senators have acquired 2018 AHL All-Star forward Rudolfs Balcers as part of a package from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Erik Karlsson.

The Senators also acquired center Josh Norris, center Chris Tierney, defenseman Dylan DeMelo and two draft picks. Forward Francis Perron has also been sent to San Jose.

Balcers, 21, led the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda in goals (23) and points (48) as a rookie in 2017-18, and participated in the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic. He also paced the club with eight power-play goals and was the Barracuda’s leading playoff scorer with four points in four postseason games.

Balcers, a fifth-round choice by the Sharks in the 2015 NHL Draft, also represented Latvia at the 2018 IIHF World Championship.

Perron, 22, skated in 44 games with the AHL’s Belleville Senators in 2017-18, collecting four goals and 11 assists for 15 points.

As a rookie with Binghamton in 2016-17, Perron totaled six goals and 20 assists in 68 AHL games.

Perron was selected by Ottawa in the seventh round of the 2014 NHL Draft.