Falcons, Grizzlies make swap

The Utah Grizzlies on Saturday re-acquired center Jarrod Skalde on loan from the Springfield Falcons. In exchange, the Grizzlies have loaned center Jason Jaspers to the Falcons.

Skalde, 33, has played 154 career games with the Grizzlies and ranks ninth on the team’s all-time point list with 137 points. During the 2003-04 season, Skalde served as the Grizzlies’ captain.

This season, the Niagara Falls, Ont., native has played in 15 games with Springfield, posting a goal and five assists. Last season, Skalde led Utah in scoring with 23 goals and 35 assists (58 points) and was named the team’s most valuable player.

In 517 career AHL games with Springfield, Utah, Philadelphia, Chicago, Kentucky, Saint John, Baltimore and Utica, Skalde has tallied 170 goals and 279 assists for 449 points.

Skalde is the second veteran acquisition this week by the Grizzlies, who also picked up Peter White from Philadelphia.

Jaspers, 23, returns to the Falcons, where he played his first three pro seasons from 2001-04. In 203 career AHL games, Jaspers has recorded 45 goals and 63 assists for 108 points, including three assists in 11 games with Utah this season.

A native of Thunder Bay, Ont., Jaspers has also skated in nine career NHL matches with Phoenix, tallying one assist.