The Columbus Blue Jackets, parent club of the AHL’s Lake Erie Monsters, on Tuesday acquired left wing Brandon Saad, center Alex Broadhurst and defenseman Michael Paliotta from the Chicago Blackhawks, parent club of the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, in exchange for forwards Artem Anisimov, Marko Dano, Jeremy Morin and Corey Tropp and a fourth-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Broadhurst, 22, tallied six goals and eight assists for 14 points in 29 AHL games for Rockford last season, and added one assist in seven Calder Cup Playoff games. A 2011 draft pick by the Blackhawks, Broadhurst had an impressive rookie campaign in 2013-14, totaling 16 goals and 29 assists in 75 games with the IceHogs.
Paliotta, 22, enters his rookie season in 2015-16 after completing his senior season at the University of Vermont this past spring. He made his pro debut with the Blackhawks, earning an assist in his only NHL game.
Dano, 20, was a first-round draft pick (27th overall) by Columbus in 2013. He split last season between the Blue Jackets and the Springfield Falcons, registering 11 goals and eight assists for 19 points in 39 AHL games. He also had eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points in 35 NHL contests.
Morin, 24, spent most of last season in the NHL, totaling two goals and four assists in 43 games split between Chicago and Columbus. Morin also played three games in Rockford, tallying one goal. The five-year pro has 22 points in 82 career NHL games, along with 81 goals and 77 assists for 158 points in 208 AHL outings, all with Rockford.
Tropp recorded 40 points and 113 penalty minutes in 76 games as a rookie with the AHL’s Portland Pirates in 2010-11. He has gone on to appear in 148 NHL contests with Buffalo and Columbus.
Anisimov was an AHL All-Star in 2009, when he notched 37 goals and 44 assists for 81 points in 80 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack. He has skated in 412 NHL games with the New York Rangers and Columbus, totaling 86 goals and 106 assists.
Saad, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with Chicago, played 31 AHL games with Rockford in 2012-13, registering eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points.