The Minnesota Wild, parent club of the AHL’s Iowa Wild, have acquired forward Brad Winchester from the Chicago Blackhawks, parent club of the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, in exchange for defenseman Brian Connelly.
In addition, Iowa has acquired defenseman Zach Miskovic from Rockford.
Winchester has collected 16 goals and 14 assists for 30 points in 55 games with Rockford this season. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound native of Madison, Wis., has recorded 68 points in 390 career NHL games during seven seasons with Edmonton, Dallas, St. Louis, Anaheim and San Jose. In 287 career AHL games with Rockford, Milwaukee, Peoria, the Iowa Stars, Hamilton and Toronto/Edmonton, Winchester has totaled 90 goals and 72 assists for 162 points.
Winchester was originally selected by Edmonton in the second round (35th overall) of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.
Connelly, 27, led Iowa in scoring this season with 32 points (five goals, 27 assists) in 50 games.
A two-time AHL All-Star (2011, 2012), Connelly has played 343 AHL games with Iowa, Houston, Abbotsford and Rockford, registering 32 goals and 181 assists for 213 points.
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound native of Bloomington, Minn., was signed as a free agent by Minnesota on July 6, 2012.
Miskovic, a Calder Cup champion with Hershey in 2010, has tallied nine assists in 25 games between Rockford and San Antonio this season. He has appeared in 219 career AHL contests, registering 19 goals and 51 assists for 70 points.
