Blackhawks Pin Hopes On Trade
The Montreal Canadiens traded defensemen Dave Manson and Brad Brown and goaltender Jocelyn Thibault to Chicago Monday for goalie Jeff Hackett and defensemen Eric Weinrich and Alain Nasreddine, and future considerations
"We get an exceptionally good goalie and a defenseman (Manson) who we know in Chicago has toughness and considerable skill, and another good player," Chicago coach Dirk Graham said.
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Thibault, 23, is 3-4-2 with 2.61 goals against, while Hackett, 30, is 2-6-1 with a 3.78 average.
Manson, 31, a 6-2, 219-pound enforcer with 14 years in the NHL, was a former teammate of Graham when he played for the Blackhawks from 1986-91. The Blackhawks' former No. 1 draft pick led the club with 352 penalty minutes in 1988-89.
Earlier this month, Manson was suspended for three games for hitting Boston's P.J. Axelsson in the face with his elbow.
This is the latest in a slew of trades the Blackhawks have made since the end of last season, when they failed to make the playoffs for the first time in 29 years.
Chicago is winless in its last 10 games in Graham's first season, while the Canadiens, losers of three in a row, have won only six of their 16 games this season.
Thibault was drafted 10th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in 1993. He was dealt to the Canadiens, along with Andrei Kovalenko and Martin Rucinsky, for Patrick Roy and Mike Kean in December 1996.
Manson had four goals and 30 assists for Montreal last season. Brown, 22, had a goal and eight assists with Fredericton of AHL last season. Montreal drafted him in the first round in 1994.
Uder Thibault's contract, he will make $1.72 million this season, while Manson earns $1.65 million and Brown $525,000.
Weinrich, 31, has one goal and three assists in 14 games, while Nasreddine, 23, had no points in seven games before being sent to Portland of the AHL over the weekend.
The Canadiens assigned Nasreddine to Fredericton.
Weinrich is getting $1.7 million this season, Hackett $950,000 and Nasreddine $975,000.
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