Maple Leafs Deal Hendrickson

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

February 16, 1999 / 9:09 PM EST / CBS Sportsline

The Toronto Maple Leafs did not let center Darby Hendrickson not hang around long enough to see the opening of the Air Canada Centre.

The Vancouver Canucks today acquired Hendrickson from the Maple Leafs for defenseman Chris McAllister. His last home game as a member of Toronto was Saturday's gala finale at Maple Leaf Gardens. The Maple Leafs open the Air Canada Centre this Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens.

Hendrickson, 26, has two goals and three assists and is minus-4 in 35 games this season. The 6-1, 195-pounder has 28 goals and 24 assists in 249 career games, including a career-high 80 contests last season. He has played all but 16 games of his career with the Leafs, a stint with the New York Islanders at the end of the 1995-96 season.

Hendrickson played on Team USA in the World Hockey Championships for the third straight year in April.

"With the addition of Darby, we think we are gaining foot speed and a player who can play in a number of different situations," Canucks general manager Brian Burke said.

A rugged backliner, the 6-7, 235-pound McAllister adds toughness to the Leafs lineup. In 28 games for the Canucks this season he has only a goal and an assist while racking up 63 penalty minutes. He had a goal and two assists with 106 penalty minutes in 36 games last season for Vancouver, which drafted him in the second round in 1995.