Obviously, Ilya Kovalchuk is the star in Thursday night’s big trade, but he’s not the only lucky new resident of the Garden State.
Full Trade Details: Kovalchuk Not The Only New Devil
Also moving from Atlanta to New Jersey is Anssi Salmela, a young Finnish defenseman who the Devils were quite fond of before they traded him for Niclas Havelid last March. The Devils also receive Atlanta’s second round pick this season.
Heading south to Atlanta for Kovalchuk, Salmela and the pick are defenseman Johnny Oduya, winger Nicklas Bergfors, prospect Patrice Cormier and New Jersey’s first and second round picks this season.
Salmela won’t replace Oduya on the Devils blueline, but he does have the potential to be a second pairing defenseman in the NHL.
Cormier is a bit of a wild child, best known for his recent season-long suspension from the QMJHL following an elbow he delivered to the head of an opponent. Bergfors is a young forward who has a lot of potential as well and is already an NHL player at age 22.
To summarize...
To New Jersey: Ilya Kovalchuk, Anssi Salmela, Atlanta's 2010 2nd round pick
To Atlanta: Johnny Oduya, Niklas Bergfors, Patrice Cormier, New Jersey's 2010 1st and 2nd round picks
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