Joffrey Lupul isn't a stranger to being traded, but he is a stranger to trades that don't involve Chris Pronger.
Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Francois Beauchemin To Anaheim Ducks For Joffrey Lupul, Prospect, Pick
That changed today, as the Anaheim Ducks shipped the injury plagued forward to the Toronto Maple Leafs for former Duck defenseman Francois Beauchemin. The Leafs also acquired college defenseman Jake Gardiner and a conditional 2013 fourth round draft pick.
It’s a change of scenery for both Lupul and Beauchemin and the trade fills an immediate need for two clubs that are eyeing up the postseason.
Lupul’s missed a lot of the time thanks to a nasty blood infection that sidelined him for most of the current season. He’s played in just 26 games this season and has had trouble scoring in those games, putting up on 13 points so far. The Leafs are in desperate need of scoring and the hope has to be that a new setting will allow Lupul to give them the needed boost.
Beauchemin won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007, so it’s a setting he’s obviously familiar with. The Ducks have been thin on defense for most of this season and Beauchemin gives them help in that department. He can eat up a lot of minutes for the Ducks as they search for playoff certainty.
There are reports that say the Leafs aren’t done trading today. Brian Burke has called a 4 p.m. Eastern news conference.
For more reaction on the deal, check out Pension Plan Puppets and Anaheim Calling.
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