Jiri Hudler: Packing for Florida after trade

The Calgary Flames have sent forward Jiri Hudler to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a second round pick in the 2016 entry draft and a fourth round pick in 2018. Ansar Khan of MLive.com reported that the Red Wings will also retain 15 percent of Kindl’s salary.

In 53 games this season, Hudler tallied 10 goals and 25 assists.

In 273 career National Hockey League regular-season games, all with Detroit, Kindl has accumulated 16 goals and 52 assists for 68 points.

Statistically Speaking analyzes the Panthers’ additions of Jiri Hudler, Teddy Purcell and Jakub Kindl.

The Flames still are in a rebuilding/retooling phase, and they have a decent stockpile of draft picks over the next few years. The Panthers have made it past the first-round of the playoffs just once in their history.

Hudler is a Czech citizen who has spent the past four seasons in Canada with the Flames; although Purcell – a native of Newfoundland – spent parts of five seasons with Tampa Bay, he has been with the Oilers since being traded there in 2014. Purcell had 11 goals and 21 assists in 61 games with Edmonton this season, and has 22 playoff games under his belt.

These moves show the Panthers mean business and the fact that the club was able to acquire all three players without losing a player off the roster or any of its prize prospects is a huge plus. He was waived earlier this season and was most recently playing for their AHL team in Grand Rapids.

None of Florida’s new players will be play against the Minnesota Wild on Sunday, but Tallon expects them all to be available Tuesday at the Winnipeg Jets.

They are also getting big minutes from 36-year-old defenseman Brian Campbell. The Panthers, meanwhile, were in second place in the East.

Florida Panthers general manager Dale Tallon laughed at a question about the one hour where he changed the makeup of his team with three trades.