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Panthers trade Tomas Fleischmann to Ducks for Dany Heatley and pick

The Florida Panthers continue to shuffle the deck as they try to run down the Boston Bruins for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, trading pending UFA Tomas Fleischmann to the Anaheim Ducks for Dany Heatley and a third round pick in 2015.

Fleischmann leaves the Cats with 7 goals and 14 assists in 52 games played this season. The veteran Czech signed on with Florida prior to the 2011-12 campaign and helped lead the club to its last playoff appearance that year.

He led the team in scoring in his first two seasons in South Florida, but has seen his production seriously dip over the last two. He finishes his stint with the Cats with 145 points (54G/91A) in 262 games, including a career-best 61 in 2011-12.

The pick acquired from the Ducks will give the Panthers a little more ammo for this summer’s draft, which will be held in Sunrise. Florida parted with its second-rounder as part of the Jaromir Jagr deal.

Heatley was toiling in the minors for the Norfolk Admirals after playing just 6 scoreless games for the Ducks this season after signing a one-year, $1 million deal in the offseason.

The 34-year-old has scored 312 goals and 419 assists in 869 career games, but has seen his play decline over the last few years. His last notable campaign was in 2011-12, when he posted 53 points (24G/29A) for the Minnesota Wild.

The former second overall pick in 2000 is expected to report to San Antonio and play out his contract with the Rampage.