Not quite hitting the level of the Booth deal – announced within 30 minutes of a puck-drop – but nonetheless newsworthy. Press releases after the jump.
RALEIGH, NC – Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has acquired forwards Evgenii Dadonov and A.J. Jenks from the Florida Panthers in exchange for forwards Jon Matsumoto and Mattias Lindstrom.
Dadonov, 22, is in his fifth season of professional hockey in North America, and has played 15 games on the NHL level with the Florida Panthers this season, totaling two goals and one assist (3 points). The Chelyabinsk, Russia, native has earned nine points (5g, 4a) in 20 games with the Panthers’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage. Drafted by the Panthers in the third round, 71st overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Dadonov (5’11″, 185 lbs.) has skated in 55 career NHL games for Florida, totaling 10 goals, 10 assists (20 points) and 16 penalty minutes. He established career highs in NHL games played (36), goals (8), assists (9) and points (17) in 2010-11, and represented Florida at the 2011 NHL All-Star Game in Raleigh as one of 12 rookies selected to participate.
Jenks, 21, is in his second professional season, splitting the year between San Antonio (AHL) and Cincinnati (ECHL). A native of Detroit, Jenks has skated in 28 games for the Rampage, without registering a point, and has totaled three goals and three assists (6 points) in 13 ECHL games with the Cyclones. Originally selected in the fourth round, 100th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Jenks (6’2″, 206 lbs.) played four seasons for the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) before turning pro, tallying 79 goals and 114 assists (193 points) in 249 career junior hockey games. Jenks helped the United States capture gold at the 2010 World Junior Championship in Canada, totaling three goals and two assists (5 points) during the tournament.
From the other end, here’s Florida’s take:
SUNRISE, Fla. – Florida Panthers Executive Vice-President & General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that Florida has acquired C Jonathan Matsumoto and LW Mattias Lindstrom from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for RW Evgenii Dadonov and C A.J. Jenks.
Matsumoto, 25, has played in 41 games with the Charlotte Checkers (AHL) this season recording 34 points (13-21-34). The Ottawa, Ont., native skated in 13 games last season with Carolina, registering two goals and four PIM. The Philadelphia Flyers third-round pick (79th overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft has also recorded 255 points (114-141-255) and 247 PIM in 357 games with Philadelphia (AHL), Adirondack (AHL) and Charlotte in his six-year professional career.
Lindstrom, 20, has two assists and 10 PIM in 21 games with Tingsryds AIF (Sweden) this season. The Lulea, Sweden native, a third-round choice (88th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Hurricanes has also skated in 18 games in two seasons with Skelleftea (SEL), registering a goal and eight PIM.
For those curious types, here is the Hockey’s Future report on Lindstrom. Much more to come on an unusual divisional deal – likely only affecting the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers and San Antonio Rampage in the short term – Thursday.