There have been very few trades since the NHL season began, but the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks completed one Monday in swapping veteran defensemen.
The Penguins sent Rob Scuderi to the Blackhawks in exchange for Trevor Daley. Two sources said Pittsburgh was retaining one-third of Scuderi's $3 million salary.
Both players have another year left on their respective contracts after this season, with Scuderi carrying a $3.38 million cap hit and Daley a $3.3 million cap hit.
In Daley, 32, the Penguins get a player who is four years younger and should provide a bit of a boost to the struggling Pittsburgh blue-line corps. Daley is more of a puck-mover than Scuderi, and the Penguins need that.
The Hawks acquired Daley as part of the Patrick Sharp trade with the Dallas Stars last summer, but Daley never quite fit in with the Hawks.
Scuderi is a gritty veteran who can kill penalties. He arrives in Chicago with Stanley Cup rings earned with Pittsburgh in 2009 and Los Angeles in 2012.
