NHL teams
Pierre LeBrun, ESPN Senior Writer 9y

Sekac to Ducks; Smith-Pelly to Habs

NHL, Montreal Canadiens, Anaheim Ducks

The Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks swapped young forwards Tuesday less than a week before the trade deadline as Jiri Sekac will go West while Devante Smith-Pelly heads to the Habs.

Most trades just before the deadline involve pending unrestricted free agents, but this was a more traditional hockey deal.

Smith-Pelly, 22, is signed for another season at $800,000. Sekac, also 22, is signed for another year at $925,000, though his cap hit is $1.35 million.

"It was a good trade for both teams," Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin told reporters Tuesday.

The Canadiens get a player in Smith-Pelly who brings them more ruggedness, as well as a right-handed shot.

"He's also a right-hand shot. I've been looking for one of those for a while," Bergevin said.

"I know it can get nuts down there but I'm pretty excited," said Smith-Pelly, who has five goals and 12 assists this season.

In Sekac, the Ducks get the player with a little more skating and offensive skill. He has seven goals and nine assists this season.

"We needed to get a little faster, a little more skill in the lineup," Ducks general manager Bob Murray said. "No complaints with Devo. I thought we had to make a hockey trade to change the look of our team."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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