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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