The Chicago Blackhawks have acquired forward Jiri Sekac from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for forward Ryan Garbutt, the team announced Thursday. It’s the third trade that GM Stan Bowman has made during this busy season.
Sekac, 23, is a skilled young winger who has played for the Ducks and Canadiens during his two-year NHL career. Montreal traded Sekac to Anaheim last year in a deal for Devante Smith-Pelly. The forward is currently on a one-year contract with a $925,000 cap hit before hitting restricted free agency in the offseason.
The Hawks had acquired Garbutt, 30, as part of the Patrick Sharp trade with Dallas during the offseason. A veteran bottom-six forward, he bounced around in several roles with the Blackhawks this season. The forward has a $900,000 cap hit through the 2016-17 season because the Stars retained 50 percent of his salary.
Both pieces from the Sharp trade are now gone. Trevor Daley, the other key player acquired for Sharp, was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Rob Scuderi in December.
Garbutt recorded six points in 43 games with the Blackhawks this season. Sekac has three points in 22 games with the Ducks. Chicago sees a minor salary cap increase of $25,000 on its books with the deal.