Tomas Fleischmann, left, has been dealt to the Avalanche in exchange for defenceman Scott Hannan. (Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)The Colorado Avalanche added some scoring punch to their lineup on Tuesday.
Colorado sent veteran blue-liner Scott Hannan to the Washington Capitals in exchange for forward Tomas Fleischmann.
"In Tomas, we are acquiring a top-six forward who is only 26 years old," Avalanche general manager Greg Sherman said in a release. "His addition will bolster our lineup immediately."
Fleischmann will be joining an already-potent Colorado offence that ranks first in the league in goals per game (3.52) and third in the league in goals for (81).
The 26-year-old has got off to a slow start this season, registering four goals and 10 points in 23 games. In Hannan, the Capitals get a tough defenceman with 12 years of NHL experience.
Hannan waived his no-trade clause in order to make the deal to the Capitals possible, and has spent the last four seasons with the Avalanche. The 31-year-old played eight years for San Jose before joining Colorado as a free agent in 2007 after signing a four-year, $18-million US deal.
He will be relied upon to fill a much-needed void for the reigning Southeast Division champions, who rank 14th in the league in goals-against average (2.68).
"I've been counted on to be a defensive player and to kill penalties and to play against other teams' top lines," the six-foot-one-inch, 225-pound Hannan said. "I'll be put in a defensive role [in Washington]. I don't think I'll change that up too much."
From a leadership perspective, Hannan should become an important aid in the development of the young Capitals' blue line, including John Carlson (20 years old) and Karl Alzner (22).
The defenceman has amassed 30 goals and 180 points in 775 career games played, including six helpers in 23 contests this season, and can become the shut-down option on the back-end for his new squad.
Meanwhile, he realizes he may not have fit into the long-term plans of his now-former team with his expiring contract.
"It's been no secret … [Colorado wants] to move … to a younger team," Hannan said. "Going into the last year of your contract, things can happen like this. It's part of the business.
Fleischmann has been under much trade speculation over the last few weeks and is coming off a career-high 23 goals in 2009-10, playing alongside the likes of Alexander Semin on Washington's second line. The Czech Republic native's 28 assists and 51 points were also career highs.
With files from Associated Press
