Wild trade Eric Staal to Buffalo for Marcus Johansson
In this Feb. 27, 2020, file photo, Minnesota Wild center Eric Staal (12) skates against the Detroit Red Wings in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Detroit. The Buffalo Sabres acquired veteran center Eric Staal in a trade that sent forward Marcus Johansson to the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020. [(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)]
The Minnesota Wild traded 13-year NHL veteran center Eric Staal to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for 29-year-old LW/C Marcus Johansson.
Per TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, both players had limited no-trade clauses with their former teams. That allowed them to specify ten teams they could not be traded to. Both players also have one year left on their respective contracts and can become unrestricted free agents after the 2020-21 season.
Staal had a 10-team no-trade list. He’s UFA after next season. Johansson also has a 10-team no-trade list but Minnesota not on the list. He’s also UFA after next season https://t.co/bDe0wYkdS6
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) September 16, 2020
Staal, 35, is a three-time 40-goal scorer who had one season remaining on his deal with the Wild. He was scheduled to make $3-million this coming winter. He turns 36 next month.
Staal’s 42 goals in 2017-18 tied Marian Gaborik’s Wild franchise record for goals in a season.
Staal is sixth among active players with 436 goals and eighth with 1,021 points.
Johansson turns 30 next month. He’s played 10 seasons in the NHL with Washington, New Jersey, Boston and Buffalo.
He scored 9 goals, 21 assists in 60 games with Buffalo this past season and is due $4-million in salary this coming season.
Johansson has 102 goals in 501 career NHL games. His 24 goals in 2016-17 in Washington were a career high.
The Capitals drafted Johansson with the 24th overall pick (1st round) in the 2009 NHL Draft.