Despite indicating that the Boston Bruins would likely be inactive at the deadline, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney added a little depth where he saw fit in the acquisition of veteran winger Drew Stafford from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a conditional 6th round pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
Stafford is a 31-year-old versatile winger in his 11th season in the NHL and appeared in 40 games thus far with the Jets.
He brings his 4-9-13 totals and 12 penalty minutes to Boston after Wednesday’s trade.
The Milwaukee, Wisconsin native was originally drafted by the Buffalo Sabres 13th overall at the 2004 NHL Entry Draft and has 179 goals and 213 assists for 392 points in 707 career NHL games.
Additionally, Stafford has appeared in 24 Stanley Cup Playoff games for Winnipeg and Buffalo, amassing four goals and five assists for nine career postseason points.
He had a career high in goals (31) and points (52) in 62 games for the Sabres in 2010-2011 and notched nine goals and 15 assists in 50 games with Buffalo before being traded to the Jets, where he went on to score nine more goals and collect 10 assists over the last 26 games of the 2014-2015 season.
The 6’2″, 214-pound winger can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st if he does not re-sign with the Bruins this offseason.
The conditions of the 2018 6th round pick involved in the transaction are as follows.
If Drew Stafford plays in 50% or more of the rest of the 2016-2017 regular season games and playoffs and the Bruins win Round 1, then the 2018 6th round pick becomes a 2018 4th round pick for Winnipeg.
