PENGUINS TRADE WHITNEY TO DUCKS FOR KUNITZ, TANGRADI

PENGUINS TRADE WHITNEY TO DUCKS FOR KUNITZ, TANGRADI
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http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=268759&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_main

The Pittsburgh Penguins have cleared up a bit of their log jam along their blueline as they have traded Ryan Whitney to the Anaheim Ducks for Chris Kunitz and Eric Tangradi.

The 26-year old Whitney was a vital piece of the Penguins' Stanley Cup run last year; however foot surgery caused him to miss the first 31 games of this season. He has 2 goals and 11 assists in 28 games for Pittsburgh this year.

The Boston-native is one of the better puck moving defencemen in the league and should be a big boost to the Ducks' power play. He became deemed surplus goods when fellow defenceman and Penguins' primary powerplay quarterback Sergei Gonchar returned from a shoulder injury.

Whitney is in the second year of a six-year contract he signed with the Penguins last season. He was chosen fifth overall by the Penguins in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.

In Kunitz, the Penguins will be getting an offensive-minded player who won the Stanley Cup in 2007. After campaigns where he put up 60 and then 50 points, the 29-year old Regina-native has 16 goals and 19 assists this season. He has spent the majority of his four NHL seasons with Anaheim.

Tangradi, who just turned 20, is having a fine season with the OHL's Belleville Bulls. In 52 games, he has 38 goals and 87 points. He was drafted by the Ducks in the second round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Both the Penguins and Ducks are in tight battles for post-season berths. Anaheim has 65 points and is in a logjam with three other teams for last two playoff spots in the Western Conference. Pittsburgh, the defending conference champions, finds itself 10th in the East, two points behind Buffalo for the final playoff spot.

Pittsburgh won this trade for sure, with the pressure in pittsburgh to find a winger to play with sid the kid. Kunitz will fit in well with crosby, he definitely isn't afraid to go to the net and that's what the pens need.

not only do the Pens gettin Kunitz but the prospect they received is the 2nd leading scorer in the OHL 2 points behind Tavares ... great trade for the Pens

Very smart for the Pens.

Is Kunitz the winger Mr.s Crosby needs? Satan and Fedotenko didnt pan out as expected.