Lightning acquire D Rutta from Blackhawks

The NHL-leading Tampa Bay Lightning, apparently looking to get even stronger months before the NHL playoffs, acquired Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Jan Rutta on Friday night.

The Lightning, who easily lead the league with 70 points this season, sent defenseman Slater Koekkoek and a 2019 fifth-round draft pick to Chicago. Tampa Bay also received up a 2019 seventh-round selection from the Blackhawks.

Rutta, 28, went from playing in his native Czech Republic to the Blackhawks in 2017. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound defenseman has played 80 NHL games over two seasons, totaling 26 points (eight goals). He was waived and sent to AHL Rockford on Dec. 14.

This season at Chicago, Rutta totaled two goals and four assists in 23 games.

"We like how (Rutta) played in Chicago both last season and when we played in Chicago earlier this season," Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said. "We're going to need at least eight defensemen if we're going to have a nice long playoff run."

Koekkoek, 24, who had just completed a conditioning stint with AHL Syracuse, was the Lightning's first-round draft pick (10th overall) in 2012, and he performed well in the 2016 playoffs. He has five goals and nine assists in 85 career NHL games over five seasons, all with Tampa Bay.

"We had better players come in," BriseBois said. "(Mikhail) Sergachev came in, (Ryan) McDonagh came in, (Erik) Cernak came in. Every time someone came in, he was pushed further down the depth chart."

--Field Level Media