ST. LOUIS — Blues general manager Doug Armstrong made a move to bolster the team's defense ahead of the NHL trade deadline on Monday.
The Blues traded forward Oskar Sundqvist and defenseman Jake Walman to the Detroit Red Wings for defensemen Nick Leddy and Luke Witowski. The Blues also sent a 2023 second-round pick in the NHL Draft to Detroit in the deal.
Leddy, 31, has 16 points (1 goal, 15 assists) for the Red Wings this season. A Minnesota native, Leddy is in his 12th NHL season and has previously spent time with the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Islanders and the Red Wings. In 831 regular season games, Leddy has 66 goals and 286 assists. He was a Stanley Cup champion with the Blackhawks in 2012-2013.
Witkowski, also 31, has spent most of this season in the AHL. In 132 NHL games in his career, Witowski has 12 points.
Sundqvist was a key member of the Blues' 2019 Stanley Cup championship team but has battled injuries in recent years. In five seasons with the Blues, Sundqvist had 87 points (36 goals, 51 assists) and 96 penalty minutes in 270 regular season games.
Walman had played in 32 games for the Blues this season on defense. The team originally drafted him in the third round of the 2014 NHL Draft. In three seasons, Walman has four goals and four assists in 57 regular season games.
As of Monday, the Blues sit in second place in the Central Division and third place in the Western Conference with 77 points.