Per Bob McKenzie, the Caps have acquired defenseman Rostislav Klesla, winger Chris Brown and a fourth-round pick in exchange for Martin Erat and John Mitchell.
Klesla is on the final year of a four-year, $2.975 million contract and will be unrestricted this summer; he was waived by the Coyotes earlier this year and is currently playing for their AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates. In 25 games with Phoenix this season he has one goal and three assists and is a minus-three, with three goals and six assists in his 21-game stint with the Pirates.
Chris Brown was drafted in the second round of the 2009 Draft and is in his second full season with the Coyotes’ organization after playing three years at the University of Michigan.
Going the other way is John Mitchell, the forward acquired in the deal that sent Mathieu Perreault to Anaheim… and of course Erat, who leaves the team less than a year after being acquired from the Nashville Predators on Trade Deadline Day 2013. Erat departs DC with two goals and 25 assists on his Caps’ resume.
Via the team:
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have acquired forward Chris Brown, defenseman Rostislav Klesla and a fourth-round draft pick in the 2015 NHL Draft from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for forwards Martin Erat and John Mitchell, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.
Brown, 23, played in six games with the Coyotes this season, collecting 17 penalty minutes. In addition, he recorded 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) and 68 penalty minutes in 51 games with the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League (AHL). Last season, Brown led the Pirates and all AHL rookies in scoring (29 goals) and ranked tied for third in the AHL with 14 power-play goals. He also made his NHL debut and
During the 2011-12 season, Brown recorded 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) and 66 penalty minutes in 38 games with University of Michigan (CCHA), setting career highs in assists, points and penalty minutes. Brown led all Michigan rookies in 2009-10 with 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists), and led the team with seven power-play goals in 45 games. He was also named to the CCHA All-Rookie Team. Brown registered 80 points (34 goals, 46 assists) and 183 penalty minutes in 125 regular season games during his three-year career with the Wolverines. The Flower Mound, Texas native was the first ever Michigan recruit from the state of Texas.
Prior to his career at Michigan, Brown played for the United States National Under-18 Team at USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP). As an 18-year-old, he recorded 38 points (20 goals, 18 assists) and a team-leading 120 penalty minutes in 62 games in 2008-09 and also ranked second on the team with 10 power play goals. He helped lead Team USA to the gold medal in the 2009 IIHF Under-18 World Championship in North Dakota, collecting seven points (four goals, three assists) in seven games.
In addition, Brown also won a bronze medal with Team USA at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo, New York, registering three points (two goals, one assist) in six games and a gold medal at the 2009 IIHF World Under-18 Championship. Brown was selected by the Coyotes in the second round (36th overall) in the 2009 Entry Draft.
Klesla, 31, collected four points (one goal, three assists) and 24 penalty minutes with the Coyotes this season. The native of Novy Jicin, Czech Republic, is a 14-year NHL veteran who has played for Columbus and Phoenix. The 6’3”, 215-pound defenseman has appeared in 659 NHL games, recording 159 points (48 goals, 111 assists) and 620 penalty minutes. Additionally, Klesla has collected nine points (two goals, seven assists) and 11 penalty minutes in 23 career playoff games. Klesla was originally drafted by the Blue Jackets in the first round (fourth overall) in the 2000 NHL Draft.
Both Brown and Klesla will report to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League.
Erat, 32, collected 24 points (one goal, 23 assists) and 22 penalty minutes in 53 games with the Capitals this season. Mitchell, 27, recorded six points (three goals, three assists) in 20 games with the Bears this season.
More to come…