After spending much of the season rotating players in as the top-line right wing, the Washington Capitals seemingly addressed their need for a top-six forward on Sunday by acquiring Curtis Glencross from the Calgary Flames.
The cost was minimal to the Capitals, who traded a second- and third-round draft pick to the Flames in return for Glencross. Washington had two third-round picks in the upcoming draft; Calgary acquired the Capitals’ pick and not the one they acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres last season.
Glencross, 32, had spent much of the season bouncing between the Flames’ second and third lines, and he had nine goals and 19 assists in 55 games. He is in the final season of a four-year, $10.2 million contract and was scheduled to count for $2.55 million against the salary cap. In order to be traded to the Capitals, he needed to waive a no-trade clause.
By acquiring Glencross, the Capitals have picked up a top-six forward who can give them the depth they need to keep one player on that top line.
Marcus Johansson, who spent much of the season as the second-line left wing, and rookie Andre Burakovsky, who has played all over this season, have received the bulk of the ice time in that spot in recent games.
Washington had rotated eight different players into the lineup as their top-line right wing, with Tom Wilson, Jay Beagle, Eric Fehr, Jason Chimera, Troy Brouwer and Joel Ward also playing alongside left wing Alex Ovechkin and center Nicklas Backstrom this season.
The trade was the second the Capitals made in as many days in advance of Monday’s deadline. On Saturday, they acquired defenseman Tim Gleason from the Carolina Hurricanes, sending away defenseman Jack Hillen and one of their fourth-round draft picks.
TSN first reported that Glencross had been traded to the Capitals on Sunday afternoon, while ESPN reported the Capitals were surrendering the two draft picks to acquire him.
The Flames were just 10 minutes into their practice at the University of Pennsylvania on Sunday, where they were preparing for a game that night against the Philadelphia Flyers, when Glencross abruptly left the ice, according to reporters on the scene.
Glencross was expected to arrive in Washington at some point during the Capitals’ game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Capitals also announced Sunday afternoon that left wing Aaron Volpatti had cleared waivers and was assigned to Hershey of the American Hockey League. Washington also sent defenseman Cameron Schilling to Hershey, leaving the team with no extra defensemen and one extra forward for that game.
• Zac Boyer can be reached at zboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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