PHILADELPHIA (AP) -The Philadelphia Flyers acquired defenseman Kimmo Timonen and forward Scott Hartnell from the Nashville Predators on Monday, improving a team that finished last in the NHL.
The Predators get a first-round pick – the same one they sent to the Flyers to acquire Peter Forsberg – for Timonen and Hartnell, who were to become unrestricted free agents July 1.
Timonen had 13 goals and 42 assists and a plus/minus rating of plus-20 last season. The 32-year-old will bolster a blue line that had significant problems last season. The versatile Hartnell had 22 goals and 17 assists. He can play either wing spot.
The Flyers still hold the No. 2 pick in the NHL draft that begins Friday night. They are coming off a woeful season (22-48-12) after years of success. The Flyers missed the playoffs for the first time since 1994 and set team records for most losses and fewest points (56).
In all, Philadelphia used a team-record 49 players last season, including 15 rookies.
One of the league’s top defensemen, Timonen has 79 goals and 222 assists in eight seasons with Nashville. He is minus-6 for his career, playing mostly on a team that struggled.
The 25-year-old Hartnell was the sixth overall pick by Nashville in 2000. He has 93 goals, 118 assists in six seasons with the Predators.
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