ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Anaheim Ducks acquired defenseman Dmitry Kulikov from the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday in a trade for future considerations.
The 31-year-old Kulikov had seven goals and 17 assists with a plus-23 rating over 80 games last season for the Wild, who signed the Russian to a two-year contract as a free agent last summer.
The Florida Panthers’ first-round pick in 2009 will begin his 14th NHL season with his seventh team next month. He has 42 goals and 156 assists in 805 career games.
Kulikov is the latest low-risk veteran addition to the rebuilding Ducks, who have bolstered their gifted young core with complementary talent during their first offseason under new general manager Pat Verbeek. Anaheim signed productive defenseman John Klingberg to a one-year deal after signing center Ryan Strome and forward Frank Vatrano to multiyear deals.
Kulikov has one year and $2.25 million remaining on his contract. Minnesota has spent much of the summer attempting to squeeze its payroll under the NHL salary cap.
Anaheim is still currently near the league’s minimum payroll as Verbeek carefully manages his long-term commitments with a rebuilding roster.
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