The Chicago Blackhawks have traded defenseman Jan Rutta to the Tampa Bay Lightning in a swap of depth blue liners Friday.
The Blackhawks will also send a seventh round pick to the Lightning as part of the deal. In exchange, the Blackhawks will receive defenseman Slater Koekkoek and a fifth round pick in the 2019 draft, the team announced.
Rutta scored two goals and registered four assists in 23 games with the Blackhawks this season. He will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Meanwhile, Koekkoek has five goals and nine assists in 85 career NHL games since being drafted in 2012. He is owed a cap hit of $865,000 this season, and will become a free agent at season’s end.