Jordan Leopold was traded to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday for draft picks (Getty)
The Buffalo Sabres traded veteran defenseman Jordan Leopold to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday afternoon in exchange for a 2013 second-round pick and a conditional fith-round pick. TSN's Bob McKenzie first reported the trade.
The Blues sit in the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference, just one point ahead of Dallas and Columbus. St. Louis is 5-5 in its last 10 games and is on a three-game losing streak.
Defense has been an issue for the Blues this season, giving up 93 goals just a year after goaltenders Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak shared the NHL award for lowest goals-against average under Ken Hitchcock's defensive system.
Leopold, 32, is a solid defenseman with some puck-moving abilities. The Sabres get a second-round pick in exchange for a player they're likely going to lose after the season, anyway.
Armstrong says Leopold can play with Pietrangelo or Shattenkirk.
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) March 30, 2013
There's also this ...
Had heard #Blues would go to Leopold if they could not ante up for Bouwmeester. Tight budget in St. Louis
— Roger Millions (@RogMillions) March 30, 2013
Leopold has a -6 rating this season while picking up eight points in 24 games played. He missed nine games earlier this season with an upper-body injury.
Leopold is making $3 million in 2013 and is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in July.
Nothing has gone right for the Sabres in this lockout-shortened season. They fired longtime coach Lindy Ruff earlier this year and are in 14th place in the Eastern Conference with 31 points.
