Darcy Kuemper

Wild deal Backstrom to Flames at deadline

Published Feb. 29, 2016 7:26 p.m. ET

foxsports

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild traded goalie Niklas Backstrom and a sixth-round draft pick to the Calgary Flames for right wing David Jones on Monday at the NHL trade deadline.

The 31-year-old Jones had nine goals and six assists in 59 games for the Flames this season, ranking second on the team with 115 hits. He has 102 goals and 86 assists in 446 NHL games, totaling 47 goals over the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons for the Colorado Avalanche.

"You can never have enough depth headed down the stretch," Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher said.

The 38-year-old Backstrom has not played at all this season, stuck behind Devan Dubnyk and Darcy Kuemper. He hasn't been in the Wild net since Jan. 13, 2015, the day before they acquired Dubnyk.

The Wild were unable to deal him or buy out his contract last summer because of lingering injuries, so they were forced to carry his salary-cap hit of more than $3.4 million in the final year of a three-year deal he signed in June 2013 after playing in 42 of the 48 regular-season games with a 2.48 goals-against average in that lockout-shortened 2013 season.

"He's been a real professional through a tough situation," Fletcher said.

Backstrom is the Wild's all-time leader with 194 wins, 28 shutouts and 409 games played. Signed as a free agent out of Finland in June 2006, Backstrom appeared in the 2009 NHL All-Star game and has a 2.48 career goals-against average. But his time with the Wild, particularly the past four seasons, were marked by injuries, including trouble with his hip and hernias.

Minnesota acquired two minor-league players in separate deals.

Defenseman Conor Allen came from the Ottawa Senators for left wing Michael Keranen. Right wing Scott Sabourin was fetched from the Los Angeles Kings for center Brett Sutter. Keranen and Sutter were playing for the Iowa Wild in the AHL.

The Wild also activated defenseman Jonas Brodin from injured reserve after he missed 12 games with a broken foot.

Defenseman Christian Folin was assigned to Iowa to make room on the roster for Brodin, who has one goal and five assists in 50 games for the Wild this season. He is third on the team with 72 blocked shots.

The Wild host the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday.