Panthers Acquire Eminger from Lightning for Welch

The Florida Panthers added some defensive depth to their lineup on Wednesday by acquiring defenseman Steve Eminger from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for defenseman Noah Welch and a third round draft pick. This is the second time Eminger has been traded this season, as he was acquired by the Lightning early in the season along with Steve Downie for Matt Carle. In 62 games so far this season, Eminger has four goals and 21 assists for 25 points. Welch has been a healthy scratch for much of the season, appearing in 23 games, scoring one goal and one assists for two points. This is a great trade for Florida, as Eminger has plenty of offensive skill and veteran experience on the blueline. Acquiring Welch is a bit of a question mark for the Lightning, as he doesn't have much upside. The Lightning have traded off nearly every asset of the Dan Boyle trade and are left with Ty Wishart, who has some promise, and Welch. In the end, the Lightning pretty much gave Boyle away when they should have had more patience with the players they brought in.