Devils Acquire Alexei Ponikarovsky from Hurricanes

The New Jersey Devils have announced that they have acquired left wing Alexei Ponikarovsky from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for defenseman Joe Sova and a fourth round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft. In 50 games this season with the Hurricanes, Ponikarovsky has eight goals and eight assists for 16 points. Sova has two goals and two assists for four points in 14 games with Albany of the AHL. He has also appeared in 18 games with Kalamazoo of the ECHL, scoring two goals and five assists for seven points. Not a bad depth move for the Devils, as Ponikarovsky will bring some two-way skill and offensive ability to the forward lines. More than likely, he will play on the team's third line for the remainder of the season. As for the Hurricanes, the subtraction of Ponikarovsky will give one of their younger forwards an opportunity to step up in the second half of the season. As for Sova, he is really just a depth acquisition for the team and will likely remain in the minors for the remainder of the season.