Maple Leafs Acquire David Steckel from Devils

The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that they have acquired center David Steckel from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a fourth round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft. He still has two years left on his current contract. In 75 games last season with the Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils, he had six goals and six assists for 12 points. Not a bad depth move for the Maple Leafs, as Steckel will bring loads of experience and talent to the faceoff, as well as plenty of size and skill to the penalty kill. With Tim Connolly and Mikhail Grabovski currently sidelined with injuries, Steckel adds some much needed depth at center for Toronto, but it's just a short-term fix, as both players shouldn't miss much time. Once they return, look for Steckel to play on the fourth line. For the Devils, this move presents an opportunity for players like Brad Mills, Adam Henrique, Mattias Tedenby, and Cam Janssen to make the opening night roster.

Capitals Acquire Jason Arnott from Devils for David Steckel

The Washington Capitals have added some much needed depth at center by acquiring Jason Arnott from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for center David Steckel and a second round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft. Arnott will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, while Steckel still has two more seasons left on his current contract. In 62 games this season with the Devils, Arnott has 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points, while Steckel has five goals and six assists for 11 points in 57 games with the Capitals. Not a bad move for the Capitals, as Arnott brings them the second line center they have been seeking for much of the season. He also brings a good shot and some skill to the power play. For the Devils, they good a good faceoff man in Steckel, who is also versatile enough to play on the wing. He also has good size and some skill on the penalty kill, so he should be a good addition for New Jersey.

Capitals Sign Steckel & Sloan to Contract Extensions

The Washington Capitals announced today that they have signed center David Steckel to a three-year contract extension and defenseman Tyler Sloan to a two-year extension. Steckel's contract is worth $3.3 million, while Sloan's is worth $1.4 million. Both players would have been unrestricted free agents this summer. In 42 games so far this season, Steckel has two goals and three assists for five points, while Sloan has two goals and two assists for four points in 22 games. These are good depth signings for the Capitals, as both Steckel and Sloan work very hard on the ice. Steckel gives the team lots of depth at center from the fourth line and excels on the faceoff. Sloan, who toiled in the minors for years, has developed into a very reliable seventh defenseman for the Capitals with his strong work ethic.