Blue Jackets Acquire Rycroft From Avalanche for Campbell and Dupuis

[VodkaFish]

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired right wing Mark Rycroft from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Darcy Campbell and center Philippe Dupuis, Blue Jackets General Manager Scott Howson announced today. Rycroft was then assigned to the Syracuse Crunch, Columbus’s American Hockey League affiliate.

Rycroft, 29, has tallied one goal and six assists for seven points with 17 penalty minutes and is even in 30 games with the AHL’s Lake Erie Monsters this season. He has registered 45-69-114 and 188 penalty minutes in 212 career AHL games with Worcester and Lake Erie. He has appeared in 226 career NHL games and has tallied 21-25-46 with 113 penalty minutes, including 6-6-12 with 31 penalty minutes and a +3 plus/minus rating in 66 games with Colorado last season.

Signed by St. Louis as a free agent on May 15, 2000, Rycroft played three seasons with the University of Denver of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association from 1997-2000. The Penticton, British Columbia native collected 51-52-103 with 151 penalty minutes in 117 games during his college career. He was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team in 1998.

Campbell, 23, has appeared in 28 games for the Syracuse Crunch (AHL) this season, recording six points (1g/5a) and 26 penalty minutes. He signed with Columbus as a free agent on March 24, 2007 after concluding a three-year career at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks (CCHA). The Airdrie, Alberta, native played one game for the Blue Jackets in 2006-07, making his NHL debut on March 30, 2007 at Chicago.

Dupuis, 22, was Columbus’ fifth choice (104th overall) in the 2003 Entry Draft. He has tallied 11 points (7g/4a) in 29 games with the Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate in Syracuse this season. The Laval, Quebec, native collected 324 points (113g/211a) in 313 career games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 2001-06.