Hurricanes Acquire Doug Weight

[Gym Class Hero]

RALEIGH, NC - Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has acquired center Doug Weight from the St. Louis Blues.

Weight will join the Hurricanes for the team's practice at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Thursday. Rutherford will be available to the media today at 3 p.m. in the RBC Center's fourth floor conference room.

"Doug is one of the premier forwards in the National Hockey League and will add a strong element to our top lines," said Rutherford. "His skill, leadership and experience will be a great benefit for our team."

In exchange for Weight and left wing Erkki Rajamaki, the Hurricanes have traded their first round draft pick in 2006, Toronto's fourth-round pick in 2006, Chicago's fourth-round pick in 2007, right wing Jesse Boulerice, center Mike Zigomanis and rights to unsigned draft pick Magnus Kahnberg to the Blues. Carolina acquired the fourth-round pick from Toronto in the draft-day deal that sent Jeff O'Neill to the Maple Leafs, and acquired Chicago's 2007 fourth-round pick in the Dec. 29 trade that sent Radim Vrbata to the Blackhawks.

Weight, 35, leads St. Louis with 33 assists and 44 points, and ranks third on the team with 50 penalty minutes in 47 games this season. The Warren, MI, native has notched seven of his 11 goals on the power play. He will represent the United States at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy along with Hurricanes coach Peter Laviolette and left wing Erik Cole.

Weight was originally drafted by the New York Rangers in the second round, 34th overall, in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft. He began his professional career with the Rangers during the 1991 Stanley Cup playoffs, following his second season at Lake Superior State University of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. In 959 career NHL regular-season games, Weight (5' 11", 200 lbs.) has tallied 235 goals and 648 assists (883 points) with the Rangers, Edmonton and St. Louis.

Rajamaki, 27, is a native of Vantaa, Finland, and is currently playing in the Finnish league. He played all of the 2004-05 season with the Worcester Ice Cats of the American Hockey League and recorded five goals and four assists (9 points) in 60 regular-season games. The Tampa Bay Lightning drafted Rajamaki (6' 2", 205 lbs.) in the eighth round, 216th overall, in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft.

[brawls16]

This just in, Dougy Weight has been traded to Carolina, details to follow.....

Damn those Blues for supplying a team that's beating the Leafs in the playoff race

[fridge29]

Guess Clarke's not adding him. Unless..........the Carolina - Philadelphia pipeline is still open.

[Goodfella25]

WOW big pickup for the Canes, as if they needed one. I wonder what is going to STL...I am thinking some prospects...maybe Zigomanis?

[nilan30]

Originally Posted by Goodfella25

WOW big pickup for the Canes, as if they needed one. I wonder what is going to STL...I am thinking some prospects...maybe Zigomanis?

I've heard Boulerice was one of the guys going the other way but it seemed more like speculation than fact. Might be more fun to see him on St. Louis if it's true.

[HordiBrusk29]

I heard it was in exchange for Boulerice as well. Boulerice and a couple of draft picks. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

[Goodfella25]

Other message boards say Ladd, Kaberle and a 2nd round going to STL...but that seems highly unlikely to me. That seems like a lot to give up for a "rental" player, but TSN.ca said that Carolina had to outbid Ottawa, Nashville, and Calgary, so the return to STL had to be something decent

[canuckfan]

Looks like the long predicted fire sale in St. Louis started a little early. Who's next - Scott Young? Eric Weinrich?

Wonder if the Canes had to give up a lot, should be interesting to see. This team is looking good!

[bustoff]

Looks like the Blues are serious about getting the #1 pick.

[Thrillhouse]

TSN is reporting that this deal is actually huge with more players but we won't find out until both sides sign on the dotted line. This is exciting!

The Flames just recalled a defenseman...maybe one of their many is on the way out....hmmm...

[Goodfella25]

Originally Posted by Thrillhouse

TSN is reporting that this deal is actually huge with more players but we won't find out until both sides sign on the dotted line. This is exciting!

I love this stuff...things should get interesting in the next few weeks because as someone said, the firesale appears to be on in St. Louis already...i would expect a similar situation in Pittsburgh soon.

[Thrillhouse]

Done deal

To CAR: Doug Weight, Erkki Rajamaki
TO STL: Carolina's first-round pick in 2006, Toronto's fourth-round pick in 2006, Chicago's fourth-round pick in 2007, Jesse Boulerice, Mike Zigomanis, Magnus Kahnberg

[VodkaFish]

What's funny is I was giving an interview yesterday and was asked who I thought could go to the Cup. I didn't mention the Canes and when asked why I said I thought they needed more experience and veteran leadership. Well, here it is.

[OBA]

Does Jesse Boulerice play with the Hawk's, or go down to their AHL team?

[Skorka85]

Boulerice is going to the Blues. I would think he'll get some playing time with them.

Originally Posted by OBA

Does Jesse Boulerice play with the Hawk's, or go down to their AHL team?