Blackhawks deal Brandon Saad to Blue Jackets in 6-player swap

BySCOTT POWERS
June 30, 2015, 5:51 PM

— -- The Chicago Blackhawks traded forwards Brandon Saad and Alex Broadhurst and defenseman Michael Paliotta to the Columbus Blue Jackets for forwards Artem Anisimov, Marko Dano, Jeremy MorinCorey Tropp and a 2016 fourth-round pick on Tuesday.

Saad, 22, has 52 goals and 74 assists in 208 career regular-season games with the Blackhawks, including 23 goals and 29 assists in 82 games last season. He is set to become a restricted free agent and Blackhawks general manger Stan Bowman had previously said re-signing him was the priority for the offseason.

Broadhurst, 22, had six goals and 14 assists in 29 games with the Rockford IceHogs last season. He sat out most of the season with an injury.

Paliotta, 22, recently signed with the Blackhawks after completing his college career at Vermont. He was among the top defensemen in college this past season and was drafted by the Blackhawks in the third round in 2011.

Anisimov, 27, had seven goals and 20 assists in 52 games for the Blue Jackets last season. He has 86 goals and 106 assists in 412 career NHL games.

Dano, 20, had eight goals and 13 assists in 35 games in his rookie season this past year. He also had 11 goals and eight assists with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL. He was drafted in the first round in 2013 by the Blue Jackets.

Morin, 24, returns to the Blackhawks after being traded to the Blue Jackets last season. He had two goals and four assists in 43 NHL games last season.

Tropp, 25, had one goal and seven assists in 61 games for the Blue Jackets last season. He has six goals and 21 assists in 148 career NHL games.