Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland has acquired speedy forward Andreas Athanasiou from Holland’s former team, the Detroit Red Wings.
The Wings get forward Sam Gagner and second-round picks in the 2020 and 2021 drafts. Detroit also sends left wing Ryan Kuffner to Edmonton.
Holland was named Oilers GM last May after 30 years with the Wings organization. He traded for Detroit defenseman Mike Green on Sunday.
Holland now has Edmonton in the mix in the West, currently sitting in second place in the Pacific Division after missing the playoffs the last two seasons.
The Oilers got their biggest boost when Connor McDavid returned to the lineup Sunday after missing two weeks with a quad injury. But he’s needed help for a while.
The 25-year-old Athanasiou has 10 goals and 14 assists this season after having a career year last season with 30 goals and 24 assists.
His regression came amid an ongoing rebuild for the Red Wings, who have crashed to the worst record in the NHL this season (34 points in 63 games) and are in the midst of their longest postseason drought since 1979 to 1983.
Athanasiou is a league-worst minus-45 this season, on pace to sport the worst plus-minus since Rico Fata was a minus-46 in 2003-04.
They have compiled a haul of draft picks, though, entering trade season with nine picks in the first three rounds of the next two drafts.
Athanasiou will become a restricted free agent after this season, completing a two-year, $6 million deal.
Gagner was the sixth overall pick in the 2007 draft by Edmonton and is in his second stint with the team. He’s also played for Vancouver Canucks, Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets.
His best season came with the Blue Jackets in 2016-17 when he had 51 points. He has only five goals and seven assists in 36 games this season playing a third-line wing role.
He will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
Kuffner has played 10 games with Detroit and hasn’t scored.