Thrashers trade Havelid to Devils

The Thrashers traded Niclas Havelid and a minor leaguer to the New Jersey Devils for Anssi Salmela on Monday in a move that swaps a 35-year-old Nordic defenseman who might soon return to his native country for a 24-year-old Nordic defenseman recently arrived in the United States.

Salmela, who has played for the Finnish national team, has only 17 games of NHL experience. Game 18 is expected to come with the Thrashers next week in Colorado, after Salmela plays a short rehabilitation stint with the minor league Chicago Wolves. He took a blow to the head in his last game with the Devils.

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Niclas Havelid had two goals and 13 assists in 63 games this season with the Thrashers.

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Havelid, who becomes an unrestricted free agent if not signed before July 1, has played nine NHL seasons, four of them with the Thrashers. He is considering finishing his career in Sweden.

“He wasn’t in any position to commit for next year,” said Thrashers general manager Don Waddell, who had to trade Havelid by Wednesday’s deadline or face the likelihood of getting nothing for him.

“We were offered second-round picks [by other teams]. We wanted to come out with a body we could put in our lineup.”

Waddell described Salmela, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, as “a puck-moving defenseman” with “very high-end skill” who will give the Thrashers more offense than Havelid did.

Havelid said the highlight of his time in Atlanta was making the playoffs in 2007 and experiencing playoff atmosphere in Philips Arena. “That was good for the organization, to see the building go crazy for two games,” he said.

He made it to the Stanley Cup finals with the Anaheim Ducks in 2003 and has a chance to go deep into the playoffs with the Devils, who lead the Atlantic Division and stand second in the Eastern Conference.

Havelid has two goals and 13 assists in 63 games this season. Salmela has three assists in 17 games with the Devils and eight goals and 16 assists in 38 games with Lowell of the AHL.

In addition to Havelid, the Thrashers sent the Devils Myles Stoesz, a physical 22-year-old forward who has played mostly with the Gwinnett Gladiators.