Ducks acquire Guenin from Columbus for Smith.

In a minor trade for the Ducks but a big trade for the Syracuse Crunch, center Trevor Smith has been traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets for defenseman Nate Guenin.

Guenin has played three NHL games this season for Columbus, all in October, and will report directly to the Ducks’ AHL affiliate. A former third-round draft pick by the New York Rangers in 2002, Guenin has appeared in 17 NHL games beginning in 2006-07 with the Philadelphia Flyers. He has no goals, two assists and a minus-3 rating at the NHL level.

In 30 AHL games this season, all with the Springfield Falcons, Guenin has no goals and five assists with 21 penalty minutes.

The Crunch lose their leading scorer in Smith, who has 12 goals and 27 points in 35 games this season. Syracuse figures to get help at center from Nick Bonino, whom the Ducks demoted Monday.

The Syracuse Post-Dispatch reports that the Ducks are recalling right wing Dan Sexton, though the team hasn’t made an official announcement. Sexton has seven goals and 15 points in 14 AHL games this season.

News and notes from practice.

Without Sunday’s cuts (Trevor Smith, MacGregor Sharp, Timo Pielmeier, Jake Newton, Stephane Veilleux), the light at the end of the tunnel that is opening night was visible at today’s practice (a long one, following a day off Sunday). The forward combos were significantly pared down:

Beleskey-Getzlaf-Perry
Green-Ryan-Selanne
Blake-Macenauer-Sexton
Voros-Koivu-Bodie
Carter-Chipchura-Parros-Marchant

A couple more notes:

Continue reading “News and notes from practice.” »

Latest round of cuts helps clarify roster picture.

The Ducks had a day off the ice Sunday, but it was a busy day of travel for six players released from training camp.

Center Trevor Smith, center MacGregor Sharp, goaltender Timo Pielmeier and defenseman Jake Newton were assigned to Syracuse of the American Hockey League. Igor Bobkov was assigned to his Ontario Hockey League team, the London Knights, and forward Stephane Veilleux was released from his pro tryout contract.

Only 30 players remain on the roster and the opening-day roster is starting to become more clear.

Continue reading “Latest round of cuts helps clarify roster picture.” »

Ducks add minor-leaguer Trevor Smith.

Following through on his pledge to bolster the Ducks’ minor-league system, general manager Bob Murray signed center Trevor Smith to a one-year contract Friday. The 25-year-old is likely to start the season as a member of the Syracuse Crunch.

Smith, 25, appeared in a career-high 77 games last year with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers. He notched 21 goals and 47 points with a plus-5 rating and 73 penalty minutes last season, ranking second on the team in goals, third in scoring and tied for third in assists. The 6-foot, 195-pound center also added three points and two PIM in five Calder Cup Playoff games. In seven NHL games, all with the New York Islanders, Smith has one goal and no assists.

The Ducks were down one veteran minor-leaguer when they decided not to qualify restricted free-agent forward Shawn Weller.