The Los Angeles Kings have acquired defenceman Denis Gauthier and a second-round draft pick from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for two prospects.
Gauthier, 31, spent all of last season in the American Hockey League, playing with the Philadelphia Phantoms, putting up 18 points and a plus-16 rating in 78 games.
A heavy-hitting blueliner, Gauthier is 6-foot-3, 224 pounds and has 73 points and 658 penalty minutes in 489 career games with the Flames, Coyotes and Flyers.
The prospects heading to Philadelphia are 6-foot-3, 205-pound defenceman Patrik Hersley and 6-foot, 185-pound left wing Ned Lukacevic.
Hersley, 22, split the 2007-08 season between the Kings' American Hockey League affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, and their ECHL affiliate, the Reading Royals. He recorded nine points and 27 penalty minutes in 42 regular season games for Manchester and 18 points and 18 penalty minutes in 20 regular season games for Reading. He also posted nine points in 13 playoff games for Reading.
Lukacevic, 22, registered 17 goals and 19 assists for 36 points and 52 penalty minutes in 61 regular season games for Reading. He was also credited with two assists in eight playoff games for the Royals.
