DETROIT (AP) - The Nashville Predators traded away their first draft pick, sending forward David Legwand to his hometown Detroit Red Wings in a deal at the NHL trade deadline.
Detroit general manager Ken Holland announced the deal Wednesday.
Legwand, who turns 34 in August, was the expansion Predators' first pick in the 1998 draft as the No. 2 overall selection. He was tied with captain Shea Weber for the team scoring lead with 40 points, but his contract also is up at the end of this season. The Predators lost defenseman Ryan Suter in free agency in 2012 to Minnesota getting nothing in return.
The Predators got Patrick Eaves, a prospect and a third-round draft pick in exchange for the forward called the original Predator. Legwand played in a franchise-record 956 games for Nashville.
Also, today the Predators traded goaltender Devan Dubnyk to the Montreal Canadiens for future considerations.
The Predators announced the deal after practice Wednesday before the NHL trade deadline.
Nashville got goalie Pekka Rinne back healthy and on the ice Tuesday night in a 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh. That made Dubnyk the odd goalie out in Nashville, and the Predators placed him on waivers Monday before making the trade Wednesday.
The Predators traded for the 6-foot-6 Dubnyk on Jan. 15, bringing him over from Edmonton trying to bolster the roster at goaltender. He appeared in only two games with Nashville and went 0-1-1 giving up nine goals.
Nashville coach Barry Trotz said Dubnyk is a better goalie now than a month ago after working with goalie coach Mitch Korn.
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