The Blue Jackets have acquired left wing Brandon Saad, defenseman Michael Paliotta and center Alex Broadhurst from the Blackhawks in exchange for forwards Artem Anisimov, Marko Dano, Jeremy Morin, Corey Tropp and a fourth round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, club GM Jarmo Kekalainen announced today.  

Saad, 22, has registered 52 goals and 74 assists in 208 career NHL games, helping Chicago win a pair of Stanley Cup championships in 2013 and 2015.

“We’re very excited to bring Brandon Saad, a 22-year old two-time Stanley Cup champion with great size, speed, power and the ability to score goals, to our organization,” said Kekalainen.  “He is a proven winner and exactly the kind of player we want as a Columbus Blue Jacket.”

Paliotta, 22, was Chicago’s fifth pick, 70th overall, in the 2011 NHL Draft.  He spent the past four years at the University of Vermont (Hockey East), where he registered 19-64-83 in 144 games. 

Broadhurst, 22, was Chicago’s 10th pick, 199th overall, in the 2011 NHL Draft.  He spent the past two seasons with the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs.
 
Anisimov tallied 40-44-84 in 168 career games with the Blue Jackets, including 7-20-27 in 52 games in 2014-15, since joining the club prior to the 2012-13 season as part of the trade that sent Rick Nash to the New York Rangers.  Dano was Columbus’ third pick, 27th overall, in the 2013 NHL Draft.  He tallied 8-13-21 in 35 games with the club as a rookie last season.  Tropp was claimed off waivers from Buffalo on Nov. 28, 2013 and picked up 3-15-18 in 105 games with Columbus over the past two seasons.  Morin was acquired by the Blue Jackets from Chicago in exchange for defenseman Tim Erixon last season.