Jets trade Drew Stafford to Boston for conditional 6th-round pick

The Winnipeg Jets traded forward Drew Stafford to the Boston Bruins today for a conditional sixth-round draft pick.

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The sixth-round pick in 2018 can go to a fifth-or-fourth-round pick based on Boston's performance in the playoffs.

"I'm excited. It's a great opportunity to get back in the mix," he said Wednesday. "For me to get an opportunity to hopefully help win games, you know I couldn't be happier."

Drew Stafford reacts to being traded to Boston

8 years ago

Duration 1:44

Forward Drew Stafford speaks to reporters after the Winnipeg Jets announced he was being traded to the Boston Bruins for a conditional NHL sixth-round draft pick.

Stafford came to the Jets from the Buffalo Sabres in February 2014 as part of an eight-player transaction. He signed a two-year extension with the Jets in 2015, and in 2015-16 finished third on the team with 21 goals.

"Everything really came togetherat the lastminute," Jets general manager KevinCheveldayoffsaid.

Stafford, a native of Milwaukee,played in 144 games with the Jets during parts of the last three seasons, scoring a total of 34 goals and adding 36 assists for 70 points, said a release from the Jets Wednesday.

Stafford, 31, played for three seasons at the University of North Dakota and helped the United States win gold at the 2004 World Junior Championship.

The forwardwas widely expected to be traded because he becomes an unrestricted free agent July 1.

When asked what memory will stick with him from his time in WinnipegStaffordanswered without hesitation: the whiteout.

"In Buffalo there we had some tough years," he said. "To be able to be apart of [the Jets' playoffs run] I've become extremely grateful for that opportunity. Coming out and you see it's all white it was awesome."

Stafford has 392 points in 707 career NHL games.

There arenoplans to bring up a Moose player withStaffordleaving, Cheveldayoffsaid.

"It's an opportunity for sure for us to get [Andrew]Coppand[Marko] Danoback in the lineup and get them playing again," he said.

JulianMelchioriwas assigned to the Moose prior to thedeadline.

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